Shen Qingyin didn't know why her mother-in-law was acting this way, yet the moment Liang Wanyou spoke, she obediently lifted her skirts and knelt down without hesitation.
Sensing a sharp gaze falling upon her from above, Shen Qingyin raised her head and met Liang Wanyou's face—well-maintained, yet naturally commanding in presence.
Though the woman's slightly furrowed brows revealed neither pleasure nor anger, she carried an air of authority without needing to rage. A single look from her made Shen Qingyin's chest tighten, her eyes churning with barely concealed disgust and fury.
The daughter-in-law before her, even while kneeling, kept her back ramrod straight, without a trace of fear on her face.
And yet she possessed a peerlessly beautiful countenance—fox-like eyes tilting slightly upward, an alluring charm impossible to hide in her brows and gaze. That bewitching, seductive appearance bore not the slightest resemblance to a proper principal wife.
It was precisely this face, reeking of a courtesan's allure.
The face that had led her promising son Pei Yu to make an enormous fool of himself at the Qionglin Banquet three years ago.
The face that had led her cold and self-possessed son, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, to become obsessed with carnal pleasures—even returning home so late last night and still engaging in the act.
Liang Wanyou's gaze grew colder still, the oppressive atmosphere around her terrifying.
Shen Qingyin lowered her eyes and bent her knees, her voice calm and steady: "Your daughter-in-law does not know where she has transgressed. I beg Mother to make it clear."
Hearing this, Liang Wanyou suddenly let out a low, cold laugh and said mockingly, "And you still have the nerve to ask? Last night your father-in-law and your husband returned from investigating a case in Jiangnan, travel-worn and weary, only arriving home deep in the night. Yet you—a daughter-in-law, a wife—did not come out to greet them!"
"If word of this gets out, won't the reputation our Pei family has built over a century as a Zanying noble clan that passes down rites and etiquette be ruined by you completely!"
Not greeting her elders was one thing—but she had also been shameless enough to entice her exhausted husband, fresh home from his journey, into the deeds of the bedchamber, with such fervor that the bed boards had actually broken—
Of course, Liang Wanyou hadn't the face to say that last part aloud.
Madam Wei, who had long been waiting to watch the drama unfold, covered her lips and chuckled softly upon seeing Liang Wanyou make her move, then spoke at leisure:
"If you ask me, Eldest Sister-in-law really did handle this poorly. You should know that last night, after Eldest Brother returned to the capital, he was summoned to the palace for an audience with His Majesty. It is exceedingly rare for someone so young as Eldest Brother to earn such favor and trust from the Emperor… Who would have thought that someone so illustrious would return home without a single person there to greet him."
Last night, when Pei Duan had returned to the Pei residence first, it was already late. Seeing that her son Pei Yu had not returned with him, Liang Wanyou had panicked, fearing something had gone wrong while he was investigating his case, and had nearly fainted.
It was only after Pei Duan told her not to make a fuss, explaining that Pei Yu had been summoned unexpectedly by the Emperor to discuss the follow-up matters of the Jiangnan case, that she had finally managed to calm herself.
She had never imagined Madam Wei had overheard those words.
Madam Zhang hurriedly spoke up to smooth things over: "Second Sister-in-law, that's not right. Last night our entire Pei household went out to greet the Head of the Family and Eldest Brother. How can you say no one was there to welcome them?"
Instead of restraining herself, Madam Wei grew only bolder, raising her voice: "You know full well our whole family went out to greet them—so why was Eldest Sister-in-law the only one missing?"
"Come to think of it, those of us in the second and third branches aren't even as close to the Head of the Family and Eldest Brother as Eldest Sister-in-law is. If even she wouldn't show her face, isn't that a bit too unreasonable… Third Aunt, don't you agree?"
Madam Wei and Madam Zhang were both daughters-in-law of the second branch. Their parents-in-law were away on business all year round, while the third branch was stationed at the military camp and rarely returned home.
