Sang Zhi stared at the gaze from above, yet her heart repeatedly wavered with thoughts of retreat.
Seeing that the jade bracelet had been returned to its rightful owner, she felt a weight lifted from her shoulders and was about to take her leave.
But before she could utter a word, the tall figure looming over her suddenly spoke again: "So that's what happened. Yesterday, I heard a cat's cry and thought the cat from over there had carried it away. It's fortunate that my sister-in-law picked it up."
Sang Zhi's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her guilt intensified.
She quickly shook her head and said, "Jia Zhu, you must have misheard. There was no cat. I have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."
Pei He'an watched the fleeing figure disappear, then turned his gaze to the jade bracelet in his palm.
The image of those moist, crimson lips suddenly resurfaced in his mind.
Yet such lips not only defended those who had bullied her but also excused a mischievous and unreasonable Linu.
But they never once spoke up for herself.
Pei He'an held the recovered jade bracelet, the warm touch of the mutton-fat jade seeming to carry an extra hint of warmth.
…
Only after walking a good distance did Sang Zhi dare to slow her pace.
Leaning against a corridor pillar to catch her breath, she couldn't help but recall the words Jia Zhu had spoken earlier.
Had Jia Zhu believed her explanation?
But since he had asked that way, he likely hadn't seen Linu steal the jade bracelet.
With that thought, she no longer needed to worry. Even if Jia Zhu asked again, she could firmly deny it, and Linu would likely remain unharmed.
Having reasoned this through, Sang Zhi suddenly felt a sense of relief wash over her.
She stood up and headed toward the courtyard.
Lang Jun's medicine still needed to be changed today, and she had to return to attend to him.
"Lang Jun, Lord Xie is already waiting for you at the Hundred Flavors Pavilion."
Pei He'an raised his hand to reattach the jade bracelet to his waist and prepared to leave the estate.
Just as he passed through the Moon Gate, he suddenly noticed a group of young boys and girls huddled together.
They were whispering furtively, their conversation unclear.
The leader of the group, a young boy with an air of bravado, noticed the others' hesitation and raised his voice: "What are you all afraid of? Third Uncle won't stand up for her. Even if Daniangzi finds out, at most she'll scold us a few times. The one who’ll be punished in the end is still that stutterer!"
The young boys gathered around looked hesitant, clearly still apprehensive.
One of them dawdled and said, "I think it's enough. It wouldn’t be good if A Mu found out."
"What can you all accomplish like this? Just listen to me…"
Before he could finish, a tall figure suddenly loomed over him.
A familiar, cold voice spoke: "Listen to you about what?"
Pei Changyue stiffened instantly, unable to forget what had just been witnessed.
His earlier arrogance vanished in an instant. Turning around, he stammered, "Uncle, it’s… it’s nothing. We were just discussing going out to play. Are you heading out now, Uncle? We won’t keep you. We’ll be on our way."
With that, Pei Changyue tried to slip away, but before he could take a step, Mu Shan blocked his path.
"I heard from your aunt that you’ve been frequently reprimanded by the teacher at school lately?"
Pei Changyue’s eyes darted around, avoiding the question.
The young boys and girls standing behind him trembled with fear, each hoping not to be singled out.
"Lacking ambition, each of you return to your courtyards and copy twenty pages of books. You are not allowed to leave until you’ve finished."
If it were A Mu or his father speaking, Pei Changyue would certainly have argued back.
But faced with his uncle's words, he dared not question a single syllable, quickly taking the people behind him and making himself scarce.
Mu Shan, following behind, had a flicker of confusion in his eyes. Lang Jun rarely involved himself in the affairs of the young masters in the mansion; even if they were tearing the roof tiles off, he never spoke up. What was going on now?
Baiwei Tower, third floor.
Xie Shi'an leaned casually against the window frame, a striking sapphire-blue robe spilling slightly over the edge. His captivating, amorous peach-blossom eyes were set in a handsome face, and even the hairpin in his crown bore a brilliant peacock blue.
At first glance, he looked every bit the dissolute playboy.
Suddenly, the tightly closed door was gently pushed open.
A pair of pitch-black boots stepped in first, glancing briefly at his friend leaning against the window frame.
Hearing the footsteps, Xie Shi'an spoke without turning his head, "Jing Zhi, you're here."
Xie Shi'an turned around, the tassels hanging from his hairpin swaying gently with the movement.
