Closing her eyes, she could still feel the warmth lingering.
After Linqin left, Tao Zhier approached and helped Sang Wu take a less crowded path back to her quarters.
After changing out of her damp clothes, Tao Zhier took a cloth and meticulously dried her hair strand by strand.
The bronze mirror reflected everything with a hazy clarity, the image within blurred and indistinct, as if veiled by clouds.
Tao Zhier’s furtive glances were too obvious, and Sang Wu could no longer pretend not to notice. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
Tao Zhier replied somewhat awkwardly, “Young Madam… are you unhappy? Is it because of Eighth Sister?”
Upon hearing that Pei Silang would discipline Eighth Sister, Tao Zhier’s first reaction was not joy but worry about what would happen after Pei Silang returned to Chang’an.
What if Eighth Sister, no longer restrained, became even more vengeful?
Just thinking about it made Tao Zhier as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
She tried to console herself, saying, “They all say Fourth Young Master is a dragon among men. With his guidance these days, Eighth Sister should… should become more sensible, right?”
Even she wasn’t sure of her own words.
Sang Wu gazed absently into the bronze mirror and suddenly asked her, “Tao Zhier, do you think Sixth Brother resembles Fourth Cousin?”
“Huh?” Tao Zhier was taken aback by the question. After a moment’s thought, she replied, “This servant has only seen Fourth Young Master once… Cousins must share some resemblance in their features, right?”
Among the four masters of the Pei Family, the first three were all born to Old Madam, with Second Minister and Third Master being full brothers. Their sons naturally bore the closest resemblance.
After hearing her answer, Sang Wu fell silent for a moment before saying, “No.”
They were not alike.
Pei Liulang did not have such cold, sharp eyes.
Sang Wu felt disheartened.
If there was anyone in the mansion who understood Sang Wu best, it was undoubtedly Tao Zhier.
She detected a faint note of disappointment in Sang Wu’s tone.
But she was still just an innocent young girl, unable to grasp why this would be disappointing. She simply assumed Young Madam was missing Sixth Gentleman.
“Go and replace the incense with Muxixi Incense,” Sang Wu instructed Tao Zhier, taking the cloth herself to dry the ends of her hair.
Tao Zhier responded cheerfully, extinguishing the agarwood in the incense burner.
Soon, a delicate sweetness began to drift through the air—the scent of osmanthus flowers picked at dawn and steeped in a honey jar for three to five days.
Young men’s robes often carried this fragrance. Closing her eyes, Sang Wu could still feel the warmth lingering.
Somehow, she recalled the time he had mentioned Pei Silang to her, saying that the man had been exceptionally admitted to the Imperial Academy in his youth and became the top scholar at seventeen. From then on, his career soared. After five years in office, he was appointed Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, renowned for his sharp judgment and discerning insight, and was the Emperor’s most valued young civil official.
She still remembered how Pei Liulang’s tone had been filled with admiration and genuine respect for his elder brother.
Back then, Sang Wu looked into his eyes and smiled brightly. “Why compare yourself to others? Fourth Young Master is exceptional, and Xinlang is exceptional too.”
Pei Liulang, still a youth at heart, blushed and earnestly promised, “In the future, when I achieve great deeds, I will surely, surely bring you glory.”
The atmosphere that day was wonderful. With the wedding approaching, the betrothed couple should not have met, but Pei Liulang had found an excuse to come see her.
Later, true to his word, he became determined to achieve great deeds and, without a word, followed his cousin from the fourth branch to suppress bandits.
Sang Wu lowered her gaze.
In her heart, she felt a slight pang of guilt toward Pei Liulang’s sincere devotion, while also sinking into the trivial and endless resentment brought on by her current lonely and monotonous life.
The banquet had concluded in the evening, with only the lingering glow of twilight remaining in the deepening dusk.
Pei Xu returned to his study, where Linqin opened the door for him.
That day, the courtyard had already been rearranged according to his usual preferences.
This was a two-courtyard residence, far more spacious and refined than his study in the Duke of Chang'an's mansion. It faced a small islet, its shores dotted with reeds, while weeping willows and clusters of slender bamboo encircled the water.
In his childhood, Pei Xu had named this place the Cloud-Embrace Mountain Studio.
On clear mornings, when mist drifted over the islet, the courtyard seemed to sit amidst clouds, ethereal and unreal.