Madam Wei, however, was the sort who loved excitement, so she began following Shen Qingyin's example, coming to pay respects to Liang Wanyou rain or shine—which forced Madam Zhang to come along as well.
And she didn't just pay respects; she loved to stir the pot.
Zhuling, kneeling on the ground beside Shen Qingyin, felt a surge of anger rush straight to her head upon hearing Madam Wei's words, and couldn't help shooting her a furious sideways glare.
Madam Wei paid her glare no mind at all, only lazily raising a hand to admire her freshly lacquered Koudan nails.
The night before, seeing Liang Wanyou's poor expression, she had guessed that Shen Qingyin would inevitably receive a scolding today. So Madam Wei had deliberately dressed in a begonia-red silk gown embroidered with peony sprays, her hair adorned with pearls and jade, her outfit as gaudy as could be.
After all, if you're going to watch a show, you ought to dress for the occasion.
Shen Qingyin looked up at Liang Wanyou in the seat of honor, her expression still calm, and said, word by word, "To reply to Mother, yesterday Tang-jie'er fell into the water and caught a chill; her fever would not break. When your messenger came to summon me, your daughter-in-law was brewing the fever-reducing medicine for Tang-jie'er and truly could not leave her side."
"You still dare make excuses." Liang Wanyou cut her off coldly.
She picked up the teacup at her hand and took a light sip, looking down at Shen Qingyin kneeling on the ground.
"Trivial tasks like brewing and administering medicine—you need only hand them to the servants and old women. You are the principal lady of the Pei family's eldest branch, a person of noble standing. Why should you do such menial work yourself? At bottom, it's because General Shen is but a military man who doesn't understand the ways of distinguished families, and so the daughter he raised is just as ignorant of proper decorum."
Shen Qingyin's fingertips, hanging at her side, curled slightly.
Liang Wanyou took in this subtle movement of her daughter-in-law, and knowing she had struck a nerve, the pent-up frustration in her heart dissipated by more than half, her expression softening somewhat.
She sighed. "You're always so unable to distinguish what matters. How can I feel at ease handing you the authority to manage the household? Think it over carefully yourself—is that not the truth of it?"
Shen Qingyin lowered her eyes, concealing that faint trace of bitterness, and regained her composed demeanor, answering softly, "Mother is right. Your daughter-in-law will remember your teachings."
Liang Wanyou was about to lecture Shen Qingyin further when, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a tall, slender figure walking slowly toward her Xueqing Pavilion at the far end of the courtyard.
In moments, the figure strode briskly into the front hall.
Pei Yu wore a crimson court attire trimmed with gold. The crisp brocade set off his broad shoulders and narrow waist, his posture as upright as a pine. His dark hair was bound with a jade crown, his features handsome and cold, an otherworldly figure like an immortal exiled beneath the moon.
The moment he entered, his natural aura of authority silenced the chattering women in the room, and they all instinctively straightened up in their seats.
Madam Wei likewise reined in her earlier abandon, her gaze involuntarily fixing on Pei Yu.
Heaven was truly unfair. Her own Pei Zhan wasn't ugly, but compared to his eldest brother, the difference was like that between immortal and mortal. Even after all these years of seeing him, she was still struck by him every single time.
In an instant, Madam Wei's gaze toward Shen Qingyin grew even colder.
Shen Qingyin remained kneeling where she was, sensing a shadow slowly falling over her from her side.
The moment Liang Wanyou saw the newcomer, her earlier anger vanished. She hurried to her feet and walked quickly to Pei Yu, reaching out to gently grasp her son's wrist, her tone softening:
"My son, what brings you here to your mother's at this hour?"
As usual, Pei Yu ought to have been heading to morning court at this hour.
Pei Yu gave Liang Wanyou a slight nod. "Your son came specially to pay his respects to Mother. He will now proceed to the palace for court."
With that, he bowed slightly and said with proper deference, "Your son takes his leave."
Throughout, he never once glanced at Shen Qingyin kneeling on the ground.
