Pei Huaiche was secretly worrying that she was too pure-hearted and naive to navigate the intricacies of the palace, when she suddenly uttered those words. His heart tightened inexplicably, and he instinctively grew even more anxious: "Who… said something to you?"
He had originally hoped she would grow quickly, since his legs were now severely crippled and he could no longer shield the young emperor as he once had, nor could he block all the storms from the outside world for her.
But he absolutely did not want to see everything progress so urgently, so quickly.
She had only just been reunited with her mother, learned of her identity as a princess of noble birth, and was still immersed in the blood-bound affection she had only just regained, living a life of abundance and peace that would have seemed like a dream to her former self…
She had been raised with unreserved love by the father who adopted her. Though there were occasional quarrels and gossip among the villagers and neighbors, they were mostly simple, honest folk, and conflicts rarely lasted overnight.
Pei Huaiche could hardly bear to think—if she were to discover now that not only her blood-related siblings, but even her mother, who had carried her for ten months and searched for her for eighteen years, had affection tinged with calculations of interest… how heartbroken she would be.
Dark memories from his own past surged up, and his long fingers unconsciously tightened, gripping the armrests of his wheelchair with such force that the veins on the back of his hands stood out, his breathing growing heavier.
Cuihua, who was embracing him from behind, immediately sensed his change and felt her own heart sink with a "thud."
She quickly circled back around to face him, putting on a lighthearted tone in an attempt to cover it up: "Oh, I was just saying it casually. I must have eaten too much lately and had too much time on my hands, so I started overthinking. Don't take it seriously."
But how could such a clumsy attempt at concealment fool Pei Huaiche's eyes?
The man's deep, dark gaze ensnared her like a net, pinning her in place, while he raised a hand to grip her wrist with considerable force, carrying a hint that she could not break free.
Cuihua struggled twice to no avail and grew annoyed: "What are you doing? I told you, I was just overthinking!"
Pei Huaiche, however, seemed not to hear her. His expression was gloomy as water, his eyes seeming to hold ice, and he still did not release her: "Do you take your husband who married into your family for a fool? Can't I even tell whether you're joking or not?"
Had he not mentioned it, she might have let it go. But hearing him "boast" about his eight hundred schemes, Cuihua's anger flared up and she shot him a fierce glare: "Marrying a fool would be more worry-free! At least there'd be hope of growing old together, unlike someone who relies on his cleverness to wear down his body early, leaving me a young widow clutching a chastity arch before I'm even past twenty!"
Pei Huaiche's brow twitched slightly, his expression stiffening: "…Cursing me to an early death, and still finding time to praise your own beauty?"
Cuihua could never bear to actually curse him—the words had barely left her mouth before she regretted them. But seeing his pale, gaunt cheeks, that guilt was quickly overshadowed by a nameless anger, and she stubbornly raised her chin: "Who's cursing you? Put your hand on your heart and tell me—since we entered this manor, haven't I watched you waste away day by day? I can't win either way—if I come to find you for meals, it's wrong, and if I don't, it's even more wrong!"
Pei Huaiche could see she was in a fit of temper. Helpless as he was, the panic her earlier words had stirred in his heart actually dissipated somewhat: "What, do you intend to block my door three times a day and feed me with your own hands? A dignified princess—what would that look like?"
Cuihua snorted, lifting her chin slightly: "As a dignified princess, am I not the very standard of propriety in this manor? I can block whoever I want, feed whoever I want—who cares if others see?"
Pei Huaiche knew there was no reasoning with her in this state, so he went along: "Since the princess says so, by all means, do as you please. Everything in this manor is your call; I wouldn't dare claim any special treatment."
Cuihua was not so easily dismissed, and her anger only grew: "Whether I feed you or not, how I feed you—of course I'm not afraid of being seen. But I… I haven't been able to resist all the good food and drink lately, and I've gotten fat! You've gotten thinner, and I've gotten fatter. What I'm afraid of is people misunderstanding that I'm mistreating you—that every mealtime I shut the door and steal your food!"
