The next day, just after the hour of the Snake, the Jiansia Courtyard was bustling with rare liveliness. Madam Pei, who usually only smiled when Pei Du came to visit, had been beaming from the moment she rose. Her whole person radiated vitality, like a peach blossom in full bloom.
"Let me look at you—you've grown thinner than when you were unmarried. Has that Pei fellow not been treating you well? Tell me! I'll make sure the Young Master gives him a piece of his mind, so he knows our Zhiqin isn't without someone to back her up!"
Yang Wanyue, still the Young Madam of the Hereditary House, held Madam Pei's hands. The two looked at each other, unwilling to let go.
Madam Pei's eyes grew slightly warm at the corners. She shook her head:
"It's nothing of the sort. Wanyue, don't overthink it. I just… I missed you a little."
"Don't give me that. Tell me—in this past year, how many times a month have you and that Pei fellow shared a bed?"
Madam Pei's face flushed crimson. She shot Yang Wanyue a glare that was half-embarrassed, half-annoyed:
"You—how have you become so shameless? How can you say such things, such things out loud?!"
Madam Pei covered her face with her handkerchief, biting her lip in mortified silence. Yang Wanyue waved her own handkerchief dismissively:
"Hmph, what's there to be embarrassed about? Haven't you done that thing with him? Then how did Duer come about? If you've done it, why be afraid to speak of it?
Even if you don't say it, I already know—after Duer was born, the two of you haven't performed your marital duties at all, have you? Is it that he's incapable, or has his heart wandered elsewhere?!"
Madam Pei's eyes went wide, and she couldn't get out a single complete sentence. Yang Wanyue let out a sigh:
"Zhiqin, this time when the Young Master was demoted, I begged him to bring me to Qingzhou because I was worried about you. Back when that Pei fellow came to propose, the way he looked at you was like a wolf spotting a sheep. You two were married for a year before you had Duer, but these past three years there's been no word from you at all. What's going on between you two?"
Madam Pei lowered her head, twisting her handkerchief between her fingers, just as she had done in her maiden days—harboring something in her heart that she refused to speak of.
Seeing this, Yang Wanyue, in exasperation, poked Madam Pei's forehead with a finger tipped in red lacquer:
"Ha, you've been a closed-mouth gourd since we were little. I'll be staying in Qingzhou for a while anyway, so let's see how long you can keep your secrets!
Wenxin, go prepare a courtyard for me. I'll be staying at the Pei residence for a few days. Does Madam Pei mind?"
Madam Pei lowered her handkerchief and glared at Yang Wanyue:
"Why must you tease me so!"
"Who told you to be so stubborn? If I didn't do this, how could I pry your mouth open? I'm going to stay here for a few days—do you allow it or not?"
"Stay if you want to. Who could stop you?"
"Oh?"
Yang Wanyue raised a slender eyebrow, and Madam Pei could only capitulate:
"Stay, stay! My little living ancestor!"
Wenxin rarely saw Madam Pei in such a lively mood. She couldn't help but smile behind her hand before withdrawing to make the arrangements.
The passage of years had not driven this pair of sworn sisters apart; instead, it had only deepened their bond. When Pei Du arrived at the Jiansia Courtyard with Ye Jinghe, they could hear Madam Pei's clear laughter before they even entered the gate.
Pei Du was momentarily stunned. So this was what Mother looked like when she was happy.
Ye Jinghe, however, sighed inwardly. The Madam Pei laughing so freely now would, more than a decade later, become the old crone in the book who forced her son to take concubines and produce heirs. The ways of this world… were truly unfathomable.
"Duer has grown so tall! When you were a hundred days old, your auntie held you in her arms!"
Yang Wanyue laughed and pulled Pei Du close, examining him carefully, then looked at Madam Pei:
"Mm, Duer takes after you. It's fitting, given that you walked through the gates of death to bring him into this world!"
After Pei Du had greeted everyone properly, Yang Wanyue moved to scoop him up into her arms, but the maid beside her quickly steadied Yang Wanyue's waist:
"Milady, be careful—"
Madam Pei was somewhat surprised, then immediately understood:
"You—you're with child again?!"
"Mind your tongue!"
Yang Wanyue shot a glance at her maid, then sighed:
"It's not that I meant to hide it from you. It's just that this child was only diagnosed halfway through our journey, not yet three months along. I was afraid of disturbing the Fetal Goddess."
