After a while, Pei Yanchen finally remembered who this Miss Jiang was.
Court affairs had been busy these past few days, and he had rarely been at the residence.
Ever since the Miss Jiang who had come from Yecheng had met Old Madam Pei that one time, he had not seen her again.
Pei Yanchen brushed a hand over his sleeve, turned, and walked out. His voice was as cold as piled snow. “Where is she?”
Ji Hong hurried after him. “In the pavilion.”
In one corner of the pavilion in the rear courtyard of the Pei Residence, Jiang Yingwan stood beside the jade railing, staring absently at the crimson blossoms in the distant Lotus Pond.
Pei Yanchen approached along the bluestone path from the right.
He paused briefly and lifted his eyes toward the pavilion.
The young woman wore a long lake-colored dress. Her waist was slender, and ribbons of the same color hung at her sides, fluttering gently in the breeze. At first glance, she looked very docile and soft.
He lowered his eyes slightly and stepped up onto the stairs.
Hearing the movement, Jiang Yingwan abruptly came to herself.
She turned to look in his direction.
As it happened, Pei Yanchen was looking at her as well, and their gazes met for an instant.
Her fingertips tightened unconsciously.
She curtsied to him. “Lord Pei.”
Hearing the changed form of address from her lips, Pei Yanchen’s expression remained unchanged. He casually sat down on a nearby stool.
His posture was languid, his brows and eyes cold and weary.
Yet the sense of distance surrounding him had receded somewhat.
He took the initiative to speak. “Sit. Miss Jiang, are you finding it uncomfortable staying at the residence?”
Jiang Yingwan walked two steps forward.
But she did not sit. After a moment’s hesitation, she said softly:
“Everything in the residence is well provided for, and I have not found it uncomfortable. I asked to see you today because there is something for which I would like to request your assistance.”
Pei Yanchen looked up at her.
The woman’s eyes were clear and limpid, while her features were strikingly beautiful. Perhaps because she was nervous about asking him for a favor, her bright, translucent dark eyes held a trace of tension and wariness as she looked at him.
For some unknown reason, in that one instant—
Pei Yanchen absurdly felt that those eyes looked extremely like the eyes of the woman in his dreams.
The restlessness he had finally managed to force down moments earlier showed faint signs of being stirred up again.
His gaze was too sharp.
In particular, that dark, cold, heavy look inexplicably filled Jiang Yingwan with an indescribable fear.
Even her spine seemed to be steeped in chill.
Her fingertips tightened silently.
Before she had time to sort out this strange feeling, Pei Yanchen had already withdrawn his gaze.
His thin, sharp lashes lowered halfway. His cold, jade-white wrist rested casually against the edge of the stone table as he asked first:
“What is it? Miss Jiang, please speak.”
Jiang Yingwan looked over.
The color of his eyes had already returned to normal.
It was as though that instant just now had merely been her illusion.
She pressed her lips together slightly. Knowing that this opportunity had not come easily, she did not delay any longer and quickly said:
“I want to investigate the reason my parents met with disaster back then, but the case files are held at Dali Temple, and I cannot access them. I would like to ask you to take a look at the case files from three years ago for me.”
“The case files?” His gaze fell on her.
Jiang Yingwan’s lashes trembled faintly.
She did not meet his eyes again, only nodding silently.
Pei Yanchen agreed. “Tomorrow happens to be a day off from court. Since there is nothing happening at court, I will make a trip to Dali Temple.”
Jiang Yingwan’s eyes brightened.
Though she was somewhat surprised that he had agreed so readily, she immediately thanked him sincerely.
In fact, Jiang Yingwan was not the only one surprised at that moment. Ji Hong, who had been standing silently beneath the pavilion steps, was surprised as well.
Ji Hong had followed Pei Yanchen for many years.
He understood Pei Yanchen better than most people did.
He knew all too well that their master was absolutely not the sort of person who granted every request made of him. Yet today, he was rather strange.
Especially since the case files at Dali Temple could be considered confidential.
Ji Hong could not help taking several more looks at Jiang Yingwan.
Though puzzled, he then remembered the debt of gratitude Jiang Yingwan’s grandfather had once shown the Pei family. If their master was acting so accommodatingly to repay that old debt, then it made sense after all.
The next day, at the third quarter of the Chen hour.
Pei Yanchen left his room and went straight from the residence to Dali Temple.
When Wei Zhanglian, the Vice Minister of the Dali Temple on duty that day, saw this Grand Chancellor, who rarely came to Dali Temple, personally arrive, he was so startled that he repeatedly rose to his feet and hurried out to receive him.
“Lord Pei? Today is a day off from court. Have you come here in person because you have some important instructions?”
As he spoke, the Vice Minister of the Dali Temple respectfully ushered Pei Yanchen inside.
“It cannot be called an important matter,” Pei Yanchen said. “I would like to look at the case files concerning the Imperial Merchant Jiang Residence from three years ago. I wonder whether that would be convenient?”
How could Wei Zhanglian dare say it was inconvenient?
The man before him had grasped great power at a young age and occupied the exalted position of Grand Chancellor. He was also deeply valued and trusted by His Majesty, truly second to one and above all others.
As a mere Vice Minister of the Dali Temple, how could he dare slight him?
“Of course it is convenient.” Wei Zhanglian did not even ask the customary question about the reason for viewing the case files. He agreed repeatedly. “Lord Pei, please wait a moment. I will go find them at once.”
With that, Wei Zhanglian immediately ordered his subordinates to look for the Jiang family’s case files from back then, and also summoned someone to serve Pei Yanchen tea.
Before long, the Chief Judicial Officer of the Dali Temple personally brought the Jiang family’s case files and placed them before Pei Yanchen.