Liang Wanyou watched her son's tall figure walk away. Having been interrupted mid-tirade, she lost the mood to continue.
She waved her hand. "Enough, enough. Shen-shi, I shall let you off this once. There's no need for you to return to Yuebai Courtyard this morning. Go of your own accord to the family shrine and copy out the Instructions for Women for two hours, and reflect properly on your failings in decorum!"
Shen Qingyin said, "But Mother, I still must go collect the accounts."
Collect the accounts…
Liang Wanyou mentally counted—the seventh of the eighth month was indeed the day the eldest branch's shops submitted their account books.
But if this woman went unpunished, her resentment would not be eased. Liang Wanyou paused, then snapped angrily, "The shops haven't grown legs! Can't you use that head of yours and go tomorrow instead?!"
Shen Qingyin lowered her head. "Your daughter-in-law obeys."
At this, Zhuling hurriedly rose and helped her mistress slowly to a seat. Shen Qingyin's knees ached from kneeling, and after being tossed about so thoroughly the night before, she nearly buckled and fell to her knees several times.
Once the greetings banquet dispersed and the ladies rose to leave one after another, Madam Wei came tripping over with light steps, smiling, to Shen Qingyin's side and gave her an affectionate little nudge with her elbow.
"Sister-in-law, copying books is one thing, but don't you dare forget our Jun-ge'er's first-birthday grabbing ceremony this afternoon~"
Shen Qingyin lifted her eyes coolly. "Of course I won't forget."
Having gotten her answer, Madam Wei flitted away like a gorgeous butterfly darting among flowers, gathering up her skirts as she went.
Madam Zhang gazed at Shen Qingyin with concern. Sensing her gaze, Shen Qingyin turned her head and gave her a gentle curve of the lips.
Madam Zhang froze.
In the two-plus years since she had married into the Pei household, she had grown used to her sister-in-law's unflappable demeanor—but this was the first time she had ever seen her sister-in-law smile, and it dazzled her so she couldn't look away.
Such a lovely smile—why doesn't she smile more often? Madam Zhang wondered.
As noon approached, a long yellow whip cracked through the sky, sharp reports echoing from outside Chongde Hall.
The civil and military officials filed out of court. Pei Yu, in crimson court attire, tall and straight-backed, walked slowly down the white jade steps.
A figure hurried after him. Zhao Shuo threw an arm familiarly around his shoulders and teased, "Our Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review indeed! His Majesty praised you so lavishly before the entire court, and yet Brother Pei remains so calm and unbothered. If it were me, I'd have to throw three days and nights of endless banquet feasts at home to celebrate properly!"
Pei Yu wordlessly pushed Zhao Shuo's hand from his shoulder.
"You'd dare throw three days of feasts?"
Hu Yuanming stuffed his Hu tablet into his belt, strode up, and scratched his neck carelessly.
"The way I see it, the moment your morning banquet opens, Censor Zhang of the Office of Scrutiny's impeachment memorial would reach the imperial study by noon, and by afternoon you'd be packing up your things and heading into exile in Lingnan with your old mother!"
Zhao Shuo spat violently, glaring at Hu Yuanming with disgust.
"How can you military men speak so crudely! You're cursing me!"
"Didn't you say it yourself?"
Pei Yu, caught between the two of them, listened as they bickered and sniped back and forth. A faint trace of helplessness crossed his face, and after giving his head a light shake, he strode quickly ahead.
Hu Yuanming, seeing him about to leave, could no longer be bothered to quarrel with Zhao Shuo. He hurried after him in big strides, calling out, "Brother Pei! Brother Pei, I still have proper business to discuss with you!"
Pei Yu, as if he hadn't heard, kept walking.
Hu Yuanming caught up. "Brother Pei, I intend to host a banquet at Changle Ward at noon today. Would you do me the honor of joining me for a little gathering?"
Zhao Shuo, whose stamina couldn't match the other two's, only managed to catch up after much effort, panting heavily. He grabbed Hu Yuanming's sleeve and said resentfully:
"You invite Ziyán—why don't you invite me? I'm coming too!"