Yet, from inside, the view was expansive and bright, thanks to the Liuli Glass embedded in every window frame.
As he entered the inner chamber, the maid Lu Ju took his outer robe and hung it on a nanmu rack in the corner to air out the lingering scent of wine.
Linqin, having received instructions earlier, had brought Pei Ba Niang over.
Pei Xu sat upright behind the desk by the window. The light refracted through the Liuli Glass was clear and transparent, tinged with the warm hues of the fading twilight, making his face appear as flawless as polished jade.
In the gilded Boshan Censer before the desk, a thin line of incense smoke rose steadily. The maids quietly withdrew outside the door, leaving only Pei Ba Niang face-to-face with this elder brother she hadn't seen in years.
Pei Ba Niang was in a foul mood, her tone tinged with impatience: "My maids were all taken away by your people. When does A-xiong plan to return them?"
"You won't be seeing them again," Pei Xu said calmly. "Those opportunistic, flattering troublemakers have been sent to the estate."
"What am I supposed to do then?"
"Linqin has already selected a few new ones for you."
"…" Pei Ba Niang couldn't help but exclaim, "By what right? By what right do you dispose of my people!"
Outside the door, Lu Ju curiously peeked inside: "What's going on?"
Linqin made a gesture for silence.
The two stood in a spot where they could faintly hear the low reprimands from within.
Pei Ba Niang, after all, was young and impatient, and as the pampered youngest daughter, she couldn't resist retorting after just a few words. Faintly, the word "jinx" could be heard.
"…If it weren't for her, how could Sixth Brother have died without a whole body? I say it's all because she's a jinx. Yet our family still clothes and feeds her in luxury, letting her be the wife of the third branch." Pei Ba Niang spoke bitterly.
Pei Xu took in her resentful expression, his expression turning cold. "Such pettiness and harshness—is this the demeanor of a refined young lady? It seems to me you've grown older in vain all these years."
Moreover, he detected a hint of something in Pei Ba Niang's tone: "Was it He Jiu Niang who urged you to speak up for her?"
"A-xiong!" Pei Ba Niang flushed red. "How can you say that! Sister A-yin isn't that kind of person!"
Pei Xu had left for Chang'an when she was very young, so she felt less closeness to her own brother than to some of her close friends among the young ladies.
Having served in office for six years and now holding a position in the Court of Judicial Review, Pei Xu had become increasingly strict and disciplined, almost dogmatic. None of his brothers in Chang'an dared not fear him.
Only Pei Ba Niang, accustomed to acting without restraint and having yet to experience his severity, dared to talk back.
Pei Xu already understood the situation but chose not to expose it further to his sister.
"Acting as you do, you haven't considered at all how others might perceive He Jiu Niang," he remarked.
These words sounded somewhat familiar—as if Sang Wu had said something similar earlier.
Pei Ba Niang faltered: "She… she probably… wouldn't gossip, right?"
She muttered, "To be honest, it's not a glorious story… and there's nowhere to speak of it. With a family like hers, who would stand up for her?"
Pei Xu looked at her coldly. "Since you know she is alone and vulnerable, you should not take advantage of your position to bully her."
"Sang Wu entered our household, dutifully served her parents-in-law, and has made no mistakes. As a junior, it is utterly inappropriate for you to criticize her."
When Pei Liulang met with misfortune, the two had not yet completed the six rites of marriage, so they were not formally husband and wife. It was Sang Wu who voluntarily chose to remain chaste, to fulfill filial duties on behalf of Pei Liulang, and she even received commendation from the authorities.
Pei Xu said, "Go back and reflect on your actions behind closed doors."
Pei Ba Niang clenched her fists.
Her age was not enough to oppose her elder brother. Even if she went to complain to their grandmother, no one would challenge Pei Xu's decision.
His status and abilities had long made him one of the most authoritative figures in this household.
Pei Ba Niang expressed her dissatisfaction with silence, her footsteps heavy. Just as she was about to step over the threshold, Pei Xu called her back.
"Does Mother know about your targeting of your widowed sister-in-law?"
"No!" Pei Ba Niang denied angrily, holding back her temper. "Mother lives in the nunnery all day, how would she know!"
Pei Xu nodded. "Go."
After Pei Ba Niang left, Linqin entered to report the information she had gathered.