Pei Huaiche: "…"
He was at a loss for words. Setting aside the fact that their current status was princess and male concubine, with all the hierarchy that implied—even if she truly treated him harshly, no one in the manor would dare say a word.
What was going on in that little head of hers, that she could imagine others misunderstanding to such a degree? What kind of princess would be so desperate as to run to her male concubine's room every day just to steal his food?
He truly didn't know what to say, so he simply lowered his gaze in silence, putting on a meek and obedient appearance, letting her vent.
Strangely enough, after her seemingly nonsensical outburst, the burning anxiety in his heart had somehow calmed.
His little wife had always had this ability—the more she glared at him with fury and threw her unreasonable tantrums, the less he could bring himself to be angry with her.
He thought that, in the end, it was because her knitted brows and wide, glaring eyes made her look so adorably petulant—so lovely that he, who had once felt that death would be a relief, now found himself utterly unwilling to let go of life, afraid that he might truly leave her a young and beautiful widow.
Seeing that her temper was still blazing and that she would not be done scolding him anytime soon, Pei Huaiche loosened his grip on her wrist.
She immediately snatched her hand back, then extended a slender jade-like finger and jabbed it angrily at the tip of his nose. "You surnamed Huai, I think you're not good-tempered at all! What kind of good-natured husband goes out of his way to be unreasonable every few days, insisting on getting scolded by his wife before he feels satisfied?"
Pei Huaiche's gaze slid quietly along her outstretched pale wrist, landing—intentionally or not—on her chest, which rose and fell gently with her still-unsettled breath.
His little wife had indeed grown well. In the old days, when plain tea and simple meals barely sufficed to fill their stomachs, this part of her had never been neglected. Now that she was said to have gained weight, everything else remained slender—that extra fullness had clearly all gone to exactly the right places.
Afraid of provoking her further, he gave a light cough and forcibly averted his gaze, then said with a serious expression, "You knew I couldn't catch up with you, yet you said half a sentence and tried to run off, leaving me worried for nothing. How is that my fault?"
Cuihua was momentarily stumped, but then she quickly recovered, realizing that this time she wasn't just loud—she was also somewhat in the right. "It's clearly your fault! We agreed beforehand that you wouldn't fret and lose sleep over food again, and only then would I tell you!"
Pei Huaiche's brows furrowed slightly. "When… did we agree to that?"
Cuihua froze, then remembered that she had been so focused on stating her conditions that she had spoken too quickly, without even waiting for him to nod in agreement.
So half of her righteous indignation instantly deflated. Her little face fell, her delicate features filled with chagrin, as if blaming herself for being so impatient.
Seeing her like this, the last trace of frustration in Pei Huaiche's heart dissipated.
He let out a soft sigh, reached out his hand toward her, and his tone softened. "Alright, no more fighting, okay?"
Cuihua raised her shimmering, tear-glazed eyes and reluctantly shuffled over, letting him take her hand again as she mumbled quietly, "Who's fighting with you… Seeing you unable to eat or sleep these days, how could I not worry?"
In name, he was the live-in husband, and because of his leg ailment, he had been confined to the house and courtyard for a full two years. But Cuihua knew very well that in their two years as husband and wife, it was actually she who depended on him more.
After giving her father a decent burial and nearly bankrupting the family to seek doctors and medicine to save his life, her already impoverished home had been left with nothing but bare walls.
But he had not been intimidated by the poverty of the family he had married into. Instead, he had methodically managed their finances, working alongside her to save enough silver to build a new house and hold a wedding.
When the wealthy household that had bought their meager plot of land saw that she was alone and beautiful, they had harbored ill intentions, planning to wait until she was at her wit's end and then take her as a concubine. It was he who, with every word ringing with conviction, had driven off the servants sent to harass her when the rich man refused to accept that his cooked duck had flown away.
