Look at this little bit of strength, it felt like a massage that made my heart go soft.
Pei Ji had only asked casually, but instead of brushing it off, he received genuine concern from his older brother, which completely dispelled his lingering doubts.
The manor doctor’s attitude had been ambiguous all along, never pointing to any serious ailments; it was simply Pei Ji who had been overly paranoid, terrified that his rebirth would cause even the normal events of this timeline to unravel and head toward destruction.
Returning to the Qing Courtyard, he briefly explained the situation to He Zhile. Learning that it was nothing too severe, He Zhile finally relaxed a little.
After all, he had only been married into the family for a short while; if something unfortunate were to happen to the Pei household right now, people would likely blame him for bringing bad luck.
“My father is strong and robust; he is just used to putting on a show in front of Mother. Since I am genuinely free right now, why don’t I take you out of the city to play tomorrow?” Pei Ji had been cooped up at home lately. Even though he had his little mute to keep him company, it was bound to feel a bit stifling. “I have an estate outside the city that I had converted into a martial arts training ground. Do you know how to ride a horse?”
He Zhile shook his head slightly. Ever since his mother passed away, he had rarely even stepped foot outside the He family gates.
Yet, cloistered young masters and principal husbands raised in boudoirs were always like this, so he felt no particular grievance. Besides, he didn’t care for crowded places anyway, as running into people there inevitably meant enduring their mockery.
Pei Ji laughed out loud. “That works out perfectly. I will teach you some self-defense. From now on, if anyone dares to bully you, you can hit right back with full force! If playing fair doesn’t work, we’ll fight dirty. No matter how underhanded the means are, protecting your own life is what matters most.”
He Zhile widened his eyes in astonishment. Where on earth could a noble young master utter such brazen, shameless words?
Aristocratic sons were always expected to maintain upright character, and one only had to look at Pei Su to know that; he had always been the golden standard. Yet, the most extreme exceptions always seemed to come from the Pei family.
“You have no idea how vicious this world can be. Just look at your own situation back at the He family, because a single tiny courtyard was enough to peel the skin right off you. The more people you come to know in the future, the more bad actors you’ll encounter, so you have to keep your guard up everywhere.” Seeing the sheer incomprehension on He Zhile’s face, Pei Ji explained with a solemn expression.
He needed to instill the notion that the outside world was full of bad people into the little mute right now, while making it explicitly clear that he himself was entirely trustworthy.
“But I am different. You can always trust me.”
He Zhile obediently nodded, though whether he truly believed it or not remained unsaid.
Pei Ji was exceptionally satisfied nonetheless. With a smile, he said, “Then it is settled. Tomorrow, we’ll head to the estate for a few days, and I’ll have Yuan Rong make the arrangements.”
“Ah.”
Okay.
“Yuan Rong! Run over to the estate outside the city right now and tell them I’m bringing the Principal Husband tomorrow. Make sure they clean the place from top to bottom, and bring my prized horse along too! Tell everyone to watch their words and mind their manners!”
“Yes.”
Nodding in satisfaction, Pei Ji turned back to He Zhile. The sharp, chilling aura on his face instantly melted into a gentle smile, and he even gave him a playful wink.
He Zhile shot him a swift, fleeting glance before lowering his head, the corners of his lips curling up in secret.
Upon learning that they were heading out the next day, Qin Yurong unexpectedly grew attentive, instructing Feihui and Zidai to help pack their belongings while preparing various pastries and teas for them to enjoy along the journey.
She knew all about Pei Ji’s estate; it was fully stocked with everything imaginable, and she had even carefully handpicked the head cook out of fear that they might go hungry over there.
With everything packed in advance, Qin Yurong practically bundled them up and kicked them out the door the very next morning.
Is Mother angry?
“Not at all. She’s practically praying I’d get out of the house so I stop annoying her,” Pei Ji said with a laugh. “Besides, we don’t have much going on lately, so getting out for a change of pace is nice. Once the weather warms up in a bit, it’s going to get sweltering anyway.”
He Zhile’s lips parted slightly, but he ultimately said nothing.
