The next day, Shen Fuyan dressed in fresh attire, hoping to leave a good impression on Pei Yanwei.
As her carriage passed the medicine hall where Madame Tian had bought ginseng that day, she overheard passersby talking through the slowly moving vehicle.
"That Capital Medicine Hall is truly unfortunate. That morning, the Butcher Pei brought the Jinyiwei to investigate, delaying half a day's business. Now that forbidden drugs have been found there, who knows how long they'll be shut down."
She let the curtain fall and frowned in thought.
The Jinyiwei always conducted their operations at night and emerged by day. Pei Yanwei was even known as the Night Yanluo King because he loved raiding homes and making arrests at the third watch of the night.
That day, when Madame Tian had gone out, dawn had barely broken. Did the Jinyiwei really rise that early?
Shen Fuyan felt something was off.
When she arrived at the Commander's residence, someone was actually waiting at the gate.
Shen Fuyan recognized him as a trusted aide by Pei Yanwei's side and quickly put on a smile: "Eunuch Zhong."
"Miss Shen."
Eunuch Zhong personally brought over a mounting stool and attended to her as she stepped down from the carriage.
That morning, upon receiving word, the Commander had ordered him to wait in the residence and had instructed him not to address Shen Fuyan as "Second Madam Xuan."
Such solemnity, combined with the Commander's habit of secretly inquiring about matters within the Chancellor's household, made Eunuch Zhong's mind turn. He sensed Pei Yanwei's intentions.
"Miss Shen, you flatter me. The Commander is already waiting inside. Please, follow me this way."
Eunuch Zhong led her into the residence with a beaming smile.
Passing through an imposing and solemn front gate, what came into view was a scene of Jiangnan waterside scenery.
Lakes surrounded the area on all sides, and lush flowering trees lined the covered walkways.
She hadn't expected that a man as outwardly fierce as Pei Yanwei would have such elegant scenery in his residence.
Shen Fuyan loved Jiangnan landscapes, so she couldn't help but take a few extra glances.
Eunuch Zhong noticed this and thought to himself: No wonder the Commander, when building this residence three years ago, had all the lake rocks and plants transported from Jiangnan.
So it was because this young lady liked them!
But the residence had been built three years ago—when had the two of them met?
At the entrance to the inner courtyard, Eunuch Zhong stopped.
"Miss Shen, the Commander's inner courtyard is not easily accessible to us. From here, walk straight ahead, then turn right twice, and you'll reach the Commander's study."
"Thank you, Eunuch."
Though her heart was uneasy, Shen Fuyan still gave Eunuch Zhong a pouch of reward money.
She walked alone into the inner courtyard. Rockeries stood tall everywhere, and the garden scenery was exquisite—but it was too quiet, enough to make one inexplicably afraid.
As she reached the first corner, a pair of hands suddenly reached out from the right and yanked her behind the rockery in an instant.
Shen Fuyan's eyelids twitched. The smell of blood rushed into her nostrils, and she calmly turned her head to look.
"Commander Pei?"
She froze. Pei Yanwei was clearly not in his right mind, his gaze unfocused.
"Shh."
Pei Yanwei stared at her, his arm tightening around her with force.
He curled his lips and flicked out a flash of silver. The next moment, a scream rang out from beyond the rockery, followed by the heavy thud of a body hitting the ground.
"There are assassins. Don't make a sound."
His lips pressed against her ear, his voice low and husky, tinged with tenderness.
"Yu'er, you smell wonderful."
Shen Fuyan froze in place.
Yu'er was the name she'd been given when she was abducted into the circus troupe. How could Pei Yanwei still call her that?
"Commander…"
The moment she opened her mouth, Pei Yanwei suddenly pressed her against his chest and sealed his lips over her crimson ones.
Shen Fuyan clutched at her clothes in panic, wanting to struggle, but was startled by the look in Pei Yanwei's eyes.
His eyes were bloodshot, his breath scorching hot, and the way he looked at her was clearly distant and unfocused.
"Mm… Commander, you need to see a physician!"
Shen Fuyan barely managed to turn her head away, but Pei Yanwei chased after her, sniffing at her again.
"Yu'er, you are this Commander's medicine."
Desire flickered in the depths of his eyes. He sighed against Wei, pinning Shen Fuyan so she could not move.