Hu Yuanming shook off his hand, saying with disdain, "My bond with Brother Pei was forged through shared hardship investigating the case in Jiangnan. You're merely an old friend of his in the capital—if it weren't for Brother Pei, who would even know you! And you have the nerve to freeload at my drinking party?"
"No way!" Zhao Shuo clutched Hu Yuanming's sleeve tightly again.
"Ziyán and I are inseparable—what gives you the right to have him all to yourself!"
Pei Yu, hearing the two resume their squabbling behind him, felt his temples throb slightly, and quickened his pace toward the carriage.
Hu Yuanming grew anxious at the sight, shook off Zhao Shuo once more, and hurried after Pei Yu, saying in a low voice, "Brother Pei, do please grace us with your presence! I went to great lengths on your account to book Lady Lin's entire performance at noon today!"
"Do you know how difficult it is to secure the top courtesan of Changle Ward? Ordinary guests couldn't summon her with a thousand gold pieces, but the moment she heard it was you, she agreed without hesitation. Even if you won't do it for my sake, surely you'll do it for Lady Lin's?"
Lady Lin.
At those words, Pei Yu's steady steps came to an abrupt halt.
Beside the Pei household carriage, two palace attendants waited quietly.
A palace maid in a blue-green court dress had waited left and right without any sign of Pei Yu. She looked down at the exquisite gold-painted food box in her hands and let out a long sigh.
After another moment, she finally spoke helplessly to the young eunuch behind her. "Go back and report to Her Highness the Princess. Tell her I waited here a long time and never saw Lord Pei."
At the mere thought of the Princess's wrath, the young eunuch's legs went weak. He asked timidly, "Auntie, if I report like that… surely Her Highness won't… won't take her anger out on me, will she?"
The maid lifted her eyes toward the flying eaves of the imperial city in the distance, her tone calm. "What is there to fear? The Mid-Autumn banquet is coming soon—His Majesty will personally host all the civil and military officials. Surely Her Highness will get her chance to see Lord Pei then."
The young eunuch finally relaxed, and not daring to linger, grabbed the food box and scurried off until he vanished from sight.
Meanwhile, in Yuebai Courtyard, the daylight had already passed its noon peak.
Shen Qingyin had spent two full hours copying out Instructions for Women. When she walked slowly back into the outer room of Yuebai Courtyard, she found a table of vegetarian dishes neatly arranged, not a single bite taken.
She frowned slightly, a hint of surprise rising in her heart.
On ordinary days, if Pei Yu returned home for the midday meal, she would be busy feeding Tang-jie'er, and he never waited for her—he would eat his fill on his own and head to the study to attend to official business, so by the time she sat down at the table, the food had always already been touched by him.
She had assumed today would be the same.
Could it be that Pei Yu had come back, seen a whole table of vegetarian food with no appetite for it, and gone to eat elsewhere?
But that was for Tang-jie'er's sake…
As she was pondering this, Nanny Qing stepped forward with lowered eyes. "Madam, Nan Feng just returned with a message. He said… he said the Young Master will not be returning to the residence for lunch today."
"Then where did Daddy go?"
A soft, childish voice suddenly rang out. Tang-jie'er came toddling out from the inner chamber, led by the hand by Zhuling, her big eyes full of curiosity, her little face still bearing the pallor of her recent illness.
Nanny Qing glanced up at Shen Qingyin, her lips moving, but she hesitated to speak.
Shen Qingyin took her seat and settled her daughter on her lap. Zhuling brought over a small bowl and coaxed Tang-jie'er into eating, and the little girl giggled at the coaxing.
Only when she saw that her daughter's attention was elsewhere did Shen Qingyin turn her head, looking at Nanny Qing with a calm expression.
"Speak freely."
Nanny Qing bowed her head deeply, her back slightly hunched, almost burying her face toward the floor. After a long pause, she finally forced out three words—
"Changle Ward."