The very image of a pampered young noble.
"Jing Zhi, how is it that after three months apart, I see you've returned from the Liangguang region looking even more refined? Could it be that the feng shui elsewhere is more nourishing?"
Pei He'an couldn't be bothered to respond. His pale, cool fingertips rested on the teapot, and emerald-green tea instantly poured from the spout into the porcelain-white teacup.
Like a pool of clear, green water.
Ripples danced as it flowed.
"Get to the point."
Xie Shi'an felt a bit bored but straightened his robes and posture nonetheless.
The wide-open window was tightly shut.
The moment the window closed, those captivating peach-blossom eyes lost their charm, replaced by a hint of coldness.
"Jing Zhi, in the three months you were away, the court hasn't seen much upheaval, but the Second Prince and the Fifth Prince are fighting more fiercely than ever."
"Just a few days before you returned, the Second Prince's faction suddenly submitted a memorial impeaching the Capital Garrison Commander. They found some fault or another, infuriating His Majesty. He has already been demoted. However, the Capital Garrison Commander was originally aligned with the Fifth Prince. The newly appointed Wang Lingyue, though from the Wang family, according to my investigations, doesn't seem to have pledged allegiance to the Second Prince yet."
Xie Shi'an elaborated further on the matter, recounting all the turmoil of the past three months.
Only then did he ask, "By the way, how did your trip to the Liangguang region to handle the locust plague go?"
"Passable."
Xie Shi'an had rambled on at length, only to receive these two words in return.
He angrily picked up the teacup from the table and gulped it down.
Forget it, forget it. He's just a tight-lipped gourd; why bother arguing?
But then, those amorous peach-blossom eyes suddenly lit up with mischief as he curved into a smile. "I wonder if you've met your Sanlang's wife since returning?"
Pei He'an's fingers, holding the teacup, paused slightly.
Unaware, Xie Shi'an continued, "Hard to believe, right? You were only gone for three months, and Sanlang is already married."
"Speaking of which, I still haven't seen the bride. Your family didn't hold a grand ceremony. If it weren't for our friendship, I'd probably still be in the dark."
Pei He'an's thumb lightly traced the rim of the cup for a moment, but he said nothing.
"Hey, I heard from Sanlang that the girl's family is only a ninth-rank official. I wonder how she managed to enchant Sanlang. Have you met her? What do you think?"
Enchant Sanlang?
The first image that surfaced in Pei He'an's mind was the figure lying on the ground yesterday.
Her almond-shaped eyes brimmed with tears, lashes trembling slightly. Those rosy lips were lightly bitten by pearly teeth, yet she dared not speak a word—truly pitiful.
Could such a person captivate Sanlang?
She was merely being toyed with.
“Boring.”
Xie Shi’an thought he was referring to the young lady and took it at face value. “Really boring? But I saw Sanlang enjoying himself quite a bit when he was out with her earlier. I thought things were progressing well, never expected it to be this fast. Jing Zhi, who knows, you might have a little nephew before long.”
Pei He’an’s brows furrowed slightly, suddenly feeling Xie Shi’an’s words were a bit too much.
Autumn had arrived, and nightfall came earlier than before.
Sang Zhi carried the freshly cooked dishes back to the courtyard, huffing and puffing.
After arranging all the dishes on the table, she walked around the screen to help the person still lying on the bed sit up.
Softly, she said, “Take it slow, watch your step.”
Sang Zhi draped the robe hanging on the screen over Pei Xiyue, tied it simply to ensure he wouldn’t catch a chill, and then supported him as they walked toward the table.
After sitting down, Pei Xiyue must have tugged on some nerve, as his handsome face instantly contorted into a grimace, teeth bared.
The corner of Sang Zhi’s lips twitched. She very much wanted to suggest that Lang Jun might as well eat on the bed.
But since he had already dismissed the idea earlier, she didn’t dare bring it up again.
Silently, she sat down beside Pei Xiyue.
Out of the corner of her eye, she kept a constant watch on him.
Sang Zhi was attentive; without a word, she could quickly discern what Lang Jun wanted.
In the next moment, the dishes and tea were already within his reach.
Pei Xiyue looked at the heart and lungs placed on his plate, a flicker of aversion crossing his features.
“What is this? Take it away, I won’t eat it.”
But Sang Zhi didn’t remove the heart and lungs as he said. Summoning her courage, she replied, “This is heart and lungs. I asked the physician. It’s good for Lang Jun’s wounds.”
