As dusk fell, the autumn sun hung like blood over the long street, and the wind had turned chilly.
Pei Zhiyu rode his horse at a leisurely pace, his hand still clutching the porcelain bottle in his sleeve, gently rubbing it. The faint smile at the corners of his lips was traced by the setting sun into something rather sinister.
He couldn’t help but lower his gaze and let his imagination wander:
Suisui would fall asleep obediently, allowing him to hold and kiss her, to do whatever he pleased… it wouldn’t matter.
His fingertips could almost feel that warm, soft touch, and the fragrance that belonged to Jiang Sui seemed to linger around his nose.
Pei Zhiyu took a deep breath, suppressing the dark fire dancing in his eyes, but his entire body still trembled uncontrollably with excitement.
“Move aside! Get out of the way!!”
A panicked cry approached from afar, mixed with several screams, accompanied by the urgent clatter of chaotic hooves.
Pei Zhiyu immediately turned toward the sound. A carriage was rushing down a side street, the bells on its yoke ringing out a series of frantic, discordant notes.
The driver pulled hard on the reins, shouting and cracking his whip without cease, but the horse had bolted—not only refusing to slow down, but running faster and faster.
Pedestrians scrambled out of the way in panic. At the critical moment, the crowd saw a flash of green robes and cold steel. Blood burst forth, the mad horse let out a piercing whinny, convulsed, and crashed to its knees with a heavy thud.
The carriage inevitably lurched forward, but was quickly steadied.
The driver clutched the reins, his face pale with lingering terror as he stared at the suddenly appearing man in green robes, stammering:
“Th-thank you, young master…”
Pei Zhiyu said it was nothing, and only released his hold after stabilizing the carriage, cleanly sheathing his sword.
He dismounted and handed over his reins: “Take this one instead.”
The driver thanked him profusely. From behind, the carriage curtain was lifted, and a woman in ornate robes descended with the help of her maidservant.
“Thank you, young master, for saving us. Might I ask who you are…”
Though she inclined her body in a gesture of thanks, her face was still somewhat pale, her gaze boldly landing on him with a hint of condescending appraisal.
Pei Zhiyu’s eyes dimmed slightly. He took half a step back and clasped his hands in salute:
“Your subject, Captain of the Imperial City Guard Pei Zhiyu, greets Your Highness.”
“So you’re the young heir of the Pei family,” Zhao Yuling’s eyes brightened with curiosity. “How did you know my identity?”
“Though Your Highness’s carriage is plain, it is fitted with six bells—that alone reveals your status.” Pei Zhiyu replied with lowered eyes, his gentle voice beyond reproach. “Your subject presumes to suggest that Your Highness should have guards accompany you on future outings.”
Zhao Yuling responded with a casual hum, but her gaze remained fixed on his handsome face, a faint, elusive smile curving at her lips: “Very well… Young Heir Pei, this princess will remember you.”
She turned and boarded the carriage. Pei Zhiyu maintained his bowing posture until the carriage had driven far away, then straightened and made his way toward the marquis’s residence.
“The young heir has returned.”
Hearing the maidservant’s announcement, Jiang Sui immediately lifted her skirts and hurried out to greet him.
In the hazy twilight, her cat-like eyes reflected the candlelight, bright and luminous. Upon seeing Pei Zhiyu’s figure, they curved into two distinct arcs of joy.
“Husband, are you hungry…”
As Pei Zhiyu drew closer, Jiang Sui’s voice subtly stiffened.
She fell silent, leaned in a little, and her nostrils fluttered gently as if she were a small animal sniffing his scent.
Pei Zhiyu looked down at the fluffy head pressed close to him, swallowed hard, and asked in a hoarse voice: “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Sui’s brows furrowed slightly. She took half a step back and said softly: “Husband, you smell of blood…”
Her lashes fluttered as she stared intently into his eyes and continued seriously: “And there’s a strange fragrance… not the sachet I gave you.”
“Husband, are you injured?”
“There was a small incident on the way, but I’m not hurt. It’s cold outside—let’s go inside to talk, my lady.”
Jiang Sui nodded obediently, stepping aside to let him enter first, then following closely behind.
Shiyue was about to step forward to pour tea for the two, but she saw Jiang Sui cast a seemingly casual glance her way—her bright eyes holding a hint of cold darkness.
