The meals were quickly brought over under Chun Jian’s guidance.
The dishes that met the eye were all vibrant reds and greens, some even glistening with a clear syrup, looking exceptionally tempting. Meanwhile, the few light and plain dishes appeared rather pitiful by comparison.
Seeing naturally that the table was filled almost entirely with dishes he loved, He Zhile looked toward Chun Jian with some nervousness. How could he have instructed the kitchen like that? If Pei Ji were to grow angry, it would ruin everything!
“You all don’t need to serve the food here. Step back and wait outside.” Pei Ji curved his lips into a light smile.
Although in both his past and present lives he had never cared much for Chun Jian, who always stuck his neck out at him, he had to admit that the servant was truly loyal to the little mute.
Even if only for this single reason, he would not blame the man.
The servants all retreated outside, leaving just the two of them before the dining table. The atmosphere was exceptionally quiet and bizarre, making one feel ill at ease in every way.
Yet the culprit of it all appeared completely oblivious.
“I will pick food for you. It’s too far and you can’t reach it.”
“Those blind servants only know how to place the things you love far away. It’s rare for them to actually do something right.”
“Would you like another bowl of rice? You eat so well, why won’t you put on any weight?”
Throughout the entire meal, all one could hear was Pei Ji chattering away beside him, which contrasted sharply with his outward appearance. Clearly supposed to be a stern, cold young general, he was instead unfathomably enthusiastic and restless.
That was how He Zhile felt at the moment.
After finishing breakfast, Pei Ji wanted to cling to him and walk in circles around the courtyard. Rather than interacting with old friends while his heart had yet to settle into a sense of peace, he preferred guarding the little mute quietly. Even if they did nothing at all, he felt at ease.
In his past life, he should have dropped his proud facade to get along properly with him. Then, combining both past and present lives, these past two days wouldn’t have been the times they spoke to each other the most.
“That is right. Mother called me over this morning to talk. She said an imperial decree will be handed down today. Having heard about yesterday’s incident, the Emperor wishes to appease you.” Pei Ji pulled him along by the hand as they walked back and forth, his callously calloused fingertips restlessly kneading the inside of He Zhile’s fingers.
It was clearly the lightest of touches, yet it caused both of them to break out in a slight sweat.
After a brief moment of thought, He Zhile understood.
That woman, holding the lofty position of Empress, ought to set an example for all women under heaven. Yet because of such a trivial matter as breaking a cup, she had subjected him to excessive and harsh reprimands. Coupled with the fact that he was now married into the Pei family with a sensitive and special status, if malicious individuals were to spin a narrative out of it, they might assume the Empress was jealous and unable to tolerate the Pei family’s esteemed position.
Naturally, the Emperor would not wish for his subjects to gossip about his Empress, so he was bound to smooth the matter over as quickly as possible.
When all was said and done, the Pei family was at the zenith of its power; short of an absolute last resort, they would never be targeted or made difficult for, and could only be appeased and pacified.
Seeing that solemn and earnest look on his small face, Pei Ji felt his fingers itch and reached out to pinch his cheek. “Why bother thinking about such things? You only need to know that your husband’s family is a presence even the Emperor must treat with caution.”
He still knew enough to be discreet, lowering his voice directly beside He Zhile’s ear when he spoke these words.
After all, he had never completely dismissed his suspicions regarding the Emperor.
Startled as though frightened, He Zhile abruptly covered his ears, and the hand he threw out in defense lost control, striking Pei Ji squarely on the chin.
Not only were He Zhile and the servants of the Qing Courtyard stunned, but even Hong, who had just stepped in to announce visitors, unconsciously held her breath.
The Fourth Young Master’s arrogant and overbearing temper was notorious; he would rather be stabbed repeatedly by swords and spears on the battlefield than let anyone cause him to lose face.
“Ah!” He Zhile’s knees immediately went weak, and he sank straight to the floor, looking at Pei Ji with trembling awe, the timidity in his eyes threatening to melt into tears.
