————Jinxiu Fang————
The bustling street was crowded with people coming and going, a lively scene. Jinxiu Fang was located in the heart of the capital’s most prosperous district, a place frequented by nobles and high-ranking officials.
The Duke’s Estate carriage came to a stop on this lively street. The Duchess of Guo stepped down first, with Pei Jinyu following closely behind.
Just as Pei Jinyu descended from the carriage and was about to head toward Jinxiu Fang, she was suddenly bumped by someone passing by. As she was about to curse at the person, she felt a piece of paper being pressed into her palm.
She froze in shock, and just as she tried to see who it was, the person who had bumped into her had already disappeared into the crowd.
“Jinyu, what’s the matter?” The Duchess of Guo looked over at her at that moment.
“It’s nothing, Mother. Someone just accidentally bumped into me.” Pei Jinyu replied, then followed the Duchess of Guo into Jinxiu Fang.
Taking advantage of the moment when the Duchess of Guo was examining fabrics, Pei Jinyu quietly slipped aside and unfolded the note in her hand. Written on it were the words: ‘North of the city. One thousand taels to ransom Lin Yanbang. Otherwise, come collect the corpse.’
When Pei Jinyu saw the words on the note, her face turned pale with fright. She didn’t dare waste a single moment—she bolted out of Jinxiu Fang in an instant.
“Jinyu, what’s wrong? Why are you running out in such a hurry?” The Duchess of Guo had just been about to show her daughter a fine piece of fabric, but when she turned around, she saw her daughter dashing out like a madwoman. She immediately dropped the fabric in her hands and chased after her.
But Pei Jinyu was far too quick. Once out of Jinxiu Fang’s doors, she ran headlong toward the north of the city. The Duchess of Guo couldn’t keep up and could only stand behind, her heart aching with frustration.
The north of the city wasn’t particularly remote—only about a dozen li from Jinxiu Fang. After running for a while, Pei Jinyu hired a carriage to take her there.
As soon as she arrived in the northern part of the city, she spotted a fierce-looking man walking toward her. He asked, “Are you here to rescue someone?”
Pei Jinyu immediately nodded and said, “Yes, I’m here to ransom Young Master Lin Yanbang. Here’s one thousand taels. Where is he now?”
“Then follow me.” The man glanced at Pei Jinyu and led her toward a secluded residence.
At that moment, Pei Jinyu’s heart was consumed with worry for Lin Yanbang’s safety, so she didn’t think twice and followed the man forward. They entered a residence, and after the man opened the door to a side room, Pei Jinyu saw Lin Yanbang lying on the bed.
“Give me the silver, and you can take him!” the man urged impatiently.
Pei Jinyu hastily pulled out all the silver she had on her and said to the man, “Take a look—this is one thousand taels.”
The man’s eyes lit up greedily at the money pouch in Pei Jinyu’s hands. After taking it, he left, fully satisfied.
After the man departed, Pei Jinyu walked into the room, stood by the bed, and shook him repeatedly. “Young Master Lin, wake up! Young Master Lin, wake up!”
Lin Yanbang groggily opened his eyes. When he saw Pei Jinyu, a flicker of surprise passed through his gaze.
With a look of concern directed at Pei Jinyu, he mumbled, “Miss Pei… you… why are you here? Those… those men—where are they? It’s dangerous here. You… you should go. Leave quickly.” He even made a show of urging Pei Jinyu to leave.
“Young Master Lin, it’s all right now. They’ve all left. Are you alright?” Pei Jinyu was deeply moved by Lin Yanbang’s words.
“I… I’m fine…” Lin Yanbang spoke haltingly, then began to pant after finishing his sentence, as though his body was extremely unwell.
Seeing Lin Yanbang in that state, Pei Jinyu quickly reached out to support him and said anxiously, “Young Master Lin, you’re in no condition to be like this. Let me take you to see a doctor first!”
“N-no… no need. I just… just…” Lin Yanbang trailed off, looking as though the words were hard to say.
Seeing him like that, Pei Jinyu urged, “You just what?”
Lin Yanbang deliberately turned his head away, avoiding Pei Jinyu’s gaze, and said, “It’s just… just that they saw I had a decent face and… and gave me that kind of drug, wanting to… to sell me to the Xianggu Pavilion. I had come to the capital for the imperial examinations. When they captured me, I happened to see you on the street, so I could only beg for your help. Miss Pei, you… you should go. I’m afraid that in a moment… I won’t be able to… control myself!”
