Ye Jinghe spent the entire night longing for modern pencils, fountain pens, ballpoint pens, signature pens, rollerball pens… all of them.
But in the end, he decided to bow his head.
If you can't change your environment, then you have to adapt to it!
Ye Jinghe, who had been dejected all night, was suddenly revived at full health. However, his most pressing matter was still buying a writing brush.
But did the original owner have any monthly allowance?
Ye Jinghe scratched his head. He still hadn't figured out these complicated ancient employment relationships, and An Xin was someone he couldn't ask. Ye Jinghe decided he'd find a chance to ask Ali today.
Ye Jinghe didn't wait for An Xin to cause trouble—he got up, washed up, and went to see Pei Du. The young master had just been dressed by the maidservants in a sapphire-blue jacket trimmed with grey squirrel fur, and even the two little buns on top of his head were adorned with white jade bells. He was an absolute little cutie.
Ye Jinghe restrained himself several times but couldn't help it. After the maidservant withdrew, he couldn't resist extending his wicked little hand and pinching the young master's chubby baby cheeks:
"Wow! So soft and pinchable!"
Pei Du leaned against Ye Jinghe's shoulder, whining:
"Changfeng, my arms are sore, I'm so sleepy!"
"Young Master, have you forgotten? We need to go pay respects to Madam soon. Didn't you say yesterday that the plum-blossom soup dumplings Madam makes are delicious?"
Pei Du's eyes flew open:
"That's right, I need to go to Mother's courtyard!"
Today, An Xin behaved himself for a while, carrying Pei Du properly on his back. But when they arrived at Jianjia Courtyard, they were stopped by an old maidservant at the gate:
"Madam's courtyard has just been swept clean of snow. Clean yourself off before entering."
Ye Jinghe looked down at the mud on the edges of his shoes and took a step back, instructing Pei Du:
"Young Master, please go in first. I'll wait for you in the corridor."
"You're Changfeng? Madam wants you to come in for questioning. Alright, don't dawdle—get in there!"
Ye Jinghe was pushed into Jianjia Courtyard in a daze, with An Xin's indignant voice behind him:
"That brat's shoes are dirty too—how come he gets to go in?!"
Ye Jinghe didn't hear what the old maidservant said in response. The moment he entered, Wenxin led him to a side room.
"Changfeng?"
"Wen—Wenxin Auntie, does Madam have something to instruct me about?"
Ye Jinghe swallowed nervously. He didn't know why Madam had Wenxin bring him to the side room, but all he'd done these past two days was advise the young master and show him some truths he hadn't known about. Could it be… that even that wasn't allowed?
But in that book, the reason the young master became a wastrel was because when he turned seven, his younger brother was born. The younger brother was obedient and sensible, doted on by their parents, and Madam was extremely partial to him.
The young master's heart was bitter with jealousy, and that was when he began his downward spiral. He thought that if he ruined himself, Madam would finally notice him.
But instead, all he received was Madam's disgust and displeasure. It wasn't until his younger brother fell from a horse and died at fourteen that he heard Madam wail, "Why wasn't it Du'er who died?"—and that was when he completely turned dark, opposing Madam in everything.
It was only after he married the female lead—the daughter of Madam's close friend—and went from bad to worse, that he finally opened his heart to her and revealed these old stories.
Perhaps Ye Jinghe's nervous little expression was simply too adorable, because Wenxin let out a "pfft" laugh:
"I don't eat people, so what are you afraid of, Changfeng? You're still wearing two autumn robes layered together, aren't you? These are two ready-made outfits Madam had someone buy. Try them on. And these shoes—yesterday I saw they were soaked through. You were out in the cold with the young master, weren't you? These have thicker soles and won't get wet easily."
Ye Jinghe clutched the clothes and shoes, thanking her profusely while dodging Wenxin's hands as she tried to undo his clothes. He quickly said:
"Thank you for Madam's kindness! These—these are all new clothes. I'll wash up first and then wear them…"
"You little lad, you actually know how to be shy! There's hot water here—let me give you a good scrub! Once we're back at Xingjian Courtyard, will you have time?"
Ye Jinghe's grip loosened slightly, then he immediately said:
"Then—then I'll do it myself. No need to trouble Auntie."
Wenxin smiled with her lips pressed together and went out, closing the door behind her.
Meanwhile, Madam Pei and Pei Du were sitting close together. Among the dishes was a plate of sweet-and-savory shrimp dumplings. Pei Du liked them very much and helped himself to two extra.
"Does Du'er like sweet dishes?"
Pei Du froze, then quickly set down his chopsticks and said:
"Du'er knows sweet food will rot his teeth. I won't—I won't eat them anymore. Please don't be angry, Mother!"
Madam Pei gripped her chopsticks tightly before suppressing her irritation and said gently:
"What Mother means is, since Du'er likes sweet dishes, Mother will have more of them prepared in the future."
Only then did Pei Du relax:
"Oh, so that's how it is! There are so many dishes I like, but Grandmother says one must not do whatever one pleases—I can only have one favorite dish per day… But I haven't had a dish I like in six days already."
Pei Du said in a small voice:
"Mother, could you let Changfeng order dishes for me? I'll discipline myself properly and won't make Changfeng kneel in the snow."
"Kneel in the snow? What's this about?"
Pei Du explained in a low voice, selling Ye Jinghe out completely in places where Ye Jinghe had no idea. After Madam Pei heard the whole story, she couldn't help but laugh, tilting her head toward Wenxin and chiding:
"I was just wondering who Changfeng learned this from! Now that I think about it, it's exactly like how you used to trick me into doing things I shouldn't when you were little—always scaring me!"