Without a trace of fear, he had hurled a cleaver before those bullying servants, declaring that his life had been saved by her and could be returned at any time—but as for them, earning only a few hundred coppers a month, were they truly willing to bear the weight of a murder for their master?
Afterward, the humiliated rich man still refused to let the matter go, but it so happened that his wife's younger brother had gotten entangled in a lawsuit, and it was Pei Huaiche who had written the legal petition that secured a lighter sentence. Only then did the man have no choice but to abandon his scheme, fearing that if he tried to seize the concubine, he would first have to deal with the chaos his wife's family—who regarded Pei Huaiche as their benefactor—would stir up at home…
In short, when Cuihua looked back on all these things now, she realized that before bringing him to the capital this time, she had only ever been responsible for optimistically painting rosy pictures for him—promising him a future of food and warmth without worry, and children playing at their knees.
But every step that brought their lives closer to what she had described had been accomplished by him silently remembering every promise she had made, and then, behind her back, making quiet calculations and decisions.
Cuihua had long been accustomed to telling him everything on her mind without reservation, and whenever she encountered difficulties, she always sought his counsel first.
It had been the same on the journey to the capital, and it was the same after she returned from her audience with the Empress Mother and formally became the mistress of this manor. Everything remained as it had always been.
Liu Qingzi and the others had initially looked down on him, and it was not impossible that they had entertained thoughts of abandoning him halfway.
After returning to the capital, they had entered the manor, and she had not even set foot through the gate before hurrying off with Liu Qingzi and the others to the palace for an audience with the Empress Mother, leaving him alone to face an entire household of people who likely harbored no goodwill toward him.
To put it plainly, she had been at her wit's end, so she had simply placed complete faith in his ability to handle everything.
But he had come from the countryside just like her—he had merely read more books, was cleverer than her, and had more experience with the ups and downs of the world.
And now, not only had he managed his own affairs with perfect order, but he also watched over the vast Princess Manor for her, shielding her from wind and rain as he always had, letting her—a little village girl returned from the folk—simply be happy being a princess every day…
Just how oblivious was she? It wasn't until Steward Di could no longer bear it and spoke up to remind her that she finally noticed the lingering trace of exhaustion between his brows. In truth, he wasn't as composed as he seemed.
At this thought, Cuihua couldn't help but resent her own heart—not only was she clumsy and careless, but she was also incapable of keeping secrets.
Whenever she felt a flicker of unease, she wanted to pour her heart out to him. Even though she now held the noble status of a princess, when it came to idle chatter, she was still that country woman who could pester him for half an hour over a piece of trivial gossip.
The commotion from earlier had passed; ultimately, she simply felt for him.
Her nose tingled, and her eyes uncontrollably welled up with moisture. Her voice softened. "Husband, I thought that by becoming a princess, I could let you enjoy a life of ease."
Pei Huaiche gave a low "mm" in response, his gaze deepening. "Where in this world is there such a thing as true ease? The countryside has its own hardships, and royal relatives have their own difficulties. Since I met you, I already feel that my days have become much more pleasant."
Cuihua still shook her head stubbornly, her tone laced with persistence. "But I feel it's still not enough. So, could you… just for me, try to put your mind at ease and focus on recovering your health?"
After hearing her say so much, how could Pei Huaiche not see through her intentions?
He looked up to meet her gaze, speaking solemnly without a hint of perfunctoriness. "Fine. I had intended to agree to your wishes just now, but unexpectedly, you spilled everything like beans from a pod. After saying it all, you blamed me for going back on my word and picked a fight with me for nothing."
Recalling her reckless arguing with him just moments ago, Cuihua realized that was indeed exactly what had happened.
However, this wasn't the first time. To be precise, every argument between them followed roughly the same pattern: no matter how fiercely or unreasonably she acted, he had never once raised his voice to her.
