That day, Wei Nanxun, as usual, had her breakfast in the morning and began to look through the account books left by her father, as well as the lists and illustrated books of various items he had collected from all over the world over the years.
She had been enlightened by her mother since she was a child. Although she was not as proficient in all kinds of arts such as Qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting as other sisters, she could still read and understand articles. Moreover, she inherited her parents’ strengths in arithmetic. Not only did she like it herself, but her talent even surpassed many men. She could be said to have grown up holding an abacus since she was a child.
When her father was doing business, he used to bring these things back to share with her mother and would also ask for her mother’s opinion. Even after her mother passed away, he still copied the things and left them in the study, which made it convenient for her to learn.
In her previous life, after her mother passed away, she was forced to give up her hobbies. After marrying Pei Yuyan, she couldn’t use these skills at all, and they had been abandoned for many years. Now that she picked them up again, she was still a bit rusty. It took her more than a month to finally regain some of the feeling of using the abacus back then.
Steward Qiu would report the progress of the shop to her every day, and from time to time, he would also guide her on the tricks of the trade, which was the best teacher for her.
From a few days ago, the entire Wei Mansion was filled with joy. Madam Wang had sent someone to deliver the message early, saying that the Crown Prince would come to present betrothal gifts soon.
She was told to keep the servants in her courtyard in check and not let them wander around, lest they ruin the important event of the betrothal.
What “keep the servants in check,” it was clearly a warning to her, afraid that she would cause trouble. Little did they know, she was too lazy to go out even if they begged her.
Since returning from the palace last time, she had not met with other members of the Wei family. She only heard that her uncle had been very angry that day and had slapped Wei Mingzhao, punishing her with confinement and not allowing her to step out of her room.
This could only be blamed on Wei Mingzhao herself, who had played a good hand so badly.
She already had a marriage bestowed by the Emperor, but she was able to commit adultery before marriage. One must know that a woman who is betrothed is a wife, and a woman who runs away is a concubine. It was only because the Emperor cared about face and did not want the marriage he had personally ordered to become a joke. Otherwise, based on the behavior of these two people, Wei Mingzhao would have been lucky to be a side consort.
But these things had nothing to do with her.
She read a book for a while and vaguely heard the sound of firecrackers, and her action of turning the page paused slightly.
There is no wall that doesn’t let wind through, and besides, Consort Xian had intentions, so more or less some of the things that happened in Jingren Palace that day were revealed. Madam Wang and the Crown Prince probably wanted to dispel the unfavorable rumors in the capital, so even the betrothal was made exceptionally grand and lively.
She pulled out a mocking smile. Her aunt really put her heart into it, even the West Garden so far away from her could hear the sound of firecrackers.
The Second House is an independent courtyard, located in the most remote West Garden of the entire Wei family.
In the past, when her father was away, her mother passed away, and her younger brother was studying in the academy, she felt that she had been abandoned and isolated by everyone, and she felt inferior and frustrated in her heart. But now, she felt that it was quiet and convenient for her to communicate with the stewards.
Seeing her smile, Yidong, the maid who was serving her, mistakenly thought that she was curious and explained, “Miss, the Crown Prince has brought people to present the betrothal gifts. People in the front said that there are many people accompanying him, such as the top scholar and the young marquis. Oh, and the young master of the Eldest Princess’s Mansion. The front yard is handing out red envelopes, saying that everyone has a share.”
Wei Nanxun’s movements paused slightly, the young master of the Eldest Princess’s Mansion.
Could it be her benefactor?
If only she knew what her benefactor looked like.
Wei Nanxun quickly shook the thought out of her mind. Even if it really was her benefactor, she couldn’t possibly join in the fun at this juncture. She had finally distanced herself from these two people, and if she was really regarded as still having feelings for the Crown Prince, that would not be good.
However, if she didn’t go, she could let others go.
“Since it is such a joyous event and there are red envelopes, I will give you half a day off to join in the fun in the front and get some good luck. By the way, call Zhixia to go together.”
Yidong was originally envious of the maids in the front yard who could grab red envelopes and watch the excitement. When she heard that the girl had also given them a holiday, she immediately smiled happily.
Only Zhixia shook her head: “I’m not going. If we all leave, who will serve you?”
“I’ll just read a book in the yard and won’t go anywhere. What kind of service do I need? You go and see for me, so you can tell me what interesting things there are when you come back.” As she said that, she winked playfully at Zhixia.
Only Zhixia knew that she had been rescued by the Eldest Princess. After being hinted at by her like this, she understood.
Although she was still hesitant, she thought that she was in her own yard and nothing should happen, so she agreed.
After the maids left with happy faces, the West Garden instantly became quiet.
Wei Nanxun read a book alone for a while and remembered that the flowers she had moved out yesterday had not been moved back. They would probably wilt after being exposed to the sun all morning, so she quickly put down the book and walked out of the house.