Even the corners of Shen Fuyan's eyes had gone red.
She had not forgotten that Pei Yanwei was a eunuch…
In the next instant, Shen Fuyan froze.
"Pei Yanwei, you?"
She gasped sharply. Before she could react, icy fingertips seized both her hands and pressed them against the rockery.
"Focus."
Pei Yanwei laughed softly. The rest of his words were all buried beneath the rustle of fabric and interwoven panting.
After a long while, Shen Fuyan finally escaped the "demon's clutches," covering her red and swollen lips.
Looking at Pei Yanwei, whose breathing was steady as he lay unconscious, a flicker of panic passed through her heart.
He had been assassinated in his own residence and drugged—would he be all right?
And that scorching heat she had felt through his clothes earlier—was it what she imagined it to be…
Shen Fuyan thought of the ** that the matron had taught her before her marriage, and she could not help but blush.
"Commander? Miss Shen?"
At that moment, Eunuch Zhong came walking along the path they had taken earlier.
He had not wished to disturb the Commander's meeting with Miss Shen, but Pei Yanwei's men had suddenly returned to the residence, saying there was an assassin in the inner courtyard, so he had rushed over in urgency.
"Eunuch Zhong!" Shen Fuyan grabbed at the straw, hurriedly straightening her clothes.
Fortunately, though Pei Yanwei had been out of his mind, he had not rubbed or crumpled her forcefully—her hair and clothes were still neat.
"The Commander is behind the rockery. It seems he fell for a villain's scheme."
Fearing that Pei Yanwei might not receive treatment, Shen Fuyan did not dare conceal anything.
"Just now he seemed to have been drugged. The drug's effects have passed now, and he is unconscious."
Eunuch Zhong quickly had people carry Pei Yanwei back to the inner chamber.
Shen Fuyan stood outside the room, touching her slightly upturned lips in a daze.
Given today's circumstances, asking for help was certainly out of the question—and she had wasted her own mouth for nothing…
Her ears reddened slightly, and she could not help but take two steps back.
Eunuch Zhong came out: "Miss Shen, the Commander has taken medicine and is still resting. I'm afraid he cannot see you today."
He recalled what the physician had said.
Pei Yanwei had been given a potent drug, yet he had only endured it and been slightly intimate with Shen Fuyan without taking advantage of her—it was already an extraordinary display of restraint.
Such forbearance and treasuring…
He sighed softly, looked at Shen Fuyan, and drew a box of medicine from his sleeve.
"Today the Commander's residence has been poor hosts. This is a palace-secret ointment. Miss Shen may apply some to her injuries."
"Thank you, Eunuch Zhong," Shen Fuyan said, blushing. Then she asked, "How is the Commander? He's not in any serious danger, is he?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized she was prying into the condition of the head of the Jinyiwei, and she quickly tapped her mouth lightly: "This subject's wife has overstepped."
But Eunuch Zhong waved his hand with a smile: "No harm. The Commander is strong and healthy, vigorous as a dragon and fierce as a tiger. He only needs a sleep to be fine."
He was secretly boasting of Pei Yanwei's good health.
"Miss Shen, what did you come to see the Commander about today?" Seeing Shen Fuyan silent, Eunuch Zhong asked again, "If there is an urgent matter, after the Commander wakes, I can relay it for you."
"No—no need."
How could Shen Fuyan speak of a mutual divorce with anyone else? She would have to find another time to beg Pei Yanwei.
Seeing that it was getting late, she hurriedly took her leave.
When she reached the main gate, she caught sight of a woman in red being welcomed in through the side door—none other than the courtesan Miss Xiu.
"Miss Yu, mind your step." The gatekeeper spoke in a local dialect.
Hearing this, the flush on Shen Fuyan's cheeks receded like water, spreading into a pallid white.
Miss Yu?
So when Pei Yanwei was lost in passion, it was not her name he called…
After the carriage departed, the two gatekeepers chatted idly.
The thin doorman said, "Things have been unsettled lately; Miss Xiuyu has been coming to report more frequently."
The stout doorman replied, "I've told you to practice your official speech—every time you end up calling Miss Xiuyu 'Yu.' I heard recently that the name of the one the Governor admires contains 'Yu.' You'd better change that quickly!"