A flicker of guilt rose in Cuihua, and her voice instinctively grew weaker. "I was wrong just now… I was too quick-tempered and impatient. But I didn't do it on purpose. Besides not wanting you to overwork yourself, I actually wanted to use the opportunity to bring up another request…"
Pei Huaiche raised an eyebrow, a faint smile flickering in his deep eyes. "Let's hear it."
Cuihua blinked, her phrasing slightly tentative. "Our conditions were poor in the past. Baishi Village was in the middle of nowhere, and we could only find barefoot doctors who knew how to treat a common cold or a bruise. But it's different now. I've been thinking for a while that I want to find a reliable physician to properly regulate your health."
She had once searched all the way to the town, but even the most skilled physician there had only diagnosed that he had once walked the brink of death, which had damaged his vital energy and foundation. He was destined to suffer from constant ailments, with little hope for lasting stability.
And that had proven true. All Cuihua could do was fetch a few prescriptions whenever he fell ill; he would feel refreshed for a few days after treatment, only to collapse again at the slightest mishap. After it happened so many times, the two of them had almost grown accustomed to it.
Seeing that he remained silent, Cuihua hurriedly added, "You scolded me last time, so I didn't go around saying things that might arouse suspicion. The person I entrusted to find the physician was Steward Di. The physician is an old acquaintance of his and won't disclose our identities; he'll only say we are distant relatives who came to seek refuge after a family tragedy."
Pei Huaiche hadn't expected her to arrange things so meticulously while consulting with Steward Di. He nodded. "I will agree to this as well. Anything else?"
Seeing him in such an accommodating mood, Cuihua "pushed her luck" and continued, "There is indeed one last thing, but it entirely depends on whether you're interested. I only hope your body feels better and your heart feels lighter. If you're willing, please agree; but if it's too much trouble, then forget it."
The corners of his lips curled slightly. "…Could it be that after taking me to the doctor, you want to push me along to somewhere else for a stroll?"
A look of surprise flashed in Cuihua's beautiful eyes at having her thoughts guessed, and her speaking speed quickened. "How did you know? I was thinking that the carriages in the manor have been properly modified. Since we're using Steward Di's relative as a cover, nothing will be exposed… I heard from Fifth Sister that there's a market nearby with many unique snacks…"
Her voice grew lower as she spoke, as if afraid he would hear the anticipation in her words.
Pei Huaiche had no particular obsession with going out. Having been confined to a small courtyard for two whole years, Cuihua always worried that he was bored to death, or that his physical illness would be exacerbated by a melancholic heart.
But he only knew that there was nothing left in the outside world worth longing for. With her by his side, he asked for nothing more for the rest of his life.
However, he didn't object to accompanying her for a walk.
She didn't mind people knowing she had a disabled husband; why should he, a "treacherous official" who had never lacked slander and insults, fear the gaze of others?
Since it was something she was so enthusiastic about and had put so much effort into arranging, he couldn't bear to dampen her spirits.
Thus, he agreed once more. Then, lifting his deep eyes to look into her dark pupils—which had indeed lit up instantly—he softly shifted the topic. "Can we talk about it now? During this visit to the palace, did someone approach you privately to 'tip' you off about something?"
In Pei Huaiche's view, this was the most likely scenario.
The power factions at the center of imperial authority were intricately intertwined. As a newcomer who had won the Empress's deep favor, Cuihua was inevitably approached by various people with hidden agendas, all trying to convey subtle hints to her.
Cuihua, however, shook her head. "I remembered your words and kept Baodian by my side at all times, never giving anyone the chance to seek me out privately. This is something I discerned on my own."
She paused briefly, as if weighing her words, before continuing after a moment: "Even though I get along happily with the Empress Mother and my sisters, I must remain constantly vigilant regarding matters concerning you. Thus, when certain sensitive points come up in conversation, I always gloss over them vaguely, following the words you taught me. In this regard, the Empress Mother and my sisters seem to do the same."