My primary spouse is gentle and weak.
Under normal circumstances, Pei Ji naturally wouldn’t punish them. However, he couldn’t afford to lose face in front of his own husband. He immediately ordered Yuan Rong to bring a basin of mixed red and green beans from the kitchen and made them use chopsticks to meticulously separate the beans.
This kind of punishment was harder to bear than receiving two knife slashes. Each of them wailed at the top of their lungs, yet their movements did not hesitate in the slightest.
Pei Ji had Yuan Rong keep watch over them while he helped, He Zhile onto a horse, mounting right behind him to provide a steady, supportive hold.
The swaying motion below felt both novel and nerve-wracking, yet his back pressed firmly against a solid and reliable chest.
Although He Zhile was a young nobleman of slender build, he was fundamentally no different from a man, and the thrill of galloping on horseback was something he naturally enjoyed. Yet right now, without Pei Ji, he wouldn’t even be able to manage it.
They hadn’t set out very early, and after playing around for a bit, noon arrived in a flash.
He Zhile was frail; just this short excursion had exhausted him thoroughly. Pei Ji quickly helped him down to sit and picked up a round hand fan to gently fan him.
“Breathe slowly.” Pei Ji frowned, entirely failing to realize that the youth was this delicate. When he thought of how the other had dragged such a fragile body to beat the drum of grievances in his past life, the knuckles gripping the fan’s handle began to ache.
When Chun Jian came to report, he saw He Zhile sitting there in a weakened state and hurried forward with concern. “The Young Master is exhausted. I’ve already told the kitchen to boil some hot water so you can bathe and rest after eating.”
“Then why aren’t you serving the food yet?” Pei Ji clicked his tongue lightly to express his dissatisfaction.
“Yes.” Chun Jian bowed respectfully and withdrew to prepare.
The dishes suited both of their palates equally well. After eating, they went to bathe and change. He Zhile didn’t let Chun Jian accompany him, laboriously making his way into the large wooden bathtub by himself.
Having never ridden a horse before, he naturally hadn’t known that horseback riding could cause chafing on one’s thighs.
Once he completely relaxed, his chafed, burning thighs were immersed in hot water, unexpectedly producing a lingering trace of comfort, though the burning sensation in his thighs felt even hotter than the water itself.
His delicate brows furrowed slightly as he debated whether he should ask Chun Jian to fetch some ointment. But if he did, Pei Ji would find out, and if the other thought him troublesome and refused to teach him how to ride horses anymore.
Creak.
The door outside was pushed open. He Zhile started instantly, frantically grabbing for the clothes nearby. Without caring that they were the soiled garments he had just taken off, he hurriedly scrambled to pull them back on.
“It’s me.”
Hearing the splashing water from within, Pei Ji quickly spoke up and deliberately heavy-stepped his approach.
He had only meant to tease the youth a little, never expecting to startle him this badly.
Pei Ji apologized promptly. “I’m sorry. I was just being mischievous. Were you frightened?”
He Zhile’s heart was still pounding wildly, his chest rising and falling heavily. His bright eyes were flushed with a reddish tint from excessive fright, still shimmering faintly with moisture.
He couldn’t help recalling how he had been toyed with earlier by the siblings He Ruman and He Ruxi.
Because of his hurried actions, the discarded garments clung damply to his skin like a second skin, and stray strands of hair clung like fine snakes to his neck. His faintly visible collarbone seemed to emit an enticing fragrance, tempting Pei Ji so much that he wanted nothing more than to lean down and take a bite right then and there.
Pei Ji picked up a towel nearby to wrap around him, tossed the wet, soiled clothes aside, and scooped the youth into his arms, soothing him in a gentle voice. “There, there, my fault. I wanted to bring you some ointment, but I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Ah?” He Zhile blinked his fluttering eyelashes at him.
“Anyone learning to ride a horse for the first time will get chafed. I specially prepared some ointment, but I forgot to bring it to you just now.” As Pei Ji spoke, his hand reached toward the youth’s thigh. Noticing the tremble in the body pressed against his, he withdrew his hand. “Shall I help you, or will you apply it yourself?”