He Jiu Niang from the He family was related to Old Lady Pei, and both families were from official backgrounds. Since childhood, she had often played with Pei Ba Niang and Pei Liulang, making them childhood sweethearts who grew up together.
Pei Liulang was the beloved son of the third branch, with average talents. It was expected that he would follow in Third Master's footsteps, entering officialdom through family connections, becoming a leisurely local official while also taking over the household management. Thus, He Jiu Niang, who was well-known and gentle-natured, naturally became Old Lady Pei's first choice for a granddaughter-in-law.
But to say that Sang Wu "intervened" and disrupted what was "right and proper" was not entirely accurate.
The couple of the third branch doted on Pei Liulang as if he were the apple of their eye. How could they bear to see him unhappy in his marriage? It was only with their parents' decree that Pei Liulang and Sang Wu became a legitimate match.
Old Lady Pei was angry for a while but could do nothing about it, so she simply let them be.
However, the girl's background was indeed awkward.
Linqin had been gently rebuffed that morning, leaving her with an impression of hidden sharpness beneath softness. But after learning about the Sang family's situation, she somewhat understood the other party's character.
"…After his first wife died, he remarried, but he himself contracted a lung disease and passed away. The stepmother and her two children not only seized the family property but also wanted to send her to the Shen family as a concubine."
Linqin added, "That's the Shen family who runs the tavern in the west of the city."
"When Sixth Gentleman encountered this and intervened, one thing led to another…" Linqin coughed lightly.
After all, it was a private affair and not something to be spoken of openly.
"That stepmother is truly not a kind person," Lu Ju couldn't help but interject.
Pei Xu remained silent.
Pei Xu knew the owner of the Shen family tavern. Ten years ago, he was a portly middle-aged man, and now he should be around fifty.
—If Pei Xu's father were still alive, he would only be in his early forties.
As for the sister-in-law from the third branch—
From a distance earlier that day, he saw her wearing a light green dress, her hair tied up with only a silver hairpin and no other accessories, simple and plain yet tinged with sorrow.
He had only glanced at her before immediately looking away, but he remembered the way she stood bathed in light. The moment she raised her eyes, her gaze shimmered with fragmented gold, flickering and shifting.
Such an expression in her eyes and brows seemed utterly incompatible with the fragility and sorrow expected of a widow.
But these romantic entanglements of the third branch had nothing to do with him.
Pei Xu stood up and walked to the window.
Spring mountains lush, spring sun bright.
The scenery of Yuhang City is poetic, its beautiful views like paintings.
Having lived in Chang'an all these years, he truly hadn't been able to properly honor his elders.
Last year when Sixth Brother met with misfortune, the capital was in the midst of a serial murder case. The criminals were vicious and ruthless, and another Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review investigating the case was brutally murdered in retaliation. Officials in Chang'an were all on edge, and he too was appointed at a critical moment, so he could only entrust his mother to convey his condolences in a letter.
Later, he heard that Third Uncle had fallen ill. Fortunately, Third Uncle's daughter-in-law was filial and considerate. With her attending to him, Third Aunt was somewhat comforted.
Second Madam's tone in the letter—envious yet sour—was vividly apparent, clearly urging Pei Xu in various ways to quickly find her a daughter-in-law.
Compared to Second Madam, Pei Xu himself was in no hurry.
This return to visit family was ostensibly on the orders of Consort Pei, but in reality, it was related to the maneuvers of that person in power in Chang'an. If he wanted to avoid being swept into the turmoil and protect himself wisely, he still needed to observe and wait.
Unlike the willful Sixth Brother, he understood that his own marriage was never about fulfilling romantic desires, but rather an alliance that would benefit both families. If the elders brought it up, they would consider the woman's father, brothers, and even her entire clan.
This was the difference between Pei Xu, Pei Silang, and the ordinary sons of the family.
Pei Xu thought again of Third Uncle at today's banquet, who had forced himself to sit for a quarter of an hour before being helped back to rest. His condition was very poor, his gaunt and weary appearance making him look even older than Eldest Uncle.
Now that he had returned, he planned to personally visit the grave to pay his respects and then comfort both elders.
At this moment, Pei Xu thought to himself.
Third Uncle was his closest uncle and had once shown kindness to his father. With Sixth Brother gone, whether out of Grandmother's hopes or the bond of being a nephew, he should take on the responsibility of looking after him.
If there was anything within his power to do, he would naturally exert his utmost effort.
Author's note: