Pei Yan’s amber eyes swept over her flushed little face, then lowered to her legs.
Her skirt had already slipped to her ankles. She wore only a thin inner garment and a pair of white undergarments that reached just past her knees, leaving two slender, shapely legs gleaming white under the moonlight.
“Come here.” He sat up straight, his expression softening slightly.
Su He didn’t hesitate. She stepped right over the skirt and quickly walked up to him.
The skirt had already fallen to the ground, stained with water and dust—she didn’t want it anymore! Everything from the Su family would be trampled underfoot just like today, never to hurt her again.
“Not even dressed properly.” Pei Yan’s tall frame straightened as a smile curled at the corner of his lips.
Su He pouted. “Would you still have me wear those old clothes?”
After a pause, she added, “I look good even without them.”
“Quite the bold little face.” Desire swirled in Pei Yan’s eyes as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap.
“Because I’m serving you with my beauty,” Su He declared confidently. “All I have to rely on now is this pretty face of mine.”
“How much beauty do you have?” Pei Yan was amused by her audacity.
“Of course I have all of it. It’s not like you’re blind, my lord.” Su He wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice soft and sweet as she cooed.
Pei Yan clenched his jaw, pinching her rosy cheek as he asked, “Where did you learn these tricks?”
“When I see you, I just know them without being taught.” Su He leaned closer to him. Seeing he didn’t pull away, she took the initiative and pecked his lips.
“You’d better only know them for me.” The hand on her waist tightened abruptly, and he suddenly flipped her over his lap. Raising his hand, he landed a heavy slap on her bottom.
Su He gasped in pain.
Being a seductress was truly no easy task—especially one trying to tempt Pei Yan.
“Stay still.” Pei Yan ruffled her hair with his hand, then picked up a bottle of medicine from the table, gently pushing it open with his thumb.
The scent of the medicine drifted into Su He’s nostrils. She turned her head, wanting to see what he was about to apply, but his palm had already landed on her leg, rubbing gently.
The pain in her leg bone eased considerably.
“Where did you learn these skills of serving others, my lord?” she asked deliberately, still lying across his lap.
Smack!
He slapped her again, and the once jade-white curve of her bottom immediately flushed pink.
Su He’s eyes reddened with pain. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and lay still.
“You hurt me, my lord. You’ll have to compensate me with a new dress.” After a moment, she raised her teary eyes and cooed softly.
Pei Yan found it amusing. Her every move was a mix of naive charm and clumsy allure, tinged with an inexperienced seductiveness.
“If you serve me well, I’ll give you a hundred.” Pei Yan hooked a finger under her nose and spoke leisurely, bouncing his leg slightly.
Su He nestled into his embrace, murmuring, “You have to give it to me first. Otherwise, you won’t get to experience my skills.”
“Are you bargaining with me?” A cold glint flashed in Pei Yan’s eyes as he pinched her chin, forcing her to look up. “How many tricks do you have, hmm?”
Tears welled up in Su He’s eyes again. Suddenly, she leaned forward and accurately captured his soft lips.
Pei Yan was handsome and skilled. Though it hurt at first, she enjoyed it later—it wasn’t a loss.
She, like a kitten, licked at his lips, quickly stirring Pei Yan’s desire. Gripping her waist, he placed her on the table and pressed himself against her…
Night deepened.
Pei Yan emerged leisurely from the bamboo courtyard, a look of satisfaction on his face.
His personal guard, Zhang Jiulu, was stationed at the courtyard entrance. Seeing him come out, he immediately approached.
“Everything investigated?” Pei Yan asked slowly, hands clasped behind his back.
“She is the second daughter of Su Heng. Her mother was the daughter of a merchant from Jiangnan whom Su Heng brought back years ago; she died of illness when the girl was five. Last night’s lotus appreciation banquet was intended to present Su He to Old Marquis Pei. No one expected her to take the initiative to seek out you, my lord. The medicinal drink was prepared for Su He. The prescription has been checked and shows nothing unusual—just a common aphrodisiac. So, I went to examine the dregs and indeed found an extra ingredient added…”
Zhang Jiulu took out a cloth pouch from his robe, deftly unfolded it, revealing the medicinal residue inside.
“Bai Yin has examined it. This herb is called Wu Jian, an extremely cold substance that can render women infertile. Coincidentally, this poison can trigger the Sinking Poison in your body, which is why you lost control. Moreover, this toxin takes a full month to dissipate completely. Miss Su will need to stay here for at least a month.”
Pei Yan halted his steps, took the pouch containing the dregs, and glanced at it. His slender fingers gently stirred the contents, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. “It seems someone in the Su household doesn’t want her to bear children. Now that she’s here with me, let her stay for the time being.”
“If she’s to remain here for a month, should we make it official with Princess Chang?” Zhang Jiulu reminded.
Pei Yan turned his head to look at Zhang Jiulu, his tone indifferent. “You’re quite familiar with the procedures for such matters.”
Zhang Jiulu stiffened for a moment, then quickly clasped his fists in apology. “This subordinate spoke out of turn.”
Pei Yan tossed the pouch back into Zhang Jiulu’s arms and said slowly, “She’s merely a concubine. Mother won’t interfere.”
…
Early in the morning, Su He was sleeping soundly when she suddenly heard footsteps outside. Rising to look, she saw that the courtyard was now filled with maidservants, with several large wooden chests placed before them.
“Miss Su is awake. These are gifts from the lord for you,” the head maid stepped forward, bowing to her.
Su He walked over and lifted the brocade cloth covering one of the trays. On it lay cosmetics, rouge, hairpins, and jewelry.
“One hundred garments,” the head maid said, discreetly sizing up Su He as she pointed to the large wooden chests.
A hundred garments, truly for her?
Su He’s eyes widened in shock as she flung open one of the chests.
Inside gleamed bright, vivid fabrics she had never seen before.
Recalling the past years, Su He had hardly worn any new clothes.
She remembered once, during the Grand Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration, the palace bestowed new garments upon the families of officials of the fifth rank and above. At that time, a favored concubine in the household, out of spite toward the legal wife, had brought Su He along to claim new clothes as well.
That was the first time Su He had seen such beautiful garments! Luminous satin that shimmered like rippling water, scales glinting with light. That day, gathering her courage, she reached out to touch one, only to have her hand broken…
“Princess Chang says that since Miss Su has caught the lord’s eye, you must serve him well from now on,” the head maid said, frowning disdainfully at Su He’s unsophisticated expression. “However, you must not forget the daily contraceptive decoction.”
With that, she directly brought over a bowl of pitch-black contraceptive decoction and handed it to Su He.
Su He remembered the Pei Family Matriarch had said that whoever conceived Pei Yan’s child would receive three thousand taels of gold.
Unlike other illegitimate daughters from noble families who were taught reading, writing, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, and culinary arts from childhood, the Su family had taught her nothing! She learned to recognize characters only by collecting discarded paper scraps, begging literate maidservants to teach her character by character. Embroidery and sewing were skills she secretly taught herself. If she ever left the Pei Residence, she would need money to establish herself and survive. Yet apart from the beautiful appearance her mother had given her, she had no other path to take.
“Drink it quickly!” the head maid urged with an unfriendly expression.