"Madam, you tease your servant, but you were far more of a little monkey than the young master when you were a child! If your servant hadn't used some other tricks, I fear you'd have been kneeling in the snow every day!"
"Ah, what was Mother like when she was little?"
"Well, Madam climbed trees to steal bird nests at age seven! Your servant was walking beneath the tree when a bird egg splattered all over my head and face, and Madam insisted on climbing up to raid the nest to get even for me!"
"Wow! Mother is amazing! Mother was like a female knight-errant when she was little!"
Madam Pei completely lost herself amidst Pei Du's string of exclamations, and Wenxin revealed quite a few of her old secrets.
It was only when Wenxin saw that the hour was growing late that she interrupted Pei Du's curious, childlike barrage of questions:
"Young Master, do have a bit more to eat—mind you don't go hungry in class. We can't delay any longer today, or you'll be late for your lessons. If you wish to hear more, come here on your next day off, and your servant will tell you all about it!"
"You wench! Using me to amuse Pei Du!"
"Your servant thinks Madam is rather enjoying it too!"
Madam Pei merely cast a smiling, sidelong glance at Wenxin, and at that moment, Ye Jinghe finally emerged hesitantly from the side room.
Though it had only been a wash, both buckets of water Wenxin had prepared had already turned murky gray from his scrubbing, and Ye Jinghe felt a twinge of embarrassment.
"Is that Changfeng?"
Madam Pei's sharp eyes spotted the small shadow outside the door. When she called out, Ye Jinghe could only steel himself and walk in, offering a bow to Madam Pei:
"Changfeng greets Madam!"
"Mm, raise your head."
Ye Jinghe found himself locking eyes with Madam Pei—this was the first time he had properly seen her features.
Unlike the vicious, deranged, and ferocious Madam Pei described in that book, this Madam Pei was still young. Her hair was piled high like clouds, adorned with a full set of kingfisher-feather and coral hair ornaments, and her apricot-shaped eyes held a watery gleam. Even with a faint trace of melancholy knitted between her brows, one could not help but call her a beauty rarely found in this world.
"Madam, this silly boy is staring in a daze!"
Wenxin's teasing voice came, and Ye Jinghe lowered his head in embarrassment, his face flushing crimson. Madam Pei's beauty was the kind that was dignified and stately, the sort that brought peace to the realm—it inspired no impure thoughts, yet one could not help but lose oneself in it.
Madam Pei laughed along, but as she laughed, she pressed the back of her hand to her cheek, and a flicker of loss passed through her eyes.
Even with her striking looks, enough to captivate even a seven-year-old child, she still could not keep her husband's heart.
But at least—at least now her child was willing to grow close to her.
"I never noticed before, but Changfeng has excellent bone structure. If only you had a bit more flesh on your face, it would be perfect."
"Th-thank you for your praise, Madam…"
Ye Jinghe was so nervous he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet. Madam Pei then beckoned:
"Changfeng, come here."
Madam Pei took Changfeng's hand, then Pei Du's, and placed them together:
"When I was young, I was blessed with such a loyal servant as Wenxin, and we were like sisters born of the same womb. Today, when Du'er told me of the two of you, it sounded no different from how we were back then.
Du'er now lives alone in his courtyard, and his temperament is a bit slow. If anything is amiss, Changfeng, you must not keep it to yourself."
"Yes, rest assured, Madam!"
Ye Jinghe acknowledged, but inwardly he knew that Madam Pei had likely caught wind that something was off with the people around the young master, and was now playing on sentiment with him.
People in these great mansions always spoke in such a roundabout way—they never stated their intentions outright, but twisted and turned their words, leaving you to guess and figure it out yourself.
Given how Wenxin had rapped An Xin's knuckles yesterday, it was clear that Madam had eyes and ears in Xingjian Courtyard.
Yet today, Madam was speaking to him like this—it was an indirect way of encouraging him to help draw mother and son closer in front of the young master.
If he actually lodged a complaint against An Xin right now, that would be the truly foolish move!
Sure enough, when Madam Pei saw that Ye Jinghe had simply given a clean acknowledgment without using this opportunity to step on An Xin or do anything of the sort, a glimmer of satisfaction passed through her eyes.
"I hear that yesterday, your Second Uncle rewarded you with a thumb ring for your loyalty to Du'er. Then I, as his mother, cannot be stingy either."
With that, Madam Pei had Wenxin fetch a small embroidered pouch and hand it to Ye Jinghe:
"When you entered the Pei household, you signed a twenty-year service contract. According to the terms, you wouldn't receive a monthly stipend until you turned sixteen. Today, I'll make an exception—your monthly stipend will begin this month, one qian of silver per month, paid from my dowry."
Hearing this, Ye Jinghe was completely stunned. Madam Pei had given him clothes and shoes today, and now a monthly stipend—she was practically raising a personal retainer!
Beside him, Pei Du was also taken aback, then said:
"So Changfeng has never had money to spend all this time? Changfeng, hurry and accept it—Mother has given it to you! From now on, when we go out to play, you can buy candied hawthorn skewers too!"
Ye Jinghe shot Pei Du a complicated look, then accepted the monthly stipend from Madam Pei's hands:
"Thank you, Madam. From now on, Madam, just watch how I perform!"
As expected of the male lead—what a lucky fellow!
However, Ye Jinghe couldn't possibly be as blindly loyal and obedient to him as Changfeng was in the story.
Ye Jinghe smiled at Pei Du, revealing a row of little white teeth:
"Young Master, from now on, I will definitely treat you very, very well!"