He Zhile silently reached out and took the ointment, his intent clear without words.
Pei Ji curved the corners of his lips, assisted him over to sit on the daybed, and turned his back to let him apply the medicine himself, all while casually chatting with him.
“Why were you so terrified just now? Aside from me, no one here would dare barge in casually.” Pei Ji’s tone carried a roguish, smug edge, as if bragging about how shameless only he could be.
He Zhile silently curved his lips. How could someone utter such a thick-skinned remark with a straight face?
Pei Ji’s gaze remained fixed on the lattice window, his eyes filled with a dark, chilling gloom, yet he continued smiling with his voice. “Let me think. Was it because you were bullied back at the He residence? He Ruman or He Ruxi? Our little A-Zhi has been bullied all this time. Truly pitiful.”
He Zhile acutely sensed that something seemed off about him. After finishing the medicine and putting on his clothes, he walked awkwardly to the youth’s side and gently tugged on his sleeve.
“What is it?” Pei Ji’s face beamed with smiles. “This ointment smells wonderful. Be sure to apply it diligently over the next couple of days and don’t let yourself stay injured.”
“Ah.” He Zhile nodded lightly.
Pei Ji directly scooped him up horizontally and carried him back to the bedroom. They had played enough and eaten enough; it was time for an afternoon nap.
He Zhile obediently lay down, and before Pei Ji could even finish saying a few words, he gradually drifted off to sleep amidst that deep, comforting voice.
“Go inside and keep watch over him.” Pei Ji stepped out of the bedroom, looked at Chun Jian who had been standing guard by the door the entire time, and once the servant went in, signaled for Yuan Rong to step closer. “Send people to investigate everything about the primary spouse before he was married.”
Yuan Rong immediately acknowledged the order in a low voice and withdrew silently.
Pei Ji didn’t have the habit of taking afternoon naps. Figuring that the little mute would sleep for at least an hour, he simply headed to the martial arts ring to spar with his subordinates.
He shared a close relationship with his subordinates; some of them had followed him since his days in the military camp, while others had been by his side since childhood.
Noble families always prepared contingency plans, and the Pei family was no exception. Pei Ji knew how crucial it was to cultivate his own trusted circle, which was why, both in his past life and the present, upon discovering that the little mute only had Chun Jian by his side, his only reaction had been profound shock.
“Jinling, notify the secret posts at the other estates. Keep a close eye on the imperial court. Also, have Wuyan select two suitable people. I have a use for them,” Pei Ji said calmly.
The pretty-boy Jinling and Yuan Rong froze for a split second before their expressions shifted dramatically. They stared at him in shock and disbelief, as if their minds had jumped to a wild conclusion.
Yuan Rong even offered a tactful reminder. “Master, you’ve only just gotten married. Isn’t it a bit too soon to take concubines? Besides, the primary spouse’s health isn’t good either. There’s no need to rush so hastily for an heir, right?”
“The more you talk, the more outrageous you get?” Pei Ji shot him a sidelong glance. “Which of the people under Wuyan’s command could you possibly marry into a proper home?”
Wuyan, who was currently absent: “…”
How righteous of you.
Jinling had a sudden epiphany. “Ah. Does the Master want to select two female guards for the primary spouse? That would actually be quite fitting. Her subordinates are masters of poison, capable of killing without leaving a trace. It would be very convenient for the inner courtyard.”
Pei Ji: “…”
Pei Ji cast a helpless look at Jinling, who looked pure and innocent yet possessed a mind entirely fixated on blood and slaughter. “My primary spouse is gentle and weak. If you go on about killing and slaughtering and scare him, watch your language!”
“Understood.” Jinling thought about it and readily agreed.
The primary spouse at home truly was exceptionally timid and frail. While he didn’t dislike that temperament, in the inner courtyard, especially in places crowded with women, such a person would easily get taken advantage of.
The people trained by Wuyan would certainly be able to protect him exceptionally well.
Jinling promptly went off to handle the matter.
