Pei Nai sucked in a breath of cold air, feeling that the person in front of her was testing her. “How old were you when she passed away? How clearly could you remember things back then?”
“Since childhood, Tang Mingzhi lived secluded in the inner chambers. She always spoke softly, even feared hot tea, sipping it gently like any proper noble lady. Rarely would droplets remain on her lips, and even if they did, she would wipe them clean with a handkerchief. Only Madam Yingwu—because she practiced martial arts year-round—would have dust on her hands after holding a spear. She would simply wipe the corner of her mouth with the clean inner side of her little finger. Even if she hadn’t touched a spear beforehand, this habit never changed. Besides…” He paused. “You’ve even forgotten my ability to remember things. Is there still any need for you to keep pretending?”
Pei Nai tested him, “Your… memory is that strong?”
“On the sixteenth day of the Gaoyue month, in the twentieth year of Zhengkang, when we first met, you wore a kesi silk robe embroidered with gold and silver ruyi cloud patterns. You had red jade drop earrings. The first thing you said was: ‘Juyan, your son doesn’t look very intelligent.’”
Pei Nai was astonished. “You can even remember that?”
Ju Liancheng nodded. “Madam Pei—”
Pei Nai quickly gestured for silence, glancing toward the doors and windows to ensure no one was listening.
“Shh. I don’t want to cause trouble. For the sake of me taking care of you when you were little, help me keep this a secret?”
Ju Liancheng paused, then said coldly, “I remember that when I was young and ignorant, you once styled my hair into a girl’s bun.”
Pei Nai felt a bit embarrassed and forced a smile. “I just dressed you up as a little girl once. You’re not still holding a grudge over that, are you?”
“I cannot forget anything. Whether good or bad.”
Pei Nai let out an “ah,” then explained, “I never had children of my own. Gu Jinheng’s retainers were either unmarried or only had sons. I’d never braided a little girl’s hair, so I just wanted to try it. Xiao Yi matured early and wouldn’t let me touch him, so I had no choice but to try it on you. And I didn’t let anyone see you dressed like that. I’ll apologize—don’t be angry.”
Ju Liancheng stopped there. “Why are you in Tang Mingzhi’s body? Do you still have unfinished business in the mortal world? Is this…” Even he seemed unsure. “A soul returning through another’s corpse?”
Pei Nai looked blank. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how I died. I just opened my eyes and was in her body. I asked Senior Zhongchuan, but didn’t get a clear answer.”
“How could this happen…” Ju Liancheng muttered, sinking into deep confusion.
Pei Nai waved a hand in front of him. “By the way, do you know how I died in my previous life?”
“Madam Yingwu Pei Nai fell in the Battle of the Cliff Valley. Ten years ago, you led troops against the enemy, bringing the Northern Pursuit Spear back into the world. You became legendary in a single battle. But to reduce casualties, you ultimately chose to perish together with the enemy general, Tuoba Huo, sacrificing yourself for the nation.”
“One of the Upper Three Mountains… Tuoba Huo of the Western Cold Blade…” Pei Nai murmured, then quietly added, “Was I really that amazing?”
Ju Liancheng’s lips twitched slightly, his face stiff. “What do you plan to do next? Do you need us to inform those two?”
Pei Nai understood that “those two” referred to Xiao Yi and Gu Jinheng, but she shook her head. “If I’ve been brought back, there must be a reason. I need to investigate it privately first.”
Ju Liancheng fell silent again.
Recalling their earlier conversation and what she knew of Madam Ju, Pei Nai found it increasingly unbelievable. “Your mother suffers from memory loss—forgetting as quickly as she remembers. Yet you can recall even trivial details from over a decade ago?”
Ju Liancheng looked at her and nodded indifferently.
It was the first time Pei Nai had met someone so peculiar. Curiosity burning, she pressed on despite his cold demeanor. “Aside from our first meeting, do you remember everything else just as clearly?”
Ju Liancheng looked helpless. He clearly didn’t want to explain further, but perhaps remembering her identity—and fearing she might report his father someday—he reluctantly spoke.
“No matter how big or small, everything I’ve experienced cannot be forgotten. It’s like a series of connected paintings, storing sounds and scents. Whenever I wish to see them, they appear before my eyes.”
Pei Nai’s eyes widened. “Doesn’t that mean… you could master martial arts perfectly just by learning once? A once-in-a-generation genius, little Liancheng!”
“….” Ju Liancheng’s face turned slightly green. “You flatter me. I only have a good memory, not talent in martial arts.”
His expression practically spelled out his thoughts in bold: Don’t get any ideas about me.
At that moment, Madam Ju pushed the door open and entered.
Seeing them, she smiled kindly. “Liancheng came to visit his sister? That’s more like it. As the elder brother, you should take better care of her.”
Ju Liancheng glanced at Pei Nai, stood, and cupped his hands. “Mother and Mingzhi may talk. I still have matters to attend to, so I won’t disturb you further.”
“Ah, why leave so soon?” Madam Ju watched him go, then sighed to Pei Nai. “Your brother is just like that. With that memory of his, he accumulates too many unpleasant emotions. His temper is a bit strange—please be more understanding.”
Pei Nai nodded. “I think he’s fine. Talented people often have strange tempers. It’s normal.”
“Strange temper? Who are you talking about?”
Pei Nai: “…”
Her emotions were complicated. She almost wanted to sigh to someone: Madam Ju forgets things far too quickly.
…
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, like drifting clouds and idle cranes.
That morning, after returning from practicing martial arts in a small forest outside the northern city gate, Pei Nai hid the black iron spear she had bought from a blacksmith and noticed the maids tidying the room.
Having nothing better to do, she joined them.
By chance, she caught sight of a book—Admonitions for Women. The bold, iron-like characters pierced her eyes, dragging forth memories from the depths of time.
Not long after her marriage to Gu Jinheng, the former Marchioness of Duanding had summoned her, intending to assert authority. Using a woman’s virtues as an excuse, she reprimanded Pei Nai harshly—calling her arrogant, unruly, lacking decorum, and a disgrace to the Gu family.
After scolding her, she had someone fetch a copy of Admonitions for Women, ordering Pei Nai to memorize it line by line. If she could not follow proper conduct, she was unfit to be a woman of the Duanding Marquis household and might as well be divorced to avoid bringing shame.
Pei Nai had been furious. Who was she trying to scare? The marriage had been decreed by the emperor. She wasn’t even Gu Jinheng’s birth mother—how could she just order a divorce?
She had nearly thrown the book at the woman’s face. Only for Gu Jinheng’s sake did she restrain herself, merely slamming the door as she left.
That alone enraged the former Marchioness so much that she swept everything off the table, shattering it on the ground.
Ignoring all dignity, she pointed in the direction Pei Nai had gone and shouted, “No respect for elders! Is this the upbringing of the Pei family?! I should send someone to ask Guo Min and your mother—did they raise you like this?! The Pei family’s only bloodline, and this is what you’ve become! No sense of propriety or hierarchy—not even respecting me, the Marchioness of Duanding! Do you still think you’re the lofty descendant of the Pei family?!”
In Pei Nai’s view, slamming the door might have been rude, but not resorting to violence was already giving the household considerable face.
However, her actions disrupted Gu Jinheng’s plans.
When he returned that night, his face was displeased. Using sign language, he questioned her, “She is our mother in name. Didn’t I tell you? The time is not yet right. We still need to maintain appearances. Why did you provoke her?”