Seeing that Pei Xiyue’s frown hadn’t eased, she quickly added, “I’ve prepared it. It’s not fishy.”
Though Pei Xiyue still showed reluctance, he at least reached out, picked up the heart and lungs, and put them into his mouth.
He didn’t chew carefully, swallowing them whole.
Due to Jia Zhu’s punishment the day before, all the servants attending to Pei Xiyue had been caned, and no new ones had been assigned.
So Sang Zhi had to take the food container back to the kitchen once more.
With all the back-and-forth, the sky had long since darkened.
Only the occasional croak of frogs remained in the grass.
By the time Sang Zhi reached the kitchen, even the matron on duty was nowhere to be found.
Fortunately, few people came to the kitchen at night, so Sang Zhi placed the food container on the counter.
Just as she was about to leave, a steady set of footsteps suddenly sounded at the door.
Sang Zhi followed the sound and unexpectedly met Pei He’an’s gaze.
Why would Jia Zhu come to the kitchen so late?
Normally, if there were others in the kitchen, it wouldn’t be Sang Zhi’s place to speak.
But now that she was the only one left, she had no choice but to speak up, however reluctantly.
Steeling herself, she asked, “Jia Zhu, is there something you need?”
Pei He’an lightly rubbed his temples. His usually cold and indifferent eyes now held a trace of daze.
The rich aroma of wine spread through the air, carried by the cold breeze to Sang Zhi’s nose.
The faint scent of alcohol drifted in, and Sang Zhi instantly understood.
She skillfully searched around the stove.
She remembered that hangover soup was always kept on hand in the kitchen. People in the mansion often had social engagements and might come to fetch it even in the middle of the night.
But Sang Zhi looked at the empty stove, where only a trace of leftover broth remained.
Clearly, the last bowl had just been taken, or perhaps the kitchen maid had gone to deliver sobering soup to another courtyard.
"None left?"
Sang Zhi didn't notice when the Jia Zhu approached, having been completely unaware.
The previously faint scent of wine grew instantly heavy as the distance closed, mingling with a hint of cold sandalwood that spread wantonly through the air.
Caught off guard, Sang Zhi found herself enveloped by the intense fragrance, feeling as if the wine's essence had seeped through her exposed skin.
Even her vision began to blur.
Instinctively, she took a step back, pulling herself away from the rich aroma.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the weariness on the Jia Zhu's face and remembered the favor he had done her yesterday by intervening.
Her lips tightened for a moment before she whispered softly, "If you'd like, I can make a bowl for the Jia Zhu. It won't take long."
Pei He'an paused the fingers pressing against his brow and said coldly, "That would be troublesome."
Sang Zhi waved her hand. It's no trouble.
When she was young, before her father became an official, the family didn't have extra money to hire a cook.
From the time she could remember, Sang Zhi had been busy around the stove. If not for her father later becoming an official,
and the family having more money, with A Mu hiring someone to teach her and her sister,
Sang Zhi felt her cooking skills might have reached an even higher level.
The kitchen had sugarcane and radishes prepared in advance. Sang Zhi washed them with clean water and cut them into small pieces.
The heavy blade became exceptionally nimble in her hands, taking shape with each swift cut.
Pei He'an stood to the side, his gaze following the magnolia-colored figure as it moved back and forth.
The thin mist rising from the steaming pot blended the woman's gentle, warm features into the soup.
Sang Zhi boiled the cut ingredients in hot water for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, until the broth turned clear.
Only then did she ladle out a bowl.
Carefully holding the rim of the bowl, she placed it on the table, her fingertips reddened by the heat as she instinctively pinched her earlobe.
She didn't forget to remind the person behind her, "It just came out of the pot, so it's very hot. Be careful."
Pei He'an's peripheral gaze fell on the flushed, plump earlobe.
Her earlobes weren't large, but they were smooth and round, full of flesh.
Yet they were bare, without earrings to match.
Even her hair bun was rarely adorned with accessories.
Had Sanlang never bought her jewelry?
Pei He'an couldn't help but recall his friend's earlier words at this inopportune moment.
How could someone who couldn't even obtain material possessions possibly captivate Sanlang?
Author's Note:
Dà Péi: If my wife were with me, I would never be like Sanlang. I'd definitely dress her up beautifully [sparkling eyes]