Of course he knew why Pei Ji was currently so leisurely, and it was entirely because of marrying him. Had it not been for this, Pei Ji would have likely secured an official post by now, striving daily for a career in the imperial court.
If the He family hadn’t inexplicably forced Pei Ji into a corner, he wouldn’t have married him under duress, and he certainly wouldn’t have been reduced to his current idle state.
By saying things like this, was Pei Ji secretly blaming him for holding him back?
Since He Zhile couldn’t speak, Pei Ji always made a habit of phrasing things so they could be answered with a simple nod or shake of the head. Because of this, when He Zhile lowered his head, Pei Ji failed to catch the shift in his mood in time.
The journey to the estate outside the city wasn’t particularly short, taking over half an hour by carriage. Chatting and passing the time along the way, they eventually arrived.
To He Zhile’s surprise, Pei Ji’s estate was tucked deep within the mountains. The closer they got, the more tranquil and tense the atmosphere felt.
Judging by Mother’s words earlier, there seemed to be other people living at the estate. He wondered who they were to warrant keeping a top-tier cook on payroll. Could it be that Pei Ji was keeping a mistress out here?
Keeping mistress estates outside the city was a common practice among the capital’s elite. Those who were deeply favored were often hidden away in remote manors to avoid causing trouble with the primary wives in the city, and if handled discreetly enough, they could even bear children without anyone ever finding out.
That was precisely how Zhuang Hongxiu had given birth to He Yao.
Filled with a mix of apprehension and heartache, the carriage delivered them straight to the forest-shrouded estate.
Pei Ji stepped down from the carriage first, then immediately turned to lift him down. Lost deep within his own anxious imagination, He Zhile was already beginning to feel a genuine ache in his chest.
“Are you feeling unwell from the carriage ride? Look how pale your little face is.” Cupping He Zhile’s face, Pei Ji examined him closely, every word and gesture dripping with deep concern and affection.
Yet He Zhile didn’t know whether he should believe it or not.
He Zhile shook his head, blinking rapidly to force those turbulent emotions down and hide them away. It was all just his own wild imagination, and he shouldn’t let it cloud his view of Pei Ji.
Relieved somewhat, Pei Ji supported him as they walked inside, while the servants swiftly set about unloading their belongings.
They are here! They are here!
Form up!
Welcome, Fourth Master, Fourth Principal Husband!
The moment Pei Ji and He Zhile crossed the threshold into the estate, a deafening chorus of welcoming shouts rang out. He Zhile, whose hearing was naturally sensitive, jumped in startle, freezing stiff inside Pei Ji’s arms with his pupils dilated wide.
A dozen tall, muscular men stood in the courtyard’s open clearing, all dressed in training garb. Beads of sweat still glistened on their foreheads, yet they wore broad, eager grins as they greeted their arrival.
“There, there, don’t be scared.” Pei Ji immediately patted He Zhile’s back gently to soothe him, but the moment he turned his glare toward that group of men, he looked ready to rip their throats out!
A whole bunch of rugged fellows shivered under that lethal gaze, looking at one another before their eyes inevitably drifted toward Yuan Rong.
We are all sworn brothers here, at least say something!
Yuan Rong remained completely unbothered, selling them out without a second thought. “I specifically warned them before we came, but they refused to listen.”
“Is that so? Then go run a few laps through the mountains until you’ve had enough before coming back!” Pei Ji shot them a final glare, his hand returning to gently rub the little mute’s ear with utmost tenderness.
Exchanging anxious glances, the group realized they couldn’t let that happen!
Thus:
“Sir! You and the Principal Husband truly look like a match made in heaven!”
“You are imposing and majestic, extraordinarily handsome, and the Principal Husband is exceptionally gentle and stunning! A perfect match!”
“A union blessed by the heavens! A match bound by fate!”
Amidst the rapid-fire flattery, Pei Ji’s anger slowly dissipated.
He let out a light huff. “Keep your voices down. How is the training coming along?”
The pretty-boy standing right at the front chuckled softly, “They claim they can each take you on ten at a time!”
