After a thoroughly satisfying bout of intimacy, Li Wan's legs were trembling. Pei Qing cast a brief glance at her, reached out to scoop her up, and gently patted her back. At last, she was obedient.
The table was laid with all manner of exquisite dishes, including a bowl of longan, lotus seed, and red date porridge. A servant ladled out a bowl for their master, and Pei Qing took a spoonful of the hot porridge, brought it to his lips to blow on it gently, then fed it to Li Wan.
His voice was low, carrying a hint of coaxing. "Wanwan, open your mouth."
Li Wan opened her mouth wide like a marionette, her expression still dazed. Pei Qing, as if no one else were present, pressed a kiss to her soft lips. "Is it really that tiring?"
In truth, he had already been very restrained. If he hadn't been, she would likely be unable to get out of bed by now.
The servant arranging the meal had already lowered her head. Seeing that he still had the nerve to say such things, Li Wan, somewhat embarrassed, pinched his arm. "If you want to know if it's tiring, husband, you should try it yourself."
Pei Qing: "Then I look forward to it."
Li Wan: "…"
The meal came to an end amid their idle chatter. Only after feeding Li Wan did Pei Qing begin to eat at a leisurely pace. His manner of dining was very refined, a pleasure to behold. Watching him, Li Wan suddenly thought of the scene of him riding atop her—he had seemed so urgent, his body temperature so high.
Li Wan realized belatedly that in this marriage, she was no match for Pei Qing at all. He had her completely under his control.
Pei Qing noticed his wife's gaze and turned his head to look at her. Seeing her staring at him without blinking, he suddenly smiled. "Has Wanwan just realized that her husband is very handsome?"
It wasn't that Pei Qing was boasting—his looks, learning, and family background far surpassed those of other young talents in the capital. Otherwise, his young, newly-awakened wife wouldn't have taken a fancy to him at first sight. It was just that in their daily life together, his wife seemed to have forgotten his good qualities. But that was fine, as long as she could stay by his side forever.
Li Wan quickly averted her gaze, pretending not to have heard. Yet her thoughts couldn't be controlled. She had chosen to marry this man precisely because of his outstanding appearance, his gentle temperament, and his respectable family background.
But after marriage, he was indeed somewhat different from what she had imagined in certain aspects. Li Wan reached up to cover her cheeks—they were still a bit warm.
Seeing this, Pei Qing's lips curved slightly at the corners. He set down his bowl and came to Li Wan's side, his large palm kneading her slender waist. "Would you like to go for a walk?"
His wife had a delicate constitution and fell ill easily, so Pei Qing was very attentive to her daily life—what she ate for each meal, at what time she ate it, he controlled it all carefully. This afternoon, he had been impulsive, but Pei Qing didn't regret it.
Li Wan let out a faint sigh. "Husband, it's the dead of night right now. If the two of us go out for a stroll, won't people mistake us for ghosts?"
"If anyone is mistaken for a ghost, it would be me. Wanwan clearly looks like a celestial maiden descended from heaven." Pei Qing's sweet words came readily to his lips, his voice gentle as he spoke.
What woman doesn't enjoy being praised? Li Wan was no exception. Her face broke into a smile, and she nodded lightly.
And so the two left the room. Li Wan's steps were somewhat unsteady, and Pei Qing's large palm rested on her waist. The guards outside the courtyard kept their eyes lowered and their minds focused, having no inclination to pry into their master's secrets.
They only knew that the lady must have endured quite a bit today.
The night breeze at the end of February was still bitingly cold. Considering that his wife had already sweated profusely inside the room, Pei Qing draped his dark fox-fur cloak over her and scooped her up in his arms.
After walking a full circuit around the courtyard, he carried her back inside and asked whether she wanted to play chess or go to sleep.
Li Wan glanced at him, lightly pressing her lips together. "Let's play chess."
Pei Qing made no objection and had a servant bring over the chessboard. In the third watch of the night, the husband and wife sat playing chess in their room. Outside the window, the wind rustled; inside, the atmosphere was tender and intimate—at least, that was how Pei Qing saw it.
When Li Wan said she wanted to sleep, Pei Qing carried her to the bed. His sharp, clean jawline pressed against Li Wan's soft black hair, and his large palm stroked her back in a slow, idle rhythm, as if coaxing a child to sleep.
===
The next day, before dawn had even broken, Pei Qing left for the morning court session. As soon as the Yongkang Marquis's carriage arrived at the palace, several elder ministers who had just alighted from their own carriages came up to Pei Qing with beaming smiles, showering him with flattery—things like "The Marquis grows more handsome by the day," and "The Marquis is so favored by His Majesty, yet still attends court diligently every day without fail. You are truly a model for us old ministers. We should all learn from the Marquis."
