How could he not like someone like this?
The day of the floral banquet.
He Zhile rose early and changed into the new garments Pei Ji had ordered to be made for him. Although he had never been exposed to particularly high-end fabrics, he still knew how to appreciate the texture and luster of fine cloth.
Now that the weather had turned warm, the outer robe Pei Ji commissioned for him was made of soft smoke gauze. The clear, refreshing color of the sky after rain looked exceptionally crisp and soothing, bringing a sense of effortless peace to anyone who laid eyes upon it.
Pei Ji woke up and looked him over, smiling. “My spouse is truly graceful and alluring, a feast for the eyes. Just looking at him like this makes me hungry.”
Having just woken from his slumber, Pei Ji’s voice carried a slight, husky rasp, wrapping around He Zhile’s ears like soft feathers and leaving his earlobes hot and itchy.
Seeing him blush, Pei Ji knew nothing about stopping while he was ahead. He pulled He Zhile down to sit by the edge of the bed, gathering him into his arms to whisper softly.
“Since you won’t be by my side today, I plan to meet up with some friends at the Pine Crane Pavilion in the city. If anything urgent comes up, just send the newly arrived maid to notify me.” Pei Ji lightly pinched the soft flesh at He Zhile’s waist. Though there was only a thin layer of it, he intended to help him put on some healthy weight.
He Zhile was rather ticklish, so he shrank back slightly.
Pushing his advantage, Pei Ji gave him another two pinches, the usually cold and stern man filling his mouth with nothing but gentle words.
“When you enter the palace, just stick close to Mother. Do whatever she teaches you to do, and Mother won’t let you be wronged. Besides, Eldest Sister is in the palace, so she won’t let anyone bully you either.”
“You must remember that those people are capable of eating you alive. Don’t let them pick you clean down to the bones. Anyone who approaches you out of nowhere is usually doing so with an ulterior motive, or simply looking to use you for amusement. Of course, the Pei family has long-standing alliances as well, so you need to remember which families warrant deep friendships and which require keeping at a distance.”
Pei Ji was terrified that He Zhile would be deceived by others. The young ladies and noble house scions in the imperial court and aristocratic circles were all deeply cunning, and those who managed to secure a spot at the floral banquet to show their faces were even more formidable.
If he accidentally offended someone, even if they feared the Pei family enough not to dare act openly, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t stab him in the back.
Since they couldn’t protect the little mute every single moment, telling him to simply hide away was far less effective than teaching him how to handle things. Mother likely shared the exact same thought, which was why she mentioned giving him a proper upbringing session once the floral banquet concluded.
No matter what Pei Ji said, He Zhile nodded eagerly. It wasn’t that he trusted Pei Ji implicitly at this moment, but rather that he simply had no other choice.
He was already accustomed to the cruelty of people back at the He family residence, let alone the prospect of facing even more strangers inside the palace.
“Don’t be afraid. The maids assigned to you both know martial arts; just order them around as you please.” Pei Ji gently rocked him, breathing in the scent of his neck with greedy fondness.
The fragrance of the hair-washing floral water was fresh without being cloying, carrying a faint herbal undertone. Even though they used the same thing, he always felt that He Zhile’s natural scent was far more intoxicating.
After giving him a thorough, detailed lecture, Pei Ji finally let him go, terrified that missing even a single piece of advice would leave the youth at the mercy of the people at the floral banquet.
The floral banquet would last all the way past noon, so they had to pack extra changes of clothing. Showing up in soiled garments during the banquet would be a grave breach of etiquette and a massive loss of face.
Pei Ji watched as He Zhile bustled around the room like a newly sprouted tender bamboo shoot, packing his things. The cyan soft smoke gauze looked even more expensive on him, and the bright, vivid profile he occasionally flashed made his heart skip a beat.
In his past life, how could he have ever failed to like someone like this?
The two maids arranged by Mistress Yunyan were named Yuanhua and Xixin. Despite their soft, delicate names, both were well-versed in the arts of poison and counter-poison.
With such guards by his side, his safety was naturally guaranteed.