Pei Ji lowered his gaze to stare down at him. When devoid of a smile, even his strands of hair seemed to carry a cold and chilling frost.
The moment he raised his hand, the person who had been kneeling immediately curled up while shielding his head, terrified that a fraction of a second too late, slaps and fists would rain down upon him.
“You thought I was going to hit you?” Pei Ji couldn’t even manage a smile. The pain brought by this blatant display of distrust was sharper than the pain of being beheaded in his past life.
To say he didn’t yearn for the little mute to trust him would be a lie, nor had he ever imagined that a mere day or two of getting along could erase all prior injuries, but he had at least hoped for a shred of trust.
Normally he looked so obedient, but it turned out he didn’t trust him at all.
He ought to have felt angry, but instead of anger gathering, the moment he saw the timidity the other displayed, he wanted nothing more than to beg him not to be afraid.
“Fourth Young Master, Fourth Zhengjun, the imperial decree bearer has arrived at the front courtyard. Madam invites the two of you to come receive the decree.” Hong chimed in at the opportune moment, looking at Pei Ji with a trace of faint helplessness. She really ought to let the Zhengjun stand up first.
Pei Ji remained silently unresponsive, signaling for Hong and Chun Jian to help him up, while he himself turned and strode quickly toward the front courtyard. He was afraid that if he lingered any longer, the little mute would only grow more terrified.
“Zhengjun, please get up.” Hong and Chun Jian helped him to his feet, not forgetting to offer words of comfort. “Although the Fourth Young Master is overbearing, you know his true nature is not bad. He would never actually lay a hand on you.”
He Zhile furrowed his brows slightly, self-reproach flooding the depths of his eyes. He shouldn’t have made Pei Ji sad, nor should he have privately second-guessed him simply because of what the He family had done.
He needed to apologize.
In the front courtyard.
Qin Yurong was standing near the front, casually chatting with Peng Tongmin, the eunuch who had come to deliver the decree. This Eunuch Peng was a seasoned flatterer who never did things that made enemies; before any matter had a definitive conclusion, he wore a smiling face for everyone.
“The Fourth Zhengjun has arrived. We have kept Eunuch Peng waiting for a long time.” Hong stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
Thinking of Pei Ji’s gloomy expression, Peng Tongmin glanced at He Zhile’s red-rimmed eyes, then turned to look at Qin Yurong with a respectful smile. “Then this servant shall read the imperial decree.”
The contents of the decree were already known to them beforehand.
In order to appease He Zhile, who held the dual status of the Pei family’s Fourth Zhengjun and the legitimate eldest son of the He clan, the Emperor first offered verbal expressions of comfort and concern, followed by generous rewards of gold, silver, jewelry, damask, and satin.
Ultimately, these were just worldly possessions.
Yet since it was an explanation issued by the Emperor, remaining dissatisfied would only risk incurring the Emperor’s displeasure.
“Zhengjun must keep the decree safe. The Emperor is concerned about your injuries and even specially sent the finest healing ointment. Please take good care of yourself and recover well.” Peng Tongmin smiled as he motioned for the young eunuch by his side to hand over the ointment, then glanced at the Pei family members once more. “Then this servant will take his leave.”
He Zhile nodded gently, a polite and proper smile gracing his face.
Qin Yurong immediately motioned for her maidservant to send them off, and only after the guests had been completely escorted out of the estate did she turn her gaze back to He Zhile.
“Have all these items sent into your personal storehouse. The medicinal salves from the palace are bound to be the finest quality, so make good use of them.” As Qin Yurong spoke, she didn’t forget to glance sideways at Pei Ji. “I have already spoken with him. Once your injuries heal, he will take you back to your maiden home for a visit. It is proper and fitting in every way that you should go.”
He Zhile nodded awe-struck, hurriedly stretching out his thumb to bend it twice.
Qin Yurong looked slightly startled, as though she didn’t quite understand what he meant.
Pei Ji stated indifferently, “He is expressing his gratitude.”