Pei Qing had heard these words countless times before, but in public, he always maintained a gentle and refined demeanor, modestly replying, "You flatter me, gentlemen. I am young and should be learning from all of you esteemed ministers."
The old ministers exchanged glances, cursing the old fox inwardly. His words and actions were so watertight that it was no wonder His Majesty held him in such high regard.
At the morning court session, Pei Qing and Li Qingchen stood on opposite sides. Pei Qing's gaze would occasionally drift toward Li Qingchen—immaculately dressed, all false benevolence and righteousness, clearly a hypocrite. He wondered how his Wanwan could possibly see Li Qingchen as a good man.
After court adjourned, as everyone filed out, Li Qingchen deliberately caught up to Pei Qing, a lazy smile curling at the corner of his lips. "I noticed Lord Pei glancing my way quite a few times just now. Is there some guidance you wish to offer?"
"Guidance is too strong a word. I merely have a heartfelt word I'd like to share with Lord Li." Pei Qing remained utterly composed, his tone unhurried.
Thinking back to when Pei Qing had first come to the Li residence to propose marriage, he had called Li Qingchen "elder brother" at every turn, his attitude practically begging to erect a memorial tablet for Li Qingchen and worship him. But afterward? If Wanwan so much as spoke an extra sentence to Li Qingchen, Pei Qing would immediately turn cold. Would a man of such temperament truly treat Wanwan well? Li Qingchen gave him a long, searching look.
He said, "I'm all ears."
"Wanwan is simple by nature, innocent of the world's ways. But Lord Li has served two sovereigns and weathered no small amount of danger—surely you cannot claim the same ignorance?" Pei Qing spoke with a faint, ambiguous smile.
Li Qingchen laughed, provoked despite himself. "So Lord Pei, with such conviction, is lecturing me with all this grand reasoning in the hope that I'll stay away from Wanwan?"
His voice turned chilling. "Then I'm afraid Lord Pei will be disappointed. Wanwan and I are siblings. A husband can be divorced and replaced, but family bonds can never be severed. I'd also offer Lord Pei a word of advice: too much is as bad as too little. Don't wait until you've worn away all of Wanwan's kindness toward you before you regret it."
Pei Qing's expression darkened instantly, his pupils deep as ink. "Then that is no concern of Lord Li's."
With that, Pei Qing turned and left, his figure tall and straight, extraordinarily handsome.
Li Qingchen's clear, gentle eyes were filled with helplessness. Wanwan, oh Wanwan, do you have any idea what a terrifying man you've provoked?
Pei Qing's schemes ran so deep that Wanwan would never be a match for him.
After returning to the residence, Pei Qing had intended to rush to see Li Wan, but several ministers arrived to discuss the tasks His Majesty had assigned during the morning court. Pei Qing sent a servant to the main hall with instructions for the staff there to attend to the lady's meal.
By the time the discussions concluded, it was already noon. Pei Qing had the steward see the ministers out, while he bathed and changed into a moon-white cloud-patterned robe before going to see his wife. Pei Qing's casual robes were mostly white or moon-white—not because he favored the color, but because it gave one an impression of gentle warmth, like polished jade.
It had taken Pei Qing a long time of observation to understand what kind of man his wife admired. She liked men who were gentle and considerate in temperament, so the Pei Qing who appeared before Li Wan was always refined, mild, and composed.
When Pei Qing arrived at the main hall, he found the door tightly shut, with servants standing guard outside. His thick brows furrowed slightly. "What's going on?"
"The lady's menses have come, and she's feeling somewhat unwell," the wet nurse hurried forward to explain.
Pei Qing's expression cooled. "Has a physician been called?"
"The physician has already come and examined her, and she's taken her medicine. The young miss came to pay her respects to the lady just now, but I stopped her," Tao'er rushed to answer before the wet nurse could respond.
Pei Qing glanced at her sideways and said flatly, "You did well."
"This is all this servant's duty." Tao'er stepped back a pace.
After Pei Qing went inside, Tao'er raised her head, her eyes filled with deep, lingering longing.
"Wanwan." Pei Qing strode inside. The bed curtains hung lightly, and a section of his wife's fair, delicate wrist was exposed. He walked over and took hold of that slender wrist.
Li Wan had been sleeping fitfully and woke the moment someone approached. She opened her misty, hazy eyes and called out, "Husband." Pei Qing's heart burned hot as he sat down at the edge of the bed. "Still feeling terrible?"
"It's all your fault, husband." Li Wan's face was somewhat pale, her voice weak.
She was referring to how Pei Qing had taken her for a walk the night before. Even though her discomfort today had nothing to do with him, she wanted to blame him for it anyway.
"Yes, it's all my fault." Pei Qing didn't deny it, answering in a gentle tone. The man removed his boots, climbed onto the couch, and placed his palm on Li Wan's flat belly.