They both looked young, with Yuanhua being the more bubbly of the two, wearing a constant smile since they first met, while Xixin lived up to her name, proving exceptionally meticulous and steady.
Judging purely by appearance, He Zhile would never have guessed what vicious tricks they were capable of behind closed doors.
Two carriages stood parked in front of the Pei residence, both exquisite and ornate, though with a clear distinction. The lead carriage, far more luxurious than the other, was an imperial gift.
Qin Yurong was about to board her carriage when her gaze swept across He Zhile, who was gazing at her with wide, eager eyes. Pausing her steps, she offered some parting guidance, “You ride in the back carriage. Since this is your first time entering the palace, you must mind your manners and stick right behind me. Understand?”
Yes!
He Zhile nodded vigorously. Even with the fine clothing and accessories accentuating his appearance, his timidity and awkwardness were still plainly evident.
Before his marriage, he had rarely stepped foot outside the estate, and the same held true during the days following his wedding. Although he had visited the mountain estate previously, it was a quiet place with very few people. Today, however, he had to summon every ounce of his mental fortitude, because under no circumstances could he afford to shame the Pei family.
Knowing how obedient he was, Qin Yurong said nothing more. Once both carriages were prepared, the procession set off for the imperial palace.
Pei Ji was scheduled to meet his friends at the Pine Crane Pavilion at noon, so he was in no particular rush. However, he hadn’t wandered around the city streets since his rebirth, and there was always a chance of stumbling upon an unexpected discovery or gaining a sudden stroke of insight.
He washed and dressed, tidied himself up, and took Yuan Rong out onto the streets.
A young general who should have earned glorious military achievements had been inexplicably saddled with a marriage, robbing him of any chance at war merit.
On the surface, it looked like a powerful alliance between the Pei and He families, but underneath, it was a calculated move to suppress the rising influence of the Pei clan.
Inside the premium private room of the Pine Crane Pavilion, several young aristocrats sat around a table. One of them, dressed in white and holding a plain folding fan, gently waved it as he calmly analyzed his good brother’s predicament.
“Really?” Sitting beside the man in white was someone dressed in blue, whose posture was uninhibited and casual, speaking with a rugged, steadfast tone.
“Aside from that, is there any other explanation?” The white-clad Song Yu asked in a gentle voice, his long, pale fingers tapping against the tabletop. “Don’t just look at what the emperor said; you should look at what he actually did.”
Words of praise were cheap. No matter how sweet they sounded, if the rewards never materialized into reality, they were completely hollow.
A mismatched marriage was all it took to dismiss Pei Ji, and the person on the dragon throne was naturally more than thrilled by the outcome.
The man in blue let out an annoyed, light huff and looked over at Pei Ji. “Yunzhou, what do you think? Is he really as unreasonable as Yanguan makes him out to be?”
“Why would the Son of Heaven ever bother reasoning with his subjects? You are being hopelessly naive and wishful.” Pei Ji deliberately emphasized the word reason.
That was, after all, the most illusory concept of all.
Song Yu’s hand holding the folding fan trembled slightly, his shoulders shaking as soft laughter spilled past his lips. “Did you only just figure him out today? He has always been naive and adorable. Back then, because Uncle Yan wouldn’t let him follow you onto the battlefield, he nearly tore the Yan residence apart.”
Knowing they were deliberately teasing him, Yan Qi didn’t get angry and instead shot back with a sarcastic retort, “It is a good thing I didn’t go! Otherwise, not only would I have failed to gain any military merit, but I would also be stuck with an eyesore of a forced wedding!”
While marriages among aristocratic families were rarely left entirely to personal whim, they still had to marry someone presentable. Background mattered, but it wasn’t everything.
At the very least, couples usually met and laid eyes on each other beforehand. Being suddenly dumped into someone’s arms overnight like Pei Ji was a rare occurrence, and in the past century of the Tianqi dynasty, this was likely the only instance!
“Who says it’s not pleasing? Who said that? My spouse is the best!” Pei Ji instantly took offense, nearly slamming the table as he snatched a piece of pastry from the side and tossed it straight at Yan Qi. “My spouse is wonderful!”