A gentle and tender smile bloomed across Qin Yurong’s serene face. She nodded slightly toward He Zhile and offered a few words of caution before leaving.
She hadn’t been fond of He Zhile; although he was the legitimate son, his position within the He family was awkward, possessing the title of legitimate son without any real power. Furthermore, during their brief initial interactions, aside from his striking appearance, he had seemed to possess no other redeeming qualities.
Yet after interacting with him over these past few days, she realized that although he was timid and cowardly, he was also dignified, well-mannered, quiet, and sensible. For someone marrying into the Pei family, lineage was the least important factor; character was what truly mattered.
Everyone instinctively felt pity for the weaker party. Seeing how he had been bullied by Pei Ji to this extent, no matter how much she hadn’t liked him initially, compassion ultimately won out.
Qin Yurong departed, taking her personal maidservants with her, while Chun Jian led the servants of the Qing Courtyard to store the rewarded items away in the storehouse.
In the blink of an eye, only the two of them remained in the front courtyard.
Pei Ji stood rooted to the spot, lowering his gaze slightly to watch the person slowly pacing toward him. Every step he took was small and hesitant, looking utterly adorable.
“Ah.” He summoned his courage and let out a soft sound, his long, curled eyelashes trembling slightly as he stared straight at Pei Ji.
Holding his right hand with fingers closed together up to his eyebrow, he slowly brought his hand down to his chest, curled four fingers into a fist, and tapped his chest lightly twice with his pinky finger.
I am sorry.
He was apologizing.
Pei Ji let out a light snort. “What mumbo-jumbo are you gesturing about?”
He was ridiculously cute.
[I am sorry.]
He Zhile had forgotten that the other man couldn’t understand sign language, and hurriedly lifted his face, moving his mouth soundlessly.
“Ha.” Pei Ji couldn’t help laughing out loud. His sharp brows and eyes crinkled with a smile, his gaze brimming with endless amusement as he cupped He Zhile’s face in both hands and gently massaged his cheeks with his thumbs. “You really are.”
Too endearing.
Countless times he wanted to voice out a passionate exclamation. How could there be such an endearing little creature?
[Are you still angry? I am sorry.]
“I was never angry with you to begin with.” Pei Ji tightly wrapped his hand within his own palm. “I was only feeling rather vexed, but not because of you. However, this habit of dropping to your knees to apologize at every turn must change. I do not like it.”
Hearing this, He Zhile immediately nodded heavily.
He was already a person of the Pei family, and whatever the Pei family wished him to do, he would do. Only by doing so could he secure a peaceful life; he understood all of this.
Before her passing, his mother had taught him many principles, among which was submitting and playing the lower hand. At the time, he only understood the literal meaning of the words without grasping the true wisdom behind them, but after his mother passed away, he understood it completely.
And to this day, he could execute it very well.
He had never cared about verbal insults. If living meant enduring a few sneers and curses while holding a lowly position, it meant nothing at all to him.
His mother had said that staying alive was the most important thing.
Pei Ji had been pampered and indulged since childhood; even during the years he spent in the military camp starting out as a lowly private, no one had ever dared treat him poorly. Naturally, he knew nothing of submitting and playing the lower hand, but there was one thing he did understand.
That was, such disgraceful rules must have been forged through relentless torment and wearisome abuse within the He family.
“Do you need to bring anything when we go to the He family in a few days? Do you still have any belongings left at the He family? We can have them all brought back together then.” Pei Ji brought up the topic as though casually, lowering his gaze to observe his expression.
He Zhile shook his head smoothly and decisively. By the time of their wedding, all of his possessions at the He family had already been brought over into the Pei residence, even his golden Phoebe wood coffin had been put away.
Pei Ji smiled. “Then I will have to prepare plenty of fine gifts for your maiden home. They raised you with care. We must repay them properly, right?”
“Ah!” He Zhile instantly panicked, waving his hands frantically. None of those good things could be brought over!
Pei Ji smiled and nodded. “Alright, alright. For your sake, I will prepare properly.”
He Zhile: “(blank)”