"Then you really should be careful. Wenxin, go change the tea to something more suitable."
Madam Pei said stiffly, then after a long moment, spoke with concern:
"You and the Young Master have been married five years and already have three children. With pregnancies coming this frequently, your body…"
Yang Wanyue played with Pei Du's little hand, frowning slightly:
"What's there to be so delicate about? Besides, this one in my belly is sturdy—it'll probably be another boy. I want a sweet, soft little girl!"
Yang Wanyue said, then looked at Pei Du with a beaming smile:
"Duer is as lovely as jade and snow. If I give birth to a little sister, how about we make her your wife?"
"Ah… Mother?"
Pei Du looked to Madam Pei for help. Madam Pei could only suppress her worry:
"What nonsense are you talking? You've been wishing for a daughter so fervently—are you in that much of a hurry to betroth her?"
"That's because Duer is your son. If he weren't your son, even if he were a heavenly god descended to earth or the Star of Literature reincarnated, I wouldn't allow it!"
"You're the one with the sharp tongue. A grown daughter doesn't obey her mother—you still married the Young Master, didn't you…"
Madam Pei muttered under her breath, but Yang Wanyue ignored her. Instead, as if performing a magic trick, she pressed a Fish-shaped Concentric Love Pendant into Pei Du's hands.
"This is for Du'er. When you grow up, you can use this to come marry your little sister, alright?"
Pei Du stood frozen in place, clutching the pendant as if it were a scorching hot potato, at a complete loss for what to do.
Yang Wanyue watched Pei Du's flustered expression with great amusement.
"Take it now. Your aunt truly wishes for a daughter, but unfortunately your uncle's fate doesn't include one. If this time we really do have a girl, then it means you're destined to have a wife!"
Yang Wanyue ruffled Pei Du's head, then met Madam Pei's hesitant gaze. She said unhurriedly, "From the moment I saw Du'er walk through that door, he's only had this one young attendant by his side. The Pei family is a distinguished household with generations of heritage—what kind of decorum is this?!
Zhiqin, you've always had a gentle disposition since your maiden days, and the Peis have taken full advantage of that. If I give birth to a daughter this time, then Du'er will be the son-in-law of my Qingyang Marquis Estate. If he ever suffers any grievance and you find it inconvenient to speak up, I'll be there to defend him."
"Sister Yue…"
Madam Pei could no longer hold back. Ignoring that Pei Du was still present, she threw herself into Yang Wanyue's arms and burst into tears—crying over the injustice of having her newborn taken away; crying over the bitterness of years of her husband's coldness; and crying over the ache of her own child never being close to her. Her sobs were so heartfelt that everyone present felt their eyes sting with sympathy.
Ye Jinghe, as an outsider, pieced together the reasoning behind the Marchioness's decision based on his crammed knowledge of household intrigue and his understanding of future events.
In the original story, the fake young lady was doted upon by the Marquis of Qingyang and his wife precisely because she had endured much hardship with her parents during her childhood. It wasn't until after the old Marquis passed away and she returned to the capital with her parents that she was spoiled rotten by her three older brothers.
From this, it was clear that during the period when the Marchioness was giving birth to her daughter, the Qingyang Marquis Estate was not in the emperor's favor—in fact, they were actively disliked by His Majesty.
At this moment, the Marchioness's decision to betroth her unborn child to Pei Du served multiple purposes: first, to support her dear friend; second, to secure a favor from the future head of the Pei family in advance; and third, to provide a safety net in case the Marquis Estate should fall from grace. It was truly a move that killed several birds with one stone!
"Alright, alright, it's been nearly ten years since I last heard you call me 'sister,' and now you're crying in front of your child. Aren't you embarrassed?"
Madam Pei buried her face in the crook of Yang Wanyue's shoulder and mumbled sulkily, "Then tell Sister Yue to make him not look!"
Yang Wanyue chuckled. "Did you hear that? Your mother says you're not allowed to look. Cover your eyes!"
Pei Du obediently covered his eyes, though the gaps between his fingers were anything but small. It took quite a while for Yang Wanyue to soothe Madam Pei, but when Madam Pei turned around and met Pei Du's sparkling, knowing eyes, she couldn't help but lower her head, her cheeks flushing crimson.