Pei Jinyu was shocked by his words. “What? Young Master Lin, I’m taking you to see a doctor right now. Come with me!”
Pei Jinyu thought to herself: She absolutely would not leave Lin Yanbang here alone to fend for himself. So she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door.
Lin Yanbang said nothing more at that moment, allowing Pei Jinyu to drag him along. Just as they were about to reach the doorway, Lin Yanbang suddenly pulled Pei Jinyu into his embrace.
“Miss Pei, I… I can’t hold it in anymore!” Lin Yanbang panted heavily, holding Pei Jinyu tighter and tighter, his hands beginning to wander.
This time, Pei Jinyu was truly panicked. She struggled with all her might to push Lin Yanbang away, but no matter how hard she tried, it was useless. Seeing Lin Yanbang about to press her down onto the bed, she was so frightened that tears streamed down her face as she pleaded urgently, “Young Master Lin, let me go! Don’t! Young Master Lin, snap out of it!”
Just as Pei Jinyu couldn’t push Lin Yanbang away, the tightly shut door had somehow already opened. Lin Yanbang was suddenly lifted up by a slender hand and slammed hard onto the ground, howling in pain.
“Big brother!” Pei Jinyu exclaimed in surprise at the man who had appeared suddenly.
At that moment, Pei Jingchuan stood there ramrod straight, clad in his crimson official robes, his face cold and stern, making the entire room instantly turn icy.
“Guards! Seize him and throw him into the pigpen!” Pei Jingchuan barked sternly.
Pei Jingchuan thought to himself that fortunately, he had run into his mother on the way back to the estate and learned that Pei Jinyu had gone to the north of the city alone. Heaven knows how worried he had been. If he had arrived even a moment later, his sister would have been defiled by the beast before him.
Now, recalling Xu Qingyan’s earlier thoughts, he could only hate himself for not taking the matter seriously enough and failing to keep someone watching his sister’s every move. Everything that had just happened was exactly as Xu Qingyan had predicted—Lin Yanbang had indeed done these things!
“No! Don’t throw me into the pigpen! Miss Pei, I beg you, save me!” The moment Lin Yanbang heard he was to be sent to the pigpen, he fell to his knees in terror, begging for mercy.
Pei Jinyu heard her elder brother’s words and felt a twinge of pity. She was about to plead on Lin Yanbang’s behalf, but before she could speak, Pei Jingchuan said coldly, “Jinyu, a person who’s been drugged wouldn’t distinguish between human and beast. You’ll come along and take a good look too!”
With that, before Pei Jinyu could react, he forcibly dragged her away. The estate belonged to no one knew whom, but the courtyard happened to have a place for raising pigs.
When they reached the pigpen, Pei Jingchuan tossed Lin Yanbang in. Lin Yanbang was so terrified that he snapped back to his senses instantly.
“No! Let me out! Let me out! I wasn’t drugged, so I don’t need the pigs!”
Seeing the herd of pigs approaching him, Lin Yanbang immediately spilled out the whole truth in a rush.
Pei Jinyu was both furious and heartbroken, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
But this wasn’t yet the most heartbreaking part. Just then, a woman and a child came running from somewhere, rushing desperately toward Lin Yanbang.
“Husband, what’s wrong with you? Don’t be afraid! I’m coming to save you!”
“Father, what’s wrong with you?”
Pei Jinyu was stunned speechless by the woman’s and child’s words. It took her a long moment to snap out of it before she cursed at Lin Yanbang: “Lin Yanbang, I helped you out of kindness, and this is how you treat me! You bastard, how dare you deceive me!”
Wah wah… So what sister-in-law had said in her heart was all true—Lin Yanbang was a big liar!
Crying, Pei Jinyu returned to the Duke’s Estate with Pei Jingchuan. When they arrived, Xu Qingyan was already waiting for them in the main hall, keeping the Duchess of Guo company.
“Wah wah… Sister-in-law, I was wrong. Lin Yanbang is a scoundrel, a big liar!” The moment Pei Jinyu saw Xu Qingyan, she threw herself into her arms and burst into loud sobs.
Xu Qingyan was taken aback by Pei Jinyu’s embrace and said softly, “What’s wrong with you?”
Pei Jinyu said nothing, simply crying without restraint.