Pei Yanchen opened them and read through every word carefully.
The Vice Minister of the Dali Temple, Wei Zhanglian, had been standing beside him and accompanying him in conversation. He was perceptive enough to fall silent and not disturb Pei Yanchen as he read the case files.
A quarter of an hour later—
Pei Yanchen closed the case files and returned them to Wei Zhanglian.
“Thank you, Lord Wei.”
Wei Zhanglian hurriedly waved his hands. “You are too courteous, Lord Pei. This is what I should do.”
At the end of the Si hour.
Pei Yanchen returned to the Pei Residence.
After getting down from the carriage, he was just about to tell Ji Hong to invite Miss Jiang over when, before he could speak, a young servant from the main courtyard came over to deliver a message:
“Young Master, Madam asks you to go to the main courtyard.”
Pei Yanchen paused and responded mildly.
Before going to the main courtyard, he first sent Ji Hong to the Jadewater Pavilion where Jiang Yingwan lived.
In the main courtyard, the personal nanny of the household’s Madam, Madam Chen, finished listening to the maid’s report and turned to enter the main hall. She addressed Madam Chen, who was seated in the principal seat drinking tea:
“Madam, Young Master has returned to the residence. He is on his way here.”
Madam Chen hummed in acknowledgment.
She set her teacup on the table.
As the Madam of the Pei Residence, she managed the affairs of the inner household. The news that Jiang Yingwan had taken the initiative to go to Green Bamboo Court to find Pei Yanchen yesterday had reached her not long afterward.
Out of the private feelings of a mother, Madam Chen truly hoped that her son would marry a noble young lady from the capital whose family background and status matched his in every respect.
Although the Jiang family had once enjoyed glory and wealth, after the upheaval three years ago, the Jiang family had fallen into decline.
To be honest, Madam Chen was not satisfied with the orphaned girl from the Jiang family becoming her daughter-in-law.
But Old Madam Pei’s words from several days ago had made sense as well.
The Pei family possessed a lofty status and prominent official positions.
They did not need to maintain their position through a marriage alliance with an eminent family in the first place.
Forget it.
After thinking about it for the entire night yesterday, she had come to terms with it.
If her son also liked this girl from the Jiang family, she would grant them her blessing.
Since the Pei family did not need to maintain its position through a marriage alliance, and her son already had a betrothal with that girl, why should she oppose her only son?
The voices of servants offering greetings came from the courtyard, and Madam Chen collected her thoughts.
She raised her eyes.
Pei Yanchen entered the main hall and, following proper etiquette, bowed and asked:
“Mother, did you need something from me?”
Madam Chen smiled gently and pointed to the place beside her, indicating that he should sit first.
Instead of getting straight to the point, she began with casual family conversation and asked:
“Has court been busy these past two days?”
Pei Yanchen sat down. Nanny Chen came forward to serve him tea, and he answered evenly:
“It was rather busy a few days ago. Today was all right.”
Madam Chen then, as she had in the past, reminded him not to focus solely on his official duties and to pay attention to his health as well.
Only after she finished did she unobtrusively turn the subject to Jiang Yingwan.
“That girl from the Jiang family has been at the residence for several days now.”
“She is attractive, and her temperament is dignified and gentle. Your grandmother likes her very much, and your mother also thinks the girl is quite good. Does my son have any interest in her? If you do, Mother can—”
“Mother.”
Before she could finish, Pei Yanchen interrupted her in an even voice.
Madam Chen had brought up the matter of arranging a marriage with Pei Yanchen a month ago.
At that time, he had refused.
Now that she brought it up again, he still refused using the same excuse.
“The situation at court has only just stabilized somewhat, and there are many matters to attend to normally. For now, I still do not wish to consider starting a family.”
Madam Chen fell silent.
She looked instinctively at her son.
“You do not like this girl from the Jiang family?”
Pei Yanchen’s brows drew together slightly.
For no reason, the eyes she found familiar flashed through his mind. Following them came the sourness and dull ache from his dreams, so vivid that they seemed to have truly existed.
Pei Yanchen’s finger bones curled tighter.
Yet not the slightest emotion showed on his face, and his voice remained as it had always been.
“It is not a matter of liking or disliking her. We have only barely come to know each other. Besides, Miss Jiang has only been at the residence for a few days. If Mother brings up marriage already, it would also be rather abrupt toward her.”
Hearing this, Madam Chen sensed something unusual.
She looked several more times at this son of hers, who had never been willing to discuss marriage at length.
For a moment, she could not quite discern his feelings.
If he did not like her and had not known her for long, then why was he unconsciously defending the girl in his words?
Before Madam Chen could figure it out, Pei Yanchen had already spoken:
“As it happens, there is something I would also like to ask Mother.”
Madam Chen suppressed the thoughts in her heart and nodded.
“Go ahead.”
Pei Yanchen looked toward the principal seat.
“I want to know exactly what debt of gratitude the Jiang family once owed the Pei family.”
With Jiang Yingwan entering the residence, everyone in the Pei family—including the second branch, which lived separately—knew that the Jiang family had once done the Pei family a kindness.
But aside from Old Madam Pei and the elders of the various branches, no one else knew exactly what that debt of gratitude was.
Madam Chen did not conceal it from him and answered truthfully:
“They saved a life.”
“Many years ago, the Jiang family’s grandfather saved your grandfather. Our Pei family has always been indebted to them for this kindness, and we have not yet had the chance to repay it.”
Pei Yanchen lowered his eyes. “I understand, Mother.”
After leaving the main courtyard, Ji Hong came forward to report:
“My lord, I have already been to the Jadewater Pavilion. Miss Jiang is now waiting in the pavilion outside Green Bamboo Court.”