Over the next few days, Pei Ji took He Zhile to learn self-defense and horseback riding. The youth gradually grew comfortable around Pei Ji’s subordinates; although he was still occasionally startled by them, realizing they harbored no malicious intent allowed him to feel much more at ease.
After spending a few leisurely days at the estate, the two of them returned to the city.
Though they had kept their departure from the city exceptionally low-key, they couldn’t stop outsiders from keeping a close eye on both the Pei and He households. Naturally, word soon leaked that the domineering Fourth Young Master Pei had taken his newly wed primary spouse out to play at an estate.
Marriages among noble families were never based on affection; they were calculated purely on interests.
Everyone knew how intensely the Fourth Young Master Pei loathed the He family’s mute. When the match was first announced, it had even caused an uproar reaching all the way to the Hall of Diligent Government. Yet now, he was taking the youth out to leisure spots. If he wasn’t planning to get rid of him, it could only mean the He family had something valuable to exploit.
Consequently, visitors knocking on the He family’s doors had been endless over the past few days.
“It seems the He family is basking in your reflected glory.”
When Pei Ji heard about this, he merely offered a cold laugh, the flash of frost in his depths enough to make anyone shudder.
“Did you really not know this trip would inevitably draw attention?” Pei Ding cast a faint, sideways glance at him. “You clearly brought him into the public eye on purpose.”
Pei Ji smiled soundlessly, feigning innocence. “What does that have to do with me? When I take my own primary spouse out, surely I don’t need to overthink every little thing, do I?”
Pei Ding dismantled his excuse without the slightest courtesy. “You used to find him utterly annoying. If you claim you had no ulterior motive, who would believe you? Go ahead and comfort that pitiful little fool all you want, just don’t fool yourself into believing it.”
That was genuinely a misunderstanding. Pei Ji naturally had to defend himself a bit, couldn’t his actions stem from genuine sincerity? Besides, his feelings were genuine.
Even though there was indeed a bit of scheming involved, it wasn’t for his own benefit.
“I have no desire to argue with you about this,” Pei Ding said, turning a deaf ear to his explanation. “Do whatever you like, just don’t stir up a disaster, otherwise the Eldest Sister will surely haul you into the palace for a lecture again.”
“Got it,” Pei Ji hummed dismissively.
He had spent all his time revolving around the little mute lately, leaving him no spare energy to untangle the events of his past life. A grand chess game like that must have shown early signs. He needed to uncover those anomalies as soon as possible and figure out a way to defuse them.
Yet because of his rebirth, there was no telling how many things might change as a result, so he still had to tread carefully and proceed with caution.
Leaving Pei Ding’s courtyard, Pei Ji headed straight back to the Qing Courtyard. Learning that He Zhile was practicing calligraphy, he chose not to disturb him and instead returned to the study to sort through his thoughts.
Yet it remained futile.
In his past life, he had never set foot in the imperial court, so naturally he had no way of knowing how treacherous and unpredictable court politics could be. Even if he had his men keep watch on the court, at best they would only learn surface-level information. Matters beneath the surface would likely require him to experience them firsthand.
His father and brothers served as officials in the court, and he naturally aspired to a career in officialdom as well, using his position to protect and elevate the family clan.
He should have relied on military achievements to secure an official post, but all of that had dissolved into nothingness.
Past events were no longer important; what mattered was how to plan for the future. But regardless of the approach, rushing things right now was out of the question.
“Yuan Rong!”
“Master.”
Pei Ji furrowed his brows slightly. “Why hasn’t the person arranged by Wuyan been sent over yet?”
“She said she needs to pick them carefully. It might take a little longer, seeing as it’s about the primary spouse’s safety,” Yuan Rong replied tactfully, relying on the distance between them so Pei Ji couldn’t clearly read his expression.
In reality, what Wuyan had said was far more terrifying.
Pei Ji clicked his tongue lightly, displaying a hint of impatience. “If they aren’t delivered here before dinner today, you can go run errands with her instead.”
“This subordinate will go urge them right now!”
Yuan Rong spun around and hurried off instantly; he had no desire to tag along with Wuyan and her group of lunatics!
“Fourth Young Master, the Mistress asks for your presence.”