Two ke after the hour of Chen.
Pei Yanchen went to Wisteria Court to pay his respects.
As he passed near the Moon Gate, he faintly heard the sound of a qin drifting over from the southeast.
Seeing his master stop, Ji Hong glanced toward the southeast and said to Pei Yanchen, “My lord, that is the direction of Jadewater Pavilion. It should be Miss Jiang playing the qin.”
Pei Yanchen withdrew his gaze.
He gave a quiet “Mm.”
Then he continued toward Wisteria Court.
Old Madam Pei was drinking tea in the front hall. When she saw him arrive, she set down her teacup and, as usual, asked him a few questions about the situation outside in recent days.
Only after she had finished did she bring up another matter.
“Grandmother heard that you have been investigating the Jiang family’s case from back then?”
Pei Yanchen nodded. “Miss Jiang said there might be questionable points in the case. The Jiang family once showed our Pei family a life-saving kindness, so Grandson should help investigate it.”
Old Madam Pei was very pleased by his willingness to help.
“Wanwan is without anyone to rely on now. A case connected to the imperial court is indeed difficult for her to investigate on her own.”
“There is another matter. Grandmother originally wanted Nanny Fang to keep an eye on someone and have it done, but Grandmother is old after all, and there are many times when I lack the strength to do things myself.”
“If you have the time, Grandmother will leave this matter to you.”
Pei Yanchen nodded. “Grandmother, please tell me.”
The smile on Old Madam Pei’s face grew wider, but when she spoke of those avaricious people from the Jiang family’s collateral branches, a measure of anger rose in her as well.
“For the past three years, those people from the Jiang family’s collateral branches have been plotting to swallow up the family assets left behind by Wanwan’s parents.”
“They spent three years putting on an act. As soon as Wanwan’s mourning period for her parents ended a month ago, they impatiently tried to marry her off to Yiyang, eager to swallow all those assets themselves.”
At the mention of the name Yiyang in her final sentence, Pei Yanchen’s previously calm expression suddenly rippled.
In his mind, it was as though a string had abruptly twanged.
Something seemed about to emerge.
Old Madam Pei’s voice continued beside him:
“Those assets were left by this child’s parents for her. They were not meant to be divided among those insatiable people from the collateral branches.”
“Although Wanwan said she would reclaim the assets from the collateral branches herself, those people are unreasonable and overbearing. I’m afraid Wanwan will suffer losses and be bullied.”
“Yanchen, send someone over and have those people spit out everything they swallowed.”
Pei Yanchen barely heard the words that followed.
After Old Madam Pei finished speaking, he looked toward his grandmother, concealing all the emotions roiling in his eyes. His throat moved, and he asked in his usual tone, “Grandmother, what place did you say those people wanted to marry Miss Jiang off to?”
Old Madam Pei did not think much of it and replied, “Yiyang. I heard it was to a county magistrate in Yiyang.”
After receiving his answer, Pei Yanchen quickly rose to his feet.
No emotion could be discerned from his face. He merely said to Old Madam Pei, “Grandson understands. I will have someone handle this matter.”
Old Madam Pei nodded. Seeing that he was about to leave, she hurriedly added, “Wanwan should have the original register of the family assets. Before sending someone to Yecheng, have them ask Wanwan for a copy of the register.”
Pei Yanchen stopped.
He stood where he was.
For reasons he himself did not understand, before leaving, he looked toward his grandmother seated in the place of honor and unexpectedly asked, “Since the Jiang family once saved our Pei family’s life, how did our Pei family repay that kindness back then?”
Old Madam Pei was stunned for a moment.
She had not expected him to ask about this.
But since he had asked, she had no intention of concealing it from him.
This matter would have to be told sooner or later.
“Our Pei family had not yet had the chance to repay that kindness.”
Pei Yanchen’s brows drew together slightly.
