Pei Nai could no longer sit still. She stood up and said, “It’s not that I deliberately offended her. She was clearly picking a fight on purpose. She knows my temperament—she knows I despise all those worldly rules imposed on women—yet she still made me memorize Admonitions for Women.”
Gu Jinheng’s brows furrowed even tighter. He gestured, “But proper unmarried women are all well-versed in Admonitions for Women. Reading it is not a bad thing.”
“So you mean it’s my fault?” Pei Nai sneered at the time.
…Gu Jinheng no longer wished to argue. He flicked his sleeve and turned away.
That night was the first time they slept in separate rooms—and in the years since their marriage, aside from times of separation, it was the only time.
In matters of the heart, the one who yields first is always the one who has loved more deeply. Before Gu Jinheng, her pride had always been something unpresentable, something that could not see the light.
The next day, in the end, Pei Nai could not hold back. “Don’t be angry anymore. I’ve started reading Admonitions for Women. If it really won’t do, I can even apologize to her.”
She rarely lowered herself like that—only to make him happy.
Though she knew clearly that Admonitions for Women imposed layer upon layer of constraints on women, she still endured reading it for Gu Jinheng, hoping only that he might like her a little more.
At that time in the Duanding Marquis Residence, she gradually reined in her wild, unrestrained nature, little by little showing others her gentle side.
Days passed.
On the eve of the struggle for the title, the former Marchioness of Duanding passed away from illness.
But Pei Nai knew that was only the official claim. In truth, she had been caught committing adultery, with irrefutable evidence.
The former Duke of Duanding was furious and secretly had her drowned.
The former Marchioness upheld the teachings of Admonitions for Women, yet in the end, she died tragically—indirectly because of the very ideology that had shaped generations.
As for whether the accusation was true, Pei Nai did not know.
But whenever she thought of it, she would unconsciously glance at Gu Jinheng. After the incident with Admonitions for Women, he had once told her he would give her an answer.
And now, she finally understood what that answer had been.
Yet she did not wish to dwell on it. Among noble families, schemes and shifting tides were endless. Countless people were crushed beneath power—what meaning was there in right or wrong?
Moreover, the former Marchioness herself had caused many unjust deaths. She was no good person. Everything was merely karma.
In truth, Gu Jinheng had treated her fairly well. At least after the struggle for the title, she had never suffered again.
With the elders gone, he no longer bothered to restrain her. In the Duanding Marquis Residence, Pei Nai was like a bird returning to the open sky—free and unbound, casting aside all rules and restrictions.
Gu Jinheng never took a concubine, and she lived at ease.
While schemes brewed endlessly in the court, for Pei Nai at that time, the Duanding Marquis Residence was like a hidden utopia—an untouched sanctuary amid worldly chaos.
Thinking of it now, she missed those people deeply.
She wondered whether Gu Jinheng and Xiao Yi were well.
Over the past two weeks, she had asked others to search through many ancient records, yet found nothing about the “Hun Tree Fragment.” Her rebirth remained a mystery.
However, cases of officials being assassinated had been occurring one after another—highly suspicious at such a critical time.
In recent days, Pei Nai had been wandering the streets, intentionally or not gathering information. After helping the maids tidy up the house, she prepared herself and went out again.
…
The sun shone brightly. The streets bustled with people and traffic.
Passing by a fan shop, Pei Nai bought a folding wooden fan. Painted upon it was a bamboo scene in ink—fluid strokes, graceful composition, leaves both clustered and scattered, elegant and refined.
Holding it in her hand, she felt like a graceful young nobleman. She could not put it down, admiring it even as she left the shop.
Nearby, a shop attendant stopped a passerby, calling out, “Sir, would you like to come in and take a look? The performance is about to begin again—one tael per person. Mingyue Tower has something special today. Lady Xuanwu herself will be performing. Seats are limited!”
Mingyue Tower was a theater south of Chaoyang. Anyone, regardless of age or gender, could enjoy performances there—though tickets were expensive, so ordinary families only indulged occasionally.
Their conversation was loud. Pei Nai glanced up briefly, then lowered her head to continue playing with her fan.
“Lady Xuanwu? You mean the one by that Duke’s side?” the passerby, a burly man, asked with reverence, clasping his fists toward the direction of the palace.
“That’s right,” the attendant replied.
Before he could continue, a thinner young man nearby leaned in. “Which Duke are you talking about?”
The burly man looked at him disdainfully. “Who else could hold that position? Naturally, the one whose name people dare not speak.”
The young man suddenly understood and lowered his voice cautiously. “The Duke of Duanding?”
The attendant nodded.
These words reached Pei Nai’s ears. The three words “Duke of Duanding” rang like a great bell, echoing in her mind.
She looked up.
Gu Jinheng’s wife?! …What is going on?!
This was the side entrance of Mingyue Tower. The three large characters on the plaque were bold and powerful.
Pei Nai walked over, tossed a silver ingot to the attendant, and said, “Take me inside. Tell me about her.”
The attendant, surprised to have gained a customer—especially a female one—quickly pocketed the silver and led her in, speaking excitedly:
“Of course! Lady Xuanwu used to be one of the most famous courtesans of Fengqi Tower, which is affiliated with Mingyue Tower. She excelled in music. Later, she caught the Duke of Duanding’s favor. He redeemed her and gave her freedom. After that, she left her old profession. The Duke even bought Mingyue Tower, renovated it, and handed it over to her. And now, on the third anniversary of its reopening, Lady Xuanwu will personally perform Autumn Waters Treading the Moon. Just think—she usually performs for nobles like the Duke himself, but now she’s gracing this stage. Anyone with a ticket can witness what those high-ranking elites enjoy. You’re truly in for a treat!”
Fengqi Tower—she knew of it well. It was the largest brothel in Chaoyang, with a long history.
Just a courtesan… yet Gu Jinheng had given her an entire Mingyue Tower.
Was it to please her?
A bitter feeling rose in Pei Nai’s heart.
It had always been her trying to please Gu Jinheng, caring for him, loving him deeply—yet he had never shown her such affection.
Had he fallen for another woman?
The thought left a sour ache in her chest.
A woman who could make Gu Jinheng go to such lengths… she was truly curious about her.