Yan Qi widened his eyes, failing to react even as the pastry bounced off his palm. Even Song Yu, usually the picture of composure, looked rather startled.
“You… don’t tell me you have actually taken a fancy to that He family member?” Song Yu frowned slightly.
“Obviously.” Pei Ji raised an eyebrow.
Song Yu’s expression instantly turned indescribable. “Then why did you parade him around so flashily a few days ago?”
Pei Ji picked up on the underlying tone. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
“You…” Song Yu rubbed his forehead in mild exasperation. “Have you forgotten how many young maidens in Tianqi are dying to marry you? After the flashy display you put on the other day, he is probably going to be surrounded and targeted at the floral banquet today.”
“I took my own legitimate principal spouse out for a stroll. Do you expect me to factor in everyone else’s feelings? That is not a funny joke.” A faint smile lingered on Pei Ji’s face.
Clearly, just thinking of He Zhile brought a surge of joy to his heart.
Curiosity piqued, Yan Qi tossed the pastry back and suggested, “How about you host a gathering some time soon so we can all meet him? He has never even stepped outside the He family gates before, so that lot really knows how to bully people.”
Song Yu nodded gently in agreement.
The folk customs of Tianqi were open and simple, and various celebratory festivals were always filled with laughter, temple fairs, and lantern festivals designed to let young ladies and aristocratic husbands out to stroll and enjoy themselves. Aside from those suffering from chronic illnesses, there was simply no such thing as someone who never left the house at all.
Besides, they were acquainted with all the other children of the He family, yet when it came to He Zhile, none of them had ever even laid eyes on him!
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go out, but rather that they refused to let him have any social life whatsoever, deliberately trying to trap him within those four walls until he withered away.
“Still, he was clever enough. By making such a huge fuss, he managed to claw his way out and even snagged you as a husband.” Yan Qi added before taking a sip of tea.
Pei Ji possessed striking good looks and an illustrious family background. When he returned in triumph from his military campaigns, every maiden in the capital had hoped to marry him. Who could have guessed that a wild card named He Zhile would emerge, making a scene by crying, making a ruckus, and threatening suicide at the He residence just to force a marriage, leaving He Hong’an with no choice but to swallow his pride and beg the emperor for a decree.
Naturally, that was only the surface illusion.
Even Pei Ji himself hadn’t learned the truth until right before the downfall of the Pei family.
And because of his previous negligence and inaction, the little mute had been forced to shoulder a lifetime of undeserved curses and insults.
“It was that old bastard He Hong’an who forced him.”
In both this lifetime and the last, this was the first time he was speaking up to explain and defend He Zhile.
“He Hong’an?”
“He forced him?”
Yan Qi and Song Yu reacted with entirely different degrees of shock.
Pei Ji’s gaze darkened as he looked at Song Yu. “What do you know?”
“If things are truly as you say, then that He Hong’an is quite the old fox,” Song Yu remarked. “I happened to catch sight of He Yao visiting Zhao Chenghui’s estate a while back.”
The implication required no further explanation.
Zhao Chenghui was related to the Seventh Prince on his mother’s side, and that Seventh Prince had always been heavily favored while harboring a deep, unrequited obsession with Pei Ji, frequently throwing subtle advances his way in the past.
With He Zhile marrying Pei Ji, there was no telling how much the Seventh Prince despised him, let alone what kind of poison the other He siblings might be whispering into people’s ears behind the scenes.
Pei Ji’s brow instantly furrowed deep. “With Mother and the maids around, it should be fine, but hearing your guess makes me genuinely panic now.”
He offered a dry, self-deprecating chuckle before running his tongue over his dry lips.
“Yunzhou, the Pine Crane Pavilion isn’t all that far from the imperial palace. Do you plan to go?”
“I am leaving then. I will host the next one!”
Without waiting for Song Yu to finish, Pei Ji abruptly stood up and hurried out the door.
“Look at him. If that little mute really runs into trouble, we are going to have a fantastic show to watch.” Song Yu took a leisurely sip of tea, a faint smile curling the edges of his lips.