Sure enough, she saw several pots of orchids being exposed to the sun. Without thinking much, she stepped forward and carried a pot towards the corridor.
But before she could put down the flower in her hand, she heard footsteps behind her. She thought it was Zhixia who had returned, so without turning her head, she said, “Little Zhixia, quickly help me move the flowers back.”
The person behind her was obviously stunned. Although he didn’t respond, he obediently went to move the flowers.
When she realized that the footsteps were wrong, she turned her head and saw that it was actually Pei Yuyan, who should have been presenting the betrothal gifts in the front yard at this time.
Wei Nanxun was shocked and almost tripped over her skirt. She couldn’t help but feel annoyed. She had been too comfortable recently and had no sense of crisis. She couldn’t even recognize Pei Yuyan’s footsteps.
But she couldn’t figure out why he was here at this time?
Wei Nanxun quickly stabilized her mind and tried to make herself look more natural. She bent her knees and saluted, “This humble woman greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I didn’t know you were visiting suddenly. Please forgive me for any offense.”
Pei Yuyan looked at her as if she had changed her face, instantly changing her natural and intimate tone. The smile in his eyes suddenly disappeared.
He clearly remembered that when he first saw her, the way she looked at him was like a frightened fawn in the spring forest, ignorant, pitiful, and with a hint of a young girl’s infatuation. He had received countless such expressions since he was a child, and he would never be wrong. She admired him.
Why had her attitude completely changed after only a few days of not seeing her? She avoided him as if he were some heinous thug.
He couldn’t figure it out. He had already warned the Wei family, and Wei Mingzhao also obeyed him. What exactly had happened?
Pei Yuyan’s face was cold, and he casually threw the flower pot in his hand on the ground. The sound of the pottery breaking was like thunder tearing apart the original silence.
She was also frightened by the sound, not because the sound was really sharp and harsh, but because the Pei Yuyan in front of her made her feel extremely strange.
It was still that handsome face, but his eyes were cold and gloomy, and the way he looked at her was like a snake lurking in the darkness, as if he could take her life at any moment.
Wei Nanxun subconsciously took half a step back, “Your Highness, are you lost? You should be in the main courtyard discussing the marriage with your uncle and aunt right now. I’ll have someone lead the way for you, Zhixia…”
Before she could finish her words, he had already taken a few steps forward, grabbed her wrist, and stared straight at her.
“I’m here to find you.”
Wei Nanxun’s heart skipped a beat. This Pei Yuyan was so dangerous, as if she had slept with him for four years and had never seen through this pillow companion.
She squeezed out a reluctant smile, “What are you joking about? You will be my sister’s brother-in-law after today. If you’re not looking for my sister, what are you looking for me for?”
“Wei Nanxun, don’t play dumb with me.”
“You know very well that the person I have always wanted to marry is you, why do you refuse me?”
He said each word very clearly, bluntly catching Wei Nanxun off guard, making her unable to talk about other things. The him she knew was clearly an emotionally restrained person who could never be guessed what he was thinking.
Everyone said that he was both civil and military and had no airs, and that he was the number one gentleman of Great Yan. Even she thought so, and even felt honored to be able to marry him.
Even though she had paid the price of her life for this, she did not want to seek revenge on anyone in this life. She felt that she was also responsible for her own blindness and arrogance. Why did she think that this gentle and refined Crown Prince would really love her? She deserved to die.
To him, she was just an dispensable little woman. She just wanted to take care of herself, stay far away from them, and live her own life. Therefore, she only wanted to hide and never thought that he would force her to this point.
Wei Nanxun was a little stunned for a moment. She tried hard to break free from the restraint and said sternly, “Please respect yourself, Your Highness. You must have misunderstood something. You are my sister’s fiancé. I only have respect for you and no personal feelings at all.”
Pei Yuyan tightened his grip even more. He sneered, “You know that I came to the door to break off the engagement, why didn’t you want to see me?”
“You also know that it is to break off the engagement. My sister and I have deep sisterly love. Not to mention that I have no personal feelings for you, even if I did, I would never do anything to make my sister sad. Moreover, you and my sister already have a husband and wife relationship. You are here to present the betrothal gifts today, why bother saying these words again?”
“You really hate me, Ah Xun, I thought the person in the room that day was you.”
Pei Yuyan changed his previous sinister look and turned gentle. The affectionate eyes, if she hadn’t died once, she would have almost believed it.
But it was precisely the last sentence that made Wei Nanxun feel cold all over. Thought it was her? He really knew, using such means against a woman who had not yet left her boudoir, this was not love at all.
He became gentle, and his strength also loosened a little. Wei Nanxun got the opportunity to break free quickly and took a few steps back.
“Your Highness, no matter whether it is a misunderstanding or not, the result has already been caused. You are the bright sun in the sky, and I am just a small grass in the vast world. To me, you are an unreachable admiration. Since you have become my brother-in-law, please forget the past.”
“How unreachable, you only need to reach out to touch it. I have no love for her, you and she enter the palace together, I will guarantee not to touch her again.”
