"Please, come in, Lord Li." As soon as Li Qingchen received Pei Qing's invitation, he immediately took a carriage to the Marquis of Yongkang's residence. Dressed in white robes, his demeanor warm and refined, the steward greeted him with a smile and said.
Li Qingchen smiled and exchanged pleasantries with the steward, first asking whether his younger sister was well, then following the steward to the pavilion to see Pei Qing. The man today was also dressed in white casual robes, his figure tall and elegant, standing with his hands clasped behind his back atop the pavilion. Even a single glimpse of his back revealed a bearing of extraordinary grace. Li Qingchen walked toward him. "I wonder what business Lord Pei has in inviting me to your residence at this hour."
Pei Qing sat down on the stone stool and personally poured Li Qingchen a cup of tea. "No particular business—just inviting Lord Li to sit and chat at my residence."
Li Qingchen couldn't help but find it amusing. Because of Wanwan, the man before him wished nothing more than to be rid of him, yet also because of Wanwan, he treated him with such courtesy.
Pei Qing's first words were: "I heard that Lord Li wishes to take Wanwan back to Qingzhou with you."
Li Qingchen's expression turned somewhat grave. It seemed Wanwan had already told him. Li Qingchen nodded gently. "The Li Academy was the lifelong work of my adoptive parents. Now that the Li Academy has been restored and re-inaugurated, it is a blessing for the Li family. As the mistress of the Li Academy, shouldn't Wanwan return there for a visit?"
He assumed Pei Qing was worried about Wanwan's health, given that the journey would indeed be tiring. He said, "If Lord Pei is concerned that Wanwan will have no one to care for her on the road, I, as her elder brother, will naturally take good care of her."
Pei Qing's face was cold and stern, a sneer curling at the corner of his lips. He would take care of her—in what capacity would he take care of his wife?
Pei Qing said, "Lord Li, are you trying to amuse me? In our dynasty, even between biological siblings, boys and girls over seven do not sit together. Moreover, there is no blood relation between you and Wanwan. In what capacity does Lord Li intend to care for Wanwan?"
Li Qingchen frowned slightly. Being a man himself, he could see through Pei Qing's intentions. He set down his teacup, his tone turning somewhat cold. "So after all this talk, you still don't want Wanwan to leave the capital."
It had to be said that Li Qingchen was perceptive, and Pei Qing appreciated speaking with intelligent people. The corner of his lips curled up slightly. "She is my wife, so naturally she will remain by my side. If you wish to return, Brother, then return by all means."
Hearing this, Li Qingchen frowned and raised his voice in warning. "Pei Qing, don't go too far. Though Wanwan is a wife of the Pei family, she still has the freedom to go out. You cannot treat her this way."
Though the Marquis of Yongkang's residence was one of wealth and splendor, with carved railings and jade-adorned walls, he couldn't very well trap Wanwan in this mansion for the rest of her life.
Pei Qing's expression remained calm throughout. "When have I ever restricted Wanwan's freedom? I merely wish to keep my wife by my side. Is that wrong?"
He simply couldn't understand—was an academy really that important? Why did his wife always want to go back?
"You are unreasonable." Li Qingchen's expression turned cold as well. He flicked his sleeves and stood up. "I want to see Wanwan."
"Wanwan has already retired to rest and cannot receive visitors at this hour." Pei Qing leisurely took a sip of tea, speaking unhurriedly.
At this, Li Qingchen was truly angered into a bitter laugh. He demanded, "Pei Qing, Wanwan is no longer a child. If you keep her occupied and restrict her like this, aren't you afraid that one day Wanwan will leave you for good?"
These words struck at Pei Qing's most sensitive spot. The man's face instantly turned as cold as ice cracking apart, frozen and severe.
Pei Qing was silent for a long while, his eyes slightly lowered, his voice somewhat deep. "So I will watch over her well, protect her well, and not let anyone take her away."
Li Qingchen was so angry his breathing became labored. This man was simply a madman.
He was about to argue further when Pei Qing had already raised his hand. "Yun Bai, see the guest out."
"Lord Li, this way please." Yun Bai appeared before Li Qingchen in an instant, extending his arm.
Li Qingchen naturally didn't want to leave just like that, but the man had already turned and returned to his study. He knew full well that Pei Qing hadn't invited him today to discuss matters, but to issue him orders.
He reminded himself that there would be other days ahead, and so he left with Yun Bai.
===
When Li Wan woke again, darkness greeted her eyes. Because the bed was hard and the quilt thin, Li Wan hadn't slept comfortably—her waist ached, her back ached, and her whole body felt uncomfortable in every way.
She propped herself up on the quilt and sat up, when a deep, gentle voice sounded by her ear. "Wanwan is awake."
Li Wan's body gave a start. She looked up and saw the man sitting at the edge of the bed, gazing at her without blinking. Li Wan pulled the corners of her lips into a smile. "Husband, what time is it now?"
"It's already the hour of you (5-7 PM). Wanwan has slept for a long time." Pei Qing reached out a hand and gently touched her flat belly. "Are you hungry?"
"Is husband in a bad mood?" Li Wan shook her head slightly. Noticing that Pei Qing's mood seemed somewhat off, she asked softly.
Pei Qing held his wife in his arms, idly stroking her back. "Wanwan, I want to tell you something. Don't be angry with me after you hear it."
Li Wan felt a sense of foreboding rise in her heart. She steadied herself and asked, "Husband, please speak."