What on earth was she doing!
How could she have acted so unlike a mother in front of Du'er?
Madam Pei could only force herself to appear composed as she arranged for lunch. During the meal, Pei Du ate quietly while Yang Wanyue whispered into Madam Pei's ear about things like "appetite and desire are human nature" and "consummating the marriage." Ye Jinghe caught a snippet of this and quickly shuffled his feet to stand farther away.
One should not listen to indecent matters!
And besides, who ever said the ancients were reserved? They were absolutely brazen!
Just then, Ye Jinghe felt a warmth in his palm. It turned out that Pei Du, while eating with one hand, had secretly slipped two piping-hot Ruyi Pine Nut Glutinous Rice Cakes to Ye Jinghe with the other.
"Changfeng, I'm thirsty. Go fetch some tea."
Ye Jinghe acknowledged and stepped out. He'd only managed to eat a single steamed bun that morning, and he was genuinely hungry now. He'd assumed he'd have to wait until they returned to the academy to sneak a bite, but who knew the young master would be so thoughtful!
These Ruyi Pine Nut Glutinous Rice Cakes were shaped like the auspicious ruyi symbol, made from glutinous rice, white sugar, and sesame seeds. The filling was stir-fried pine nuts and malt syrup, giving it a soft and chewy texture with the crispness of the malt candy and the fragrance of pine nuts—sweet without being cloying, crispy and delicious. And of course, the most important thing was that they were incredibly filling!
After two cakes, Ye Jinghe already felt quite full. By the time he returned with the tea, lunch had already concluded.
Yang Wanyue pulled Pei Du close for another round of affectionate cuddling before finally letting him go. After Pei Du left, Yang Wanyue turned to Madam Pei and cheerfully chatted about the latest makeup trends in the capital, even coaxing Madam Pei into letting her do her hair and apply cosmetics.
Madam Pei couldn't resist and reluctantly gave in. Yang Wanyue had been thinking of Madam Pei all along—she'd even brought clothes for her.
The latest fashion in the capital was the pomegranate skirt, a brilliant red like fire that bloomed like pomegranate blossoms with every step, dazzling and eye-catching.
Since marrying into the Pei family, Madam Pei had never favored ostentation. The only time she'd worn such a garment was on her wedding day. Yang Wanyue sat her down before the vanity mirror and personally styled her hair and applied her makeup.
It had to be said that Yang Wanyue had exceptional taste in aesthetics. For the normally cool and aloof Madam Pei, now dressed in the pomegranate skirt, she didn't opt for an elaborate, dignified hairstyle. Instead, she took a different approach and styled a languid, casual fallen-horse bun.
Her dark hair was piled into a soft cloud-like bun, tilted gently to one side, adorned with a scattering of velvet flowers. A jeweled gold comb was tucked at her temple, lending her an air of delicate beauty—the look of a wealthy, refined lady, radiant yet never vulgar.
"Wanqin, you are truly stunning!"
Madam Pei could not help but blush slightly. Seeing that it was getting late, Yang Wanyue took her leave and departed.
Madam Pei had not seen herself like this in a long time and was reluctant to remove the adornments for a while.
Just then, Pei Qinghe strode in.
"Madam, I heard that the heir's wife gave Du'er…"
Hearing his voice, Madam Pei turned around. The next moment, Pei Qinghe fell silent, unable to speak for a long while.
"My lord?"
Madam Pei looked at him in confusion. Pei Qinghe snapped back to his senses, somewhat flustered, then said with utmost sincerity:
"It's getting late. I shall stay here in your chambers tonight."
"My lord, what were you about to say earlier?"
Pei Qinghe had not stayed the night in a long while, and even when he did, they merely lay under the covers and talked. So Madam Pei thought nothing of it.
"The night is long; I shall tell you slowly, my lady."
It was only when Madam Pei lay on the bed and felt a familiar yet unfamiliar weight upon her that she groggily realized what Sister Yue'er had been scheming today.
If it worked this way… then that was fine too.
A quarter of an hour later, the extinguished candle was relit. Pei Qinghe wiped his face and sat by the edge of the bed.
Madam Pei spoke softly to comfort him:
"My lord, so it was because of this all these years… There's no need to rush. Please don't avoid seeking treatment out of shame. It will be fine—everything will be fine."