Pigeon Valley was built in the valley of the Yan Family's tea mountain. This place was originally rugged with sparse vegetation and had no practical value. Since being used by Second Miss Yan to raise pigeons, it had become a secluded paradise.
Yan Changfeng often played in the valley as a child. Once, she accidentally rescued an injured pigeon and grew quite fond of it after nursing it for a few days. She then wanted to raise a flock, but Mother wouldn't allow it, so she secretly raised them in this valley.
At first, it was just for fun. As she grew older and no longer indulged in mere amusement, she conceived the idea of training a batch of carrier pigeons to deliver messages for her family. Thus, she had pigeon coops built in the valley and raised more pigeons.
Perhaps because this brought vitality, the survival rate of seeds sown in the valley grew increasingly higher, resulting in the current lush flowers and trees, with both pigeon coops and human dwellings complete. Unaware visitors would likely mistake it for a thriving small village.
"Wow, I never imagined Pigeon Valley would look like this!" Sheng Mingyu exclaimed in admiration from the moment he stepped out of the carriage, his earlier disappointment at not being able to go shopping instantly swept away. "This is far more interesting than some so-called gardens crafted by renowned masters. Look at how spectacular these naturally formed rocks are!"
"Not all are naturally formed," Yan Changqing explained from the side. "Some areas were carved and embellished by artisans, but the original appearance was largely preserved."
"Still, it's more interesting than purely man-made piles, right, Jiqing?" Sheng Mingyu turned his head and saw Pei Er staring at a particular spot, so he followed his gaze.
Beside the pigeon coops, Yan Changfeng was opening cages to release the pigeons. As soon as the cages opened, countless pigeons flew out together, first circling their owner affectionately before soaring high into the sky, spiraling around the valley. Their calls echoed through the valley, creating a delightful symphony.
And Yan Changfeng, surrounded by the pigeons, resembled a mountain spirit—so lively, cheerful, and captivating.
Watching this, Pei Xiu suddenly believed the rumors.
"Won't they fly away and not return?" Sheng Mingyu found it quite miraculous.
"No," Yan Changqing said. "They recognize their home. Even the playful ones will obediently return when they hear my second sister's call."
Sheng Mingyu was skeptical. Little animals were just like little children—they'd follow anyone who fed them. He casually grabbed a handful of grain and held it in his palm, trying to lure the nearest pigeon.
To his surprise, the pigeon didn't even glance at him, utterly disregarding the esteemed Prince of Shu, Beidu's number one handsome man in the pleasure quarters.
Hey, how ungrateful!
"They don't take food from strangers," Yan Changqing tactfully tried to save face for the embarrassed prince. "Not just you on your first visit—even I, who often come to clean their coops, am ignored by them."
Pei Xiu also grabbed a handful of grain to join in the fun, not really expecting anything. Surprisingly, a pigeon landed on his forearm. Although it didn't eat, compared to the indifference shown to the other two, this was considered a great honor.
"Oh, this is quite rare," Yan Changqing remarked with slight surprise. "They seldom get close to strangers."
Sheng Mingyu felt a pang of jealousy. "That one must have poor eyesight."
"You said they don't take food from strangers," Pei Xiu asked Yan Changqing. "What happens if Second Miss isn't home?"
"When Second Sister isn't home, there are dedicated pigeon keepers," Yan Changqing pointed to two young servants near the coops. "They're responsible for this area, but Second Sister comes almost every day. No one knows what it would be like if she were away for several days."
Pei Xiu glanced at him, nodded, and smiled. "Very well."
With that, he walked away, the bird still perched on his arm.
Yan Changqing was taken aback. Perhaps he was being overly sensitive, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Second Young Master Pei's gaze just now had been laden with meaning.
Sheng Mingyu observed this and couldn't help but wonder. Pei Er wasn't an aloof person; aside from keeping a distance from young ladies, he was quite willing to befriend others. Yet, he alone remained indifferent toward Third Sister of the Yan Family. Sheng Mingyu had noticed this along the way.
He couldn't help but recall the intriguing scene he witnessed in the flower hall yesterday, as well as Pei Er's warning that there might be a mole within Second Miss's team. A sudden realization struck him.
Could the mole be this illegitimate son of the Yan Family?
But this young man seemed rather shallow, not like someone with hidden depths. Could it be that Pei Er was being overly sensitive?
"Your Highness, Prince of Shu."
Just as Sheng Mingyu was pondering, Yan Changqing suddenly spoke, startling him. "Ah? What is it?"
