Qingyi’s hand froze, and the spoon slipped back into the bowl with a loud clatter.
Seeing this, Xie Zhi asked softly,
“Qingyi, what’s wrong?”
“The Heir… the Heir is too frightening. I’m a little scared.”
Qingyi answered timidly.
With a helpless sigh, Xie Zhi took the bowl from her hands, about to comfort her, when Pei Du stepped inside. Thoughtfully solving Qingyi’s dilemma for her, he said,
“She’s awake. You may leave Yangshan Terrace now.”
“Yes, Heir.”
Qingyi hurriedly rose and bowed. After casting Xie Zhi a sympathetic Take care look, she quickly withdrew.
Watching her flee as though escaping for her life, Xie Zhi sighed and placed the bowl of medicine on the bedside table.
“My lord, thank you for saving me the night before. Even if I died ten thousand times, I could never repay your kindness.”
She sincerely thanked him.
Pei Du stopped before the bed curtains and let out a cold laugh.
“Save the empty words.”
Xie Zhi blinked in confusion, unsure why he was saying that.
Then he continued,
“Lichun, didn’t I warn you before? The world outside is dangerous.”
She immediately caught the danger hidden beneath his calm tone.
Straightening herself despite the sharp pain pulling at her wounds, she sat upright.
“My lord, please don’t be angry. Look, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have caught the murderer so quickly, would you?”
Seeing her grimace from the pain while still forcing a flattering smile only irritated Pei Du even more.
“So now you think you’re in the right?”
He suddenly paused.
“You knew that thing had fallen?”
Xie Zhi nodded.
“When I first came to Yangshan Terrace, Nanny Zhai gave me a sachet. She said there were many trees nearby, and there would be mosquitoes during the summer, so she told me to keep it on me.”
“It smelled wonderful, so I kept wearing it even after autumn arrived. Unfortunately, the stitching wasn’t very good, and medicinal powder would often leak out.”
Pei Du walked a few steps closer, casually leaning against the carved huanghuali table nearby.
“When we chased them to the back entrance of that clothing shop, the place was already deserted. While the Imperial Guards were searching the area, they happened to notice the powder scattered on the ground.”
“Fortunately, your captor carried you over his shoulder. The sachet kept swinging as he ran, leaving a trail of powder all the way.”
Though every inch of her body still ached, Xie Zhi noticed his tone had softened. She immediately seized the opportunity, grinning playfully.
“So, my lord, that means I helped you catch the murderer, doesn’t it? Do I get a reward?”
That murderer had committed countless crimes, murdering four young women. If not for her, Pei Du would probably have spent much longer tracking him down.
She had done him a tremendous favor.
Maybe… she could use this chance to ask him to return her slave registration papers.
But Pei Du’s next sentence shattered her good mood completely.
“Of course.”
“There is a reward.”
“Can I make a request?”
“The reward is this…”
“You are never to leave the residence again.”
“What?”
“Pei Du, you can’t do this!”
Xie Zhi’s face turned even paler. Her lips drooped in indignation, and she nearly jumped out of bed to slap him.
The moment the words left her mouth, however, she noticed his expression darkening.
Only then did she realize what she’d just called him.
Within the Pei household, even his elders addressed him by his courtesy name, Shuyang. Having lived twenty-two years, Pei Du had probably heard his given name spoken only a handful of times.
Calling him directly by his personal name was an extreme act of disrespect—especially coming from a mere maid.
She hurriedly corrected herself.
“My lord, I didn’t mean it. Can’t we negotiate?”
But Pei Du no longer looked at her.
“Focus on recovering.”
Leaving only those words behind, he turned and walked out.
Fuming, Xie Zhi picked up the medicine bowl. After only two sips, the bitterness made her scalp tingle. In a fit of anger, she poured the entire bowl into the potted plant beside the bed.
The very next instant, the curtain was lifted again.
Pei Du walked back in, frowning with obvious displeasure.
The last drop of medicine slipped from Xie Zhi’s bowl into the soil and disappeared.
As he set down a jar of medicinal ointment on the table, he pointed a finger at her.
“You really are…”
Halfway through his reprimand, he let his hand fall with a look of helpless resignation.
Xie Zhi couldn’t be bothered to deal with him.
She simply pretended to faint, lying down in a position that wouldn’t pull at her wounds.
Only after a long while did she hear a nearly inaudible sigh behind her.
Not long after Pei Du left, Lixing entered carrying two more bowls of medicine.
“Sister Lichun, the Heir told me to watch you drink both bowls.”
As she spoke, she placed the tray on the small table and helped Xie Zhi sit up again.
“Sister Lichun, the Heir is only doing this for your own good. I’ve grown up in this household, and I’ve never seen him care so much about anyone.”
Xie Zhi glanced at the two steaming bowls of bitter medicine, her face filled with resistance.
“Isn’t this just torture? I wish he had to taste how bitter this is every day.”
Lixing giggled.
“Please don’t joke like that, Sister Lichun. The Old Madam returned earlier than expected. She’s summoned all the young masters and young ladies to Chunhui Garden for a family gathering.”
“The Old Madam is back?”
Xie Zhi looked surprised.
“But isn’t it still well before her scheduled return?”
“I heard Fourth Madam is bringing her children to the capital. The Old Madam dotes on her only daughter the most, so of course she hurried back.”
That made sense.
The Fourth Young Madam had lived with her husband in Suzhou for years and rarely came to the capital. The Old Madam must have been overjoyed.
Xie Zhi reluctantly drank another mouthful of medicine.
Chunhui Garden
“Please rest assured, Mother. I’ve already prepared everything. The rooms have all been thoroughly cleaned, and Fourth Sister’s family will certainly be very comfortable during their stay.”
The Second Madam had a full, pleasant face that naturally inspired affection. Though she had managed the household for many years, not a trace of exhaustion showed on her face. Her words pleased the Old Madam so much that she smiled from ear to ear.
“Excellent, excellent. When Shuyu handles something, I never have to worry.”
The Third Madam, seated below the Second Madam, also chimed in.
“Mother, I’m not nearly as capable as Second Sister-in-law, so I don’t have much to offer. I only prepared some premium ginseng for Xue’er from Fourth Sister’s family to help nourish her health.”
“That was thoughtful of you as well.”
After finishing lunch with the entire family and chatting for a while longer, it was time for the Old Madam’s afternoon rest.
She dismissed everyone except Pei Du.
“I already heard about that incident on my way back. Thankfully, everything ended safely in the end. How will that murderer be sentenced?”
“Grandmother, rest assured. Such a vicious criminal cannot escape the death penalty.”
The Old Madam nodded and softly murmured,
“Amitabha.”
“Lichun was an innocent victim in all of this. You should comfort the poor child.”
Pei Du suddenly smiled faintly, his tone unreadable.
“Don’t worry, Grandmother. She’s as lively as ever. Why would she need comforting?”
The Old Madam looked at him with bright, searching eyes.
“Third Brother, you seem… rather different when it comes to her. Could it be…”
Before she could finish, Pei Du immediately interrupted,
“Grandmother, please don’t tease me. Your grandson has no such thoughts.”
The Old Madam studied him for a long moment before sighing wistfully.
“Very well. I’ll leave it to you. But I truly like that child, Lichun. If you really have no intention of keeping her, then in another couple of years, let her return to my side. I’ll find her a good husband.”