Wei Nanxun was about to laugh out loud. Wasn’t this the nonsense that Wei Mingzhao used to coax her in her previous life? She actually heard it from Pei Yuyan’s mouth this time. How stupid did she look to be coaxed again and again.
“There is no such thing as sisters serving one husband in this world. If you neglect my sister for me, wouldn’t that make my sisters kill each other? Please, Your Highness, never mention such a thing again.”
“What a deep sisterly love, but what if I insist?”
“Then you can only get a corpse.”
Pei Yuyan kept staring at her face and did not notice that she had retreated to the edge of the broken flower pot. With extremely fast speed, she squatted down and picked up one of the broken pottery pieces, holding it straight against her neck.
Her neck was slender and fair. A slight scratch would leave an obvious blood mark, and blood beads instantly overflowed.
“Although I am a concubine, and my parents are both merchants, I also know how to respect and love myself. Before my mother passed away, she warned me that I would never be a concubine for anyone in this life. Even if you are the crown prince and give me more favor, a concubine is a concubine and will not change because of it.”
She said each word solemnly and forcefully, and even Pei Yuyan couldn’t help but be stunned.
His eyes fell on her bright red wound.
Would she rather die than be with him?
Pei Yuyan initially thought that this was a beautiful and easy-to-control little girl. He could get her gratitude with just a little help. She looked bright and charming, but her eyes were extremely pure. That was the clarity and cleanliness that he had never seen since he was a child.
It just so happened that she also fit his plan very well. He only needed a few nice words to make her obey him, as simple as those people in the past.
But soon he discovered that she was different from everyone he had seen in the past. She was not playing hard to get, but truly rejected him.
Everything she said was right. It was absolutely impossible for him to marry her as his legal wife. The crown prince could be greedy for women, but he must never be confused, unless he didn’t want to be the crown prince anymore.
Then let her go?
When Pei Yuyan thought of this option, he felt a sting in his mouth. No, he didn’t want to.
Even if it was a corpse, he had to get it.
What’s more…
“Put it down, I won’t touch you.” He said as he leaned forward.
“Don’t move!”
Wei Nanxun didn’t believe his words anymore. She retreated little by little, wanting to get closer to the house so that she could run in and close the door quickly.
Why was her luck so bad? Everyone had been sent to the front yard at this time…
She used the corner of her eye to look at the path she could escape by retreating. Just as she was about to retreat again, she felt a pain in her wrist, and the pottery piece she was holding tightly in her hand fell to the ground.
Pei Yuyan grabbed her in an instant when she was distracted, took a few steps forward, and took advantage of the situation to pull her arm and circle her into his arms.
Wei Nanxun was really angry and hated, angry that she couldn’t see his true face, and hated that she was weak and incompetent, and had fallen into his control again.
Such intimate contact made her feel disgusted and humiliated, as if everything she had said just now was a joke.
As she was struggling desperately, she heard his voice ringing in her ear.
“That day, who untied the poison for you.”
Wei Nanxun’s eyes opened slightly, and her movements paused slightly. What did he mean? Did he know something?
Even such a small reaction was captured by Pei Yuyan. He was just a suspicion, and when he saw her shock and surprise, the doubt in his heart became 90% certain.
“Sure enough, it’s true. I noticed it as soon as you came back. Your clothes have been changed. If it was really my aunt who saved you, why would she change your clothes for you, and specially chose almost the same clothes, to cover up something? Why did your movements seem inconvenient that day?”
Pei Yuyan’s arms around her tightened even more, and every word he said against her was like an interrogation.
It was as if his own belongings had been contaminated by someone.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be a concubine for anyone? Didn’t you still commit adultery with someone before marriage?”
Even Zhixia didn’t notice that her clothes had been changed. He had only met her once, but he noticed it? How long had he been staring at her…
Wei Nanxun felt unprecedented humiliation and fear. It was clearly a hot summer day, but she was cold from head to toe, and her teeth were even chattering.
She didn’t speak until Pei Yuyan’s patience was not enough and his movements became more forceful, she slowly spit out a few words.
“He is different from you.”
The short six words, the voice was very light, but it directly pierced Pei Yuyan’s heart.
She was just an dispensable woman, why would she rather commit herself to others than follow him.
This was the first time in Pei Yuyan’s life that he tasted the taste of failure and not being able to get it.
His eyes fell on the slender neck that would break with a light pinch. He could kill her at any time.
But he didn’t want to. What was the point of killing her? He wanted to make her regret and make her willingly kneel down before him.
Before Pei Yuyan could take any further action, a low voice came from outside the courtyard gate, “Your Highness, someone from the front yard is looking for you.”
He thought it was the Wei family looking for him and said without turning his head, “I’m not seeing anyone.”
The voice outside paused for a moment before calling out again with more courage, “Your Highness, it’s the Young Master of the Northwest King, who says he has important business to discuss with you…”