"That…" Yan Changqing found it difficult to broach the subject. "Yesterday… I caused trouble for Your Highness. It was I who told Third Miss Zhang about your visit to Yangzhou Fu. I merely spoke out of turn and truly didn't expect them to come see you. I… my second sister scolded me yesterday, and I feel terribly guilty."
Since yesterday, Yan Changqing had been agonizing over whether to apologize and confess to the Prince of Shu. On one hand, he clung to a sliver of hope; on the other, he feared that the prince had already seen through him and regarded him as a petty person. It was Second Young Master Pei's gaze moments ago that woke him up—everyone here was clever, and it was better not to rely on luck.
Sheng Mingyu truly hadn't expected that just as he began to suspect, the young man would come forward to admit his mistake. Instantly, he felt this child was honest and sincere, so he promptly cast aside all those conspiracy theories in his mind and said cheerfully, "It's fine. Learn from your mistakes and grow wiser. Just don't be so candid with people you don't understand in the future."
Meanwhile, Pei Xiu, who had also been wrestling with the idea of confessing, strolled over to Second Miss Yan. Using the pigeon on his arm as an opening, he said, "Pardon the interruption, Second Miss, but this pigeon seems reluctant to fly away."
Yan Changfeng: "…"
This hypocrite truly had no shame. Clearly, he was the one carefully preventing the bird from flying off, yet he insisted on putting a favorable spin on it for himself.
She didn't want to engage with this topic, so she blew a whistle that mimicked a pigeon's call. As soon as the whistle sounded, the pigeon that had flown away earlier swiftly swooped back.
However, the one perched on Pei Er's arm remained unmoved.
Pei Xiu looked at Yan Changfeng with an expression that said, "See, I wasn't wrong."
The corner of Yan Changfeng's mouth twitched. She suspected this little hen was a shallow creature swayed by handsome faces.
She directly reached out and snatched back this disloyal little thing, planning to starve it for two meals to teach it a lesson.
Pei Xiu placed his now-freed hand behind his back, cleared his throat, and said earnestly, "Second Miss, this morning, my servant misunderstood your kind intentions from yesterday and spoke disrespectfully. I hope you won't take offense."
Yan Changfeng hadn't expected him to bring up something most people would have pretended never happened. She was momentarily stunned. In her daze, she was dazzled by Second Young Master Pei's face—the kind of face that could be forgiven for anything.
No wonder even when he made mistakes, his teacher couldn't bear to scold him. Just looking at this person's face, one couldn't detect the slightest hint of hypocrisy; it even appeared exceptionally sincere, easily putting people at ease.
Yan Changfeng's inner guard against this person rose even higher, while outwardly she became increasingly polite. "How could I possibly take a jest to heart?"
"That's good then." Pei Xiu felt she clearly had taken it to heart, yet for now he could do nothing about it. Second Miss was more guarded than he had imagined.
Feeling frustrated while trying to console himself, he thought it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. With the Yan Family still unsettled, being cautious was always wise.
Of course, he still wished Second Miss wouldn’t be so guarded against him. However, until his departure the next day, Pei Xiu never received another direct glance from the vigilant Second Miss. He could only set off on his journey back north, carrying his frustration with him.
Yan Changfeng accompanied Father to see their party off at the canal dock and arranged for the Yan Family’s large ship to escort them along the way.
Once the ship had sailed into the distance, Yan Chuanxing said to his daughter, "A true man distinguishes clearly between gratitude and resentment. Pei Er currently holds a debt of gratitude toward us. Do not let future grievances that have yet to occur cloud your judgment."
Yan Changfeng was taken aback. Father, with his keen perception, had noticed her targeting of Pei Er. Reminded in this way, the excessive harshness in her heart immediately cooled.
Eldest Sister’s madness and the successive incidents at home were like a whip, driving her relentlessly forward. She wished she could stay ahead of everything, nipping dangers in the bud before they even emerged. She had indeed become overly vigilant and tense, to the point where she preconceived the entire Beidu as a den of wolves, viewing everyone through a layer of suspicion.
This was a major taboo. Not only did it cloud judgment, but when encountering someone of higher skill, it could backfire.
"I understand, Father."
Yan Changfeng took a deep breath, allowing her mind and body to relax. At the same time, she thought to herself that she should accompany Mother in reciting sutras a couple of times upon returning, to cultivate her character and calm her spirit.
But before she could fully release that breath, a family servant from the dock hurried over and said, "Master, Second Miss, the ship sent by the Grand Princess has arrived! It has already docked, and they’re about to disembark any moment!"
Father and daughter both gasped sharply, exchanging a glance. In each other’s eyes, they saw despair.
It’s over. The tightening curse is about to descend upon us!