“These crafty little runts, trying to trick us again!”
“Heh. I will make sure to give you all a proper workout later. Go fetch my prized horse first! We will deal with you lot shortly.” Pei Ji didn’t take their boastful words seriously, though having sparring partners around was certainly a welcome bonus.
Bringing He Zhile indoors, Pei Ji noticed the youth’s face was still flushed and quiet, assuming he was still recovering from the scare, and asked with concern, “Have you calmed down yet? I should have disciplined them ages ago!”
“Ah.” He Zhile shook his head gently.
He was merely feeling ashamed of himself for harboring such groundless suspicions about Pei Ji.
To think this place was simply housing a bunch of burly martial artists; aside from the female cook, there wasn’t even a single female animal in sight.
“Go change into something more comfortable then. I will take you out to play.” With a smile, Pei Ji nudged him behind the folding screen, while he began changing his own clothes right then and there.
Chun Jian directed the servants to arrange all their belongings properly, then hurried off to the kitchens to brief the cook on meal preparations. With him around, nobody was going to let his young master suffer!
Once changed into lighter attire, Pei Ji led He Zhile out into the courtyard. Next to the open clearing stood a massive sparring ring, surrounded by racks displaying all sorts of weaponry.
He Zhile stared blankly at them, feeling as though every single weapon looked immensely dangerous, because swords and blades had no eyes, and getting grazed by one must be excruciatingly painful.
Suddenly, the sound of a horse whinnying echoed through the air.
Following the sound, he saw two attendants walking over with beaming smiles, each leading a horse with long, slender legs and tightly defined muscles.
One was completely pitch-black, its coat shining with a glossy sheen, save for four hooves as white as snow; the other was pure white like glistening snow, radiating an aura of proud, noble elegance.
“How is it? Do you like them?” Pei Ji gently patted He Zhile’s lower back. “They were gifted to me by my father years ago. Once you finish learning self-defense, I will teach you how to ride. That way, whenever the spring and autumn hunts come around, you will be able to come along with me.”
Staring at the two magnificent horses, He Zhile nodded softly. Naturally, he found such stunning creatures breathtaking.
Pei Ji laughed heartily. “The black one is called Shadowchaser, and the white one is called Snowtreader. While they aren’t proper warhorses, they have got plenty of spirit. We will ride these two!”
“Ah.” He Zhile nodded, a faint, gentle smile touching his eyes.
Since Pei Ji had promised to teach him self-defense, he naturally took the task seriously. Initially, he had considered having his subordinates teach him out of fear that he might go too soft, but worrying that the rough men might accidentally injure the little mute, he had no choice but to take charge himself.
“Your punches need to be sharper. A soft, feeble punch might work for scratching an itch, but how is it going to scratch anyone else?”
“Hit me with some force. Look at my little Zhile here, practically gentle to a fault, he cannot even bear to use any strength on me.”
Pei Ji grew utterly absorbed in the lesson, yet the words tumbling out of his mouth were entirely lacking in seriousness, dripping with a rich, lazy fondness as if he were simply commenting on the pleasant spring breeze that ought not to be wasted.
How could He Zhile possibly endure this kind of deliberate provocation? He channeled every ounce of his strength into throwing punches and kicks at Pei Ji, only to find the power disparity too vast, coupled with his own lack of real strength, leaving him completely trapped and restrained within Pei Ji’s embrace.
“Look at this little bit of strength, it felt like a massage that made my heart go soft.” Gripping He Zhile’s hands in his own, Pei Ji’s sharp, striking brows curved into a grin, his laughter brimming with unbridled, radiant swagger.
“Ah!” The flush on He Zhile’s face, already painted red from exhaustion, deepened to a brilliant crimson at those words.
How could he say such things out in the open in front of other people!
The attendants standing nearby had heard it all, of course. Accustomed to a wild lifestyle and entirely lacking in propriety behind closed doors, they immediately burst into roaring, uninhibited laughter, making He Zhile wish a hole would open up right beneath his feet so he could crawl inside.
Pei Ji chuckled darkly. Laughing?