Pei Xiao pursed his lips as if savoring something, his voice carrying the drowsy languor of someone just awakened. “Yu’er, are you trying to take advantage of your husband’s vulnerable state?”
Jiang Yu had been leaning over his shoulder just moments before, her face so close while his robe was tugged open to reveal his collarbone. It was hard not to draw certain conclusions.
Jiang Yu avoided his smiling peach blossom eyes. “I-I wasn’t!”
“Weren’t you?” Pei Xiao took her hand, his fingertips lightly tracing her palm.
His expression showed no abnormality, maintaining the usual intimacy they shared.
Jiang Yu could only maintain her composure and change her story. “I was just checking on you because I was worried about your health.”
“Worried about me?” Pei Xiao shifted, resting his head on her lap. “Then shall I return to our chamber to sleep tonight?”
His drawn-out tone carried a hint of coquettishness.
Jiang Yu wanted to pull her leg away, but he had her pinned firmly.
She had no desire to share a bed with him, so she pretended not to hear his request. Instead, she spoke with a nasal tone, as if tears were about to fall. “I’m sorry, husband. It’s all my fault for leaving the rouge on the dressing table. I nearly caused you harm.”
“…”
Before Pei Xiao could investigate, she had already taken the initiative to lower her head and apologize?
Pei Xiao glanced at her with amusement, marveling at how this delicate flower was truly made of water.
Back when he wove her a bamboo rabbit—a crude, worthless trinket that others would surely disdain—she had reddened her eyes.
This tearful, pear-blossom-drenched appearance truly made it hard to scold her.
Pei Xiao crossed his arms and leaned back with closed eyes. “So how does Yu’er plan to make amends?”
Jiang Yu’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t see Pei Xiao’s eyes and had no idea what he meant by this.
While she was wrestling with her thoughts, a large hand suddenly cupped the back of her head.
Pei Xiao sat up and leaned in, stopping just a finger’s width away before slowly opening his eyes. “How about… we finish what we started in the bedchamber?”
His eyes were clouded with intense desire—the possessiveness of a predator toward its prey, as if he wanted to devour her whole.
Jiang Yu instantly panicked.
She didn’t want to do it!
But she couldn’t show overt resistance. Biting her lip with lowered lashes, she murmured, “Your injury hasn’t healed yet. You shouldn’t move recklessly.”
Jiang Yu had intended to find an excuse to refuse, but her ambiguous attitude instead pleased Pei Xiao.
The corners of his lips lifted as he moved to whisper in her ear. “Then shall Yu’er take the initiative?”
!
“Sir!”
At that moment, Qian Ren rushed in upon finding the door ajar, only to sense the unusual atmosphere.
It smelled fragrant, felt warm, almost as if…
Someone was sneaking a taste!
Qian Ren swallowed hard. “Sir, you’re still recovering. You shouldn’t indulge your appetites.”
“Get out!” Pei Xiao coolly dismissed him with one word.
Jiang Yu’s ears turned even redder.
Realizing his blunder, Qian Ren slipped away as if his soles were greased.
Jiang Yu quickly stood up and called after him, “Q-Qian Ren! You two talk first! I’ll go reheat husband’s medicine!”
With lowered head, Jiang Yu hurried out in a fluster.
“Little girl, so timid when you should be bold…” Pei Xiao watched her retreating panicked figure, his smile tinged with amusement.
Qian Ren stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Reporting, sir: The madam has seen the venomous snake in the kitchen.”
Pei Xiao lifted his gaze.”I have failed in my duty!” Qian Ren knelt on both knees, cupping his hands respectfully. “I informed Madam that the snake gall was a medicinal catalyst. She seemed deeply unsettled. Perhaps, my lord, you should explain the matter to her again?”
Pei Xiao responded with an indifferent hum.
It wasn’t necessary, nor was it important.
“What about Meng Qingyao?”
“Princess Ruiyang is currently raving mad, frantically making wild accusations. Liu Er has already told Madam that the princess suffers from hysteria. It seems Madam believes it.”