Pei Qing said, "I've already spoken with your elder brother. The opening of the Li family academy will be handled entirely by him, and I'll send people to assist from the side. A round trip between Chang'an and Qingzhou takes two months, and Wanwan's health is delicate—she can't endure such a long journey."
Li Wan's head swayed slightly, her entire body radiating reluctance. "But this academy was my father's life's work. Whether as his daughter or as the owner of the academy, I must go back."
Knowing how strong-willed the man was, Li Wan deliberately softened her voice and tugged at Pei Qing's sleeve. "With my brother there, you can rest assured, husband. If you're still worried, I'll bring Zhaozhao along with me."
She remembered that Zhaozhao had mentioned long ago wanting to go to Qingzhou with her to see the place, but Li Wan had never had the chance.
But the question was—was that what Pei Qing was worried about?
Pei Qing cupped his wife's face in both hands and kissed her lips. "In Wanwan's heart, is an academy more important than your own husband and child?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Li Wan was somewhat annoyed.
As he spoke, Pei Qing didn't release her, so the two of them were arguing cheek to cheek. Pei Qing asked with a smile, "Is it not so?"
Sometimes he truly didn't understand—what would it take for his Wanwan to learn to be obedient.
"I didn't think that." Li Wan turned her eyes away awkwardly. She genuinely just wanted to return to Qingzhou.
"Let's eat first." His wife being like this meant she was angry. In the past, Pei Qing would certainly have had enough patience to coax her, but today, he didn't intend to. He straightened her collar for her and said in a gentle voice.
Li Wan had no appetite at all at this moment. She shook off his hand in a huff. "I'm not eating."
"Someone, come." Pei Qing naturally wouldn't indulge her. He gave the order directly, and the next moment, the servants had already placed the prepared meal on the table in the warm pavilion.
Pei Qing fed the bird's nest to Li Wan's mouth. Li Wan turned her head away. Seeing this, Pei Qing's lips curled slightly. "If Wanwan doesn't want to eat, perhaps I can feed you in another way…"
Li Wan's whole body trembled. Her mind suddenly recalled memories from when they had first married—back then, he had truly tormented her to the point of death. The woman reluctantly opened her mouth.
Pei Qing's brow immediately relaxed, but Li Wan had already made up her mind not to speak with him. So that night, no matter what Pei Qing did, Li Wan didn't utter a word.
Pei Qing didn't say anything either, after all, his wife had a proud temper—she'd probably forget after a few days of sulking.
The next day was a gloomy one, shrouded in thick fog so dense that even the scenery outside the window was barely visible. The Empress in the palace invited Li Wan to come, and since Li Wan hadn't seen the Empress for some time, she went.
Compared to their last meeting, the Empress had grown much thinner. It turned out that the Noble Consort had been released by the Emperor again, and because she enjoyed the Emperor's exclusive favor, she had come to prance around in front of the Empress once more.
Li Wan felt indignant on Xu Ning'er's behalf and complained softly, "His Majesty is truly too much."
No man in this world was any good.
Xu Ning'er had initially felt resentful too, but now she had come to terms with it. She smiled and said, "Sister Wan, don't let others hear those words. I see that Sister Wan isn't in high spirits today—did you have a quarrel with Marquis Pei?"
Li Wan was about to answer when the Empress's attendant walked in and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, Lord Li says he wishes to see Lady Pei alone on some matter."
"Then invite Lord Li to the imperial garden." Xu Ning'er glanced at Li Wan with some surprise and said.
Li Wan gathered her skirt and rose. "Your Majesty, I'll be going over now."
In the imperial garden, a hundred flowers vied for spring, radiating vibrant life.
Li Wan said, "Brother."
Li Qingchen turned around and looked her over from head to toe. "Why do you look so unwell? Has Pei Qing bullied you again?"
Li Wan felt somewhat helpless. The man naturally wouldn't bully her, but because of his refusal to let her return to Qingzhou, they had been in a cold war.
"Brother, let's not talk about him today. What did you want to see me about?"
"The matter you asked me to handle before—I've taken care of it. Do you still want those two women?" Li Qingchen's tone was clear and gentle, but as he spoke, his tone shifted. "Wanwan, Pei Qing's temperament is exceptionally cold and hard, and unfathomably deep. If he doesn't want concubines and you act on your own initiative, you're bound to come out the worse for it. Why not just drop it?"
Pei Qing's degree of control over Wanwan had already exceeded his imagination. If Wanwan truly brought those two women before Pei Qing, Li Qingchen didn't even dare to think about what Pei Qing would do to his sister. He frowned slightly.
Li Wan had been somewhat conflicted, but upon hearing this, she felt wronged. He could make decisions for her without restraint, refusing to let her go home—did she really have to consider his feelings in everything?
She disliked how he managed everything about her, and she could barely endure his control and possessiveness. Perhaps with two more people around, he would have no time to keep an eye on her. Li Wan's eyelashes fluttered gently, like dancing butterflies, as she said, "Brother, who are those two people?"
Li Qingchen's pupils contracted. He was about to persuade her further when a sinister voice drifted over—
"So this is why the Marchioness wasn't at home—turns out she was meeting with Lord Li in private."
Li Qingchen and Li Wan both looked up at the same time. A man in a purple official robe embroidered with crane patterns strolled leisurely toward the imperial garden. His gaze fell directly on Li Wan—cold, dense, as if he wanted to devour her whole.