The next moment, he heard Old Madam Pei continue:
“Jiang’s grandfather was a free-spirited man. When he did good deeds, he never sought repayment. Back then, your grandfather and the Jiang family arranged a verbal betrothal.”
“But to this day, that betrothal has never been made real.”
Inside Jadewater Pavilion.
Jiang Yingwan had just put away the qin when Ziyan hurried in.
“Miss, Lord Pei has arrived.”
Jiang Yingwan instinctively glanced at the current time.
It was only four ke after the hour of Chen.
She handed the qin to Ziyan and walked outside the pavilion courtyard.
Pei Yanchen stood outside the courtyard and had not entered.
He seemed to have something troubling him; even the aura around him was somewhat different from usual.
Jiang Yingwan walked over.
When several steps still lay between them, he suddenly turned his head and looked toward her.
His pitch-black eyes seemed almost tangible as they fixed firmly upon her.
His gaze held an indescribable scrutiny and appraisal.
Jiang Yingwan unconsciously stopped moving.
She did not know why, but she inexplicably felt intimidated by this look from Pei Yanchen.
Jiang Yingwan steadied her mind.
The fingertips hidden within her long sleeves slowly tightened.
She asked softly, “Lord Pei, have you come so early because something is the matter?”
Pei Yanchen’s gaze swept over her anxious, clear eyes.
He withdrew his gaze and said, “Do you have the original register of the Jiang family’s assets here?”
“Someone will be sent to Yecheng to investigate the case over the next two days. Since they will be passing that way, they can help you reclaim the assets Lord Jiang left behind.”
Jiang Yingwan understood what he meant.
But she did not want to owe him too many favors.
Her parents’ case was being offset by the past kindness exchanged between their two families.
If other matters became entangled with it as well, she was afraid she would never be able to repay him in the future.
As soon as he finished speaking, she tactfully refused. “As for the collateral branch, once my parents’ case is settled, I can return to Yecheng and handle it myself—”
Before she could finish, he casually flicked his sleeve and interrupted her.
“It is no trouble.”
“I have to go to Yecheng to take care of matters anyway. It is merely along the way, and besides…”
He lifted his eyes and met hers. “Grandmother likes you very much. She is afraid you will be mistreated, and she repeatedly instructed me to be sure to handle this matter properly.”
Jiang Yingwan fell silent.
Since he had put it that way, refusing again would mean slighting Old Madam Pei.
“Thank you, my lord. I have the register.”
He agreed at once. “Then copy out a duplicate over the next two days. I will have someone follow the list and retrieve the Jiang family’s properties.”
Having said that, he did not stay any longer.
He soon returned to Green Bamboo Court.
Ji Hong was waiting at the entrance with a document in hand.
When he saw Pei Yanchen return, he stepped down from the stairs and handed the document over.
Pei Yanchen accepted it.
But he did not look at it. He walked straight inside.
When he reached the corridor, he paused briefly.
To Ji Hong behind him, he said, “Once Miss Jiang finishes copying the register, have her bring it over herself.”
Ji Hong was somewhat puzzled.
But he did not ask and immediately agreed.
The next moment, Pei Yanchen went to the study.
There were many documents and letters awaiting attention on the broad desk, but he did not look at a single one.
He only stood before the window, repeatedly contemplating that dream so real it seemed unlike a dream at all.
Then he grasped at the places where it overlapped with reality.
For the entire day, Pei Yanchen did not leave the residence.
When night fell, he organized the documents in the study, then returned to the bedchamber.
In the past, he would not return to the bedchamber until deep into the night.
Because as soon as he entered the dreamscape, those scenes would crowd into his mind.
He loathed those unfamiliar emotions that slipped beyond his control. Even more, he disliked how the version of himself in the dream could be so easily affected by a woman.
But today, he went to bed early.
Pei Yanchen urgently wanted to know whether those events, so real that they seemed to have truly happened, were really only a dream.
And if it was a dream, then who, exactly, was the person in it?