Qian Ren added, “Madam also instructed Liu Er to keep a close watch on Princess Ruiyang to avoid damaging your reputation. After all, Madam still sides with you.”
“Yu’er understands propriety.” Pei Xiao slowly nodded while rubbing the Jade Bodhi Beads. “In a couple of days, send Meng Qingyao to Azure Cloud Temple to recuperate, and then…”
Qian Ren understood immediately. “I will reunite Princess Ruiyang with her daughter!”
A cold gust of wind swept into the room, rustling the window paper.
Pei Xiao’s shadow on the window swayed along with it, ghostlike.
Jiang Yu crouched outside the window, hugging her arms, but couldn’t ward off the chill.
After visiting the kitchen earlier, she had returned to the back wall, hoping to overhear what Pei Xiao was plotting.
This time, she heard Pei Xiao’s plan to deal with Meng Qingyao.
Jiang Yu had guessed correctly—Pei Xiao had known she would visit Meng Qingyao tonight and had driven Meng Qingyao mad beforehand. Through others, he made her believe Meng Qingyao suffered from hysteria and that everything she said was nonsense.
What Jiang Yu had painstakingly tried to uncover was merely what Pei Xiao wanted her to see.
She had always been trapped within the confines of Pei Xiao’s vision…
“Withdraw the guards from the west city.”
Inside, Pei Xiao’s cold voice rang out again.
Jiang Yu’s heart leaped into her throat.
The west city was the only route to Gusu.
For Pei Xiao to station guards there in the dead of night spoke volumes.
If Jiang Yu had shown the slightest impatience tonight and tried to flee to Gusu, she would have faced not Pei Xiao’s kiss, but cold steel.
A hidden blade concealed in honey—this was precisely it…
Jiang Yu slid to the ground like a lifeless ragdoll, utterly defeated.
“Who’s there?!”
From just beyond the wall, a cold voice pierced her heart like a knife.
Jiang Yu could almost visualize the murderous glare fixed on the window.
She immediately straightened her back, pressing tightly against the wall.
Even though she didn’t dare make a sound, how had he still detected her?
She had eavesdropped on Pei Xiao’s secrets again. If caught, she would be the next Meng Qingyao!
Jiang Yu held her breath, her palms already drenched in sweat.
The night was eerily silent.
Suddenly, a green snake coiled on the windowsill slowly crept toward Jiang Yu, flicking its tongue, almost touching the tip of her nose.
Hiss—
Its venomous eyes glowed green in the darkness.
This snake looked almost identical to the one Qian Ren had killed in the kitchen earlier, likely another one Jiang Yu had accidentally released from the porcelain jar.
Even the snakes wouldn’t leave her alone!
But Jiang Yu dared not even cry for help, let alone move.
Inside, Qian Ren observed the snake’s shadow winding across the window paper and relaxed. “It’s just a snake, my lord.”
“Kill it!” Pei Xiao uttered a single, unyielding word.
Whatever it was, if it overheard what it shouldn’t have, it had only itself to blame for its short life.
Pei Xiao removed the Buddhist beads from his wrist and flung them out.
The beads shattered through the window, coiling around the green snake.Jiang Yu couldn’t understand why her scholarly husband possessed such great strength. The Buddhist beads struck like a crossbow, making the green snake spit blood.
The White Jade Bodhi and green scales tangled together, rolling at Jiang Yu’s feet.
The green snake, driven to desperation, wrapped its tail around Jiang Yu’s ankle, squeezing until her bones ached.
Sitting on the ground, she silently retreated, not daring to make a sound.
Back in Gusu, Jiang Yu had been cherished by her parents and doted on by her elder brothers and sisters-in-law. Since childhood, she had hardly ever encountered such frightening and vicious creatures.
Moreover, this was a highly venomous snake!
But what frightened Jiang Yu even more was the beast of unpredictable temperament inside the house.
If even the venomous snake that overheard their conversation met such a fatal end…
What chance did she have?