Shiyue paused mid-step, then retreated and lowered her head without leaving a trace.
Jiang Sui nonchalantly poured tea for Pei Zhiyu with her own hands, her soft voice laced with concern: “What did you encounter? Are you truly not injured?”
Suisui was worried about him…
Her words of concern seeped into his heart like honey water, thread by thread. Pei Zhiyu’s long eyes narrowed slightly. He couldn’t help but bite the tip of his tongue to stay alert, accepting the teacup she offered:
“Nothing serious. Just some horse blood.”
He briefly glossed over the matter. His young wife sitting across from him held her teacup, her smile still soft and gentle, her eyes shimmering with curious puzzlement:
“A princess? Is it the Seventh Princess who has been recuperating in Jiangning City?”
“Yes. His Majesty mentioned before that Her Highness would be returning to the capital. We happened to cross paths today. She was likely keeping her itinerary discreet, wanting to look around the city first, so she didn’t bring guards.”
Jiang Sui blinked, as if merely asking casually:
“Is that so… Then the princess must be very grateful to you, husband? No wonder there’s a fragrance.”
Shiyue, standing in attendance, appeared composed on the surface, but her hands clasped before her were already nervously twisting together—though the movement was hidden by her sleeves, too subtle to notice.
She remembered that when her young mistress was a child, she had a beloved little rabbit that no one but herself was allowed to touch.
Until one day, a newly arrived maid, ignorant of the rules, inadvertently picked up the rabbit. Afterward, the maid was expelled from the young lady’s courtyard, and that rabbit…
That rabbit was personally killed by the young lady’s own hands.
The little girl, delicate as porcelain, blinked her innocent eyes and said:
“It’s been dirtied by someone else… I don’t want things that are dirty.”
That kind of naive cruelty, that ruthlessness utterly unbefitting her tender age, remained vivid in Shiyue’s memory to this day.
Now… now the young lady had somewhat restrained herself under the Grand Tutor’s guidance, but the look on her face just now was exactly the same as when she’d discovered the little rabbit had been touched by someone else.
She could only pray that the young lord would have no further dealings with the Seventh Princess… The young lady had already come to regard him as her possession.
While Shiyue fretted inwardly, Pei Zhiyu remained oblivious to anything amiss, speaking gently:
“I only exchanged a few words with her—I must have accidentally brushed against the scent then. If my lady dislikes it, I’ll go bathe and change at once. Please wait a moment.”
Jiang Sui hummed in acknowledgment, remaining seated without moving, her eyes fixed on his figure as he walked behind the screen. The darkness in her gaze receded somewhat.
Shiyue quietly let out a breath of relief, stepping forward to speak in a low voice: “My lady, this pot of tea has gone a bit cold. This servant will fetch a fresh one.”
Jiang Sui nodded slowly.
Before withdrawing, Shiyue couldn’t help but whisper a reminder: “My lady, the young lord… it must have been a coincidence, surely. Please don’t take it to heart.”
Jiang Sui nodded again, her smile innocent: “I know. You may go—have Chenbi bring over the clothes.”
Though still uneasy, Shiyue obeyed and left.
When Pei Zhiyu finished bathing and emerged from the washroom, he saw Chenbi leading several maids standing in the room, each holding robes, sashes, and jade hairpins in their hands, with Jiang Sui selecting among them.
Watching her fingertips lightly brush over the fabrics, his heart suddenly burned hot.
“What is my lady doing?”
“You’ve come at just the right time—I’m picking out tomorrow’s clothes for you.”
Jiang Sui looked up, her smiling eyes curving like crescent moons: “You don’t mind, do you, my lord?”
Pei Zhiyu stepped forward, the candlelight stretching and swaying the shadow cast by his tall figure, enveloping Jiang Sui like a net ensnaring its prey.
Was Suisui jealous? She must be… She cared so much about the princess’s fragrance, and suddenly saying this—she was definitely jealous.
Even her jealousy was this adorable. If only she’d scold him… scold him, she’d be even more adorable.
Pei Zhiyu felt the porcelain bottle against his skin inside his sleeve grow slightly warm. His voice came out a bit husky:
“How could I mind? These matters… I’ll leave them all to my lady from now on.”
Jiang Sui’s smile turned even sweeter: “Good.”