After saying this, Aunt Pei deliberately acted as if she were about to burst into tears. This made Old Madame Wang struggle to keep a straight face; the corners of her mouth twitched as she stood on the verge of breaking character. Seeing the fun, Jiang Shiyuan quickly chimed in.
“Grandmother, you must hold firm! This is the perfect time to establish some discipline. If you laugh now, won’t Aunt nag us every day about how wonderful Hanzhou is?”
The room erupted into a roar of laughter.
Aunt Pei, not one to be outdone, immediately shot back, “You heartless little girl! Have you forgotten how your aunt has doted on you? You dare instigate your grandmother to discipline me? I see how it is—I’ll just have to pick a husband for you from Hanzhou. Only when you’ve married over there and seen it for yourself will you know I haven’t been exaggerating!”
Aunt Pei was so swept up in the joy of the moment that she let the suggestion slip without much thought.
A husband from Hanzhou—wasn’t there one standing right before them?
The third cousin, Wang Hong, had grown up following Pei Zisu around. Since joining the army in Hanzhou a few years ago, his admiration had only grown. Being a bold and impulsive soul in the military, he spoke without thinking, pointing at the man beside him with a grin.
“Mother is right! Why give away a good thing to outsiders when a husband from Hanzhou is right here? Cousin Zisu spends every day training troops; he’s just missing a caring wife to keep him in line.”
As soon as he spoke, the room fell into a sudden, heavy silence.
Jiang Shiyuan felt the profound embarrassment of someone who had been watching a show, only to realize she had become the main attraction. She had only met this Cousin Pei a handful of times; they were mere acquaintances at best. With Wang Hong’s teasing, she felt like she wouldn’t want to show her face at any gathering where Pei Zisu was present for a long time.
Aunt Pei’s gaze shifted between the two of them. She was about to say something when her daughter-in-law, Madame Xiang, stopped her. Madame Xiang subtly placed a serving of braised seafood—a favorite of Aunt Pei—into her bowl and smoothly interjected.
“Third Brother, you don’t understand. Mother is just joking. Shiyuan is still young; there’s no rush. Since this is a family feast to welcome Cousin Zisu, the attention should be on him. The large bowls have been served, but the wine isn’t full yet. Second and Third Brother, why aren’t you hosting?”
As the eldest sister-in-law, her word carried weight. However, the eldest brother, Wang Su, had just been annoyed about them trying to make Pei Zisu drink. Now that the sister-in-law had spoken, the younger brothers weren’t sure whose lead to follow.
“Fill them up,” Wang Su commanded, his words as sparse as gold.
This delighted Second Cousin Wang Kuan. Sensing the awkwardness in the air, he threw an arm around Pei Zisu’s shoulders like a close comrade, ready to go bowl-for-bowl. The sight of them being so boisterous made the tension evaporate into laughter, and the topic was successfully changed.
Jiang Shiyuan shot a grateful look at her cousin-in-law, Madame Xiang. She raised her own wine cup toward her and drained it in one go—an unspoken gesture of thanks.
The Marquis of Wenyuan didn’t dwell on much; seeing everyone drinking happily, he laughed along. In contrast, Jiang Huaishan gave his daughter a hesitant look. Only when Jiang Shiyuan gave him a reassuring glance did he feel somewhat at ease.
At the table, under the combined assault of Wang Kuan and Wang Hong, Pei Zisu had already downed three or four large bowls of wine without touching a single bite of food. Madame Xiang couldn’t stand to watch and helped out.
“Second Brother, your courage is only as big as that tiny wine cup. Cousin Zisu has already finished several bowls; shouldn’t you be drinking from a large bowl too?”
“Sister-in-law, just watch! Even if he drinks three or four more, Cousin Pei will be fine!”
With that, another bowl was handed over. Pei Zisu didn’t refuse anyone. The Jiang father and daughter had never seen someone with such a capacity for alcohol, and they watched with dropped jaws. However, deep down, Jiang Shiyuan wasn’t entirely surprised.
In her previous life, she had attended a palace banquet with the Prince of Chun’s heir. This young General Pei had been there too. Back then, he was also famous for being “invincible against a thousand cups,” drawing the eyes of everyone in attendance. Sadly, shortly after that banquet, he returned to Hanzhou, and the next news she heard of him was the tragic announcement of his death.
If she remembered correctly, that palace banquet had been held specifically for him.
Ultimately, it was a case of unbridled ambition. No sooner had this divinely gifted young General Pei passed away than the King of Han raised his banners in rebellion. Leading the Hanzhou troops who had been trained for years, he crossed the Huai River. Everywhere they went, they slaughtered cities and wiped out counties, leaving the world in chaos.
At that time, the nobles in the Western Capital were terrified out of their wits. Thinking of this, Shiyuan couldn’t help but steal a few more glances at Pei Zisu, her eyes tinged with regret and pity.
As Pei Zisu lowered his wine bowl, he happened to meet Jiang Shiyuan’s gaze.
Since birth, he had seen countless people look at him with fervor, admiration, envy, or even hatred. But Jiang Shiyuan’s gaze today was something he couldn’t quite decipher.
Did she think he had drunk too much? Was she worried?
The alcohol caused a flush to creep up his cheeks. He lowered his eyelids for a moment, and when he looked up again, the suppressed emotions of many years were laid bare. He looked directly toward Jiang Shiyuan.
He didn’t want to wait anymore.
A woman as delicate and vibrant as her deserved to be cherished with care. In his previous life, he had been too late. But having been reborn into this life, if he still acted timidly and refused to speak his mind, it wouldn’t be his style. Since the heavens had given him a second chance, he had to treasure it.
He set down his wine bowl, stood up, and gazed at Jiang Shiyuan with smiling eyes. Then, he spoke in a clear, resonant voice:
“I have admired you for a long time and have waited for many years. Shiyuan, would you be willing to have me as your husband?”
The room, which had been filled with the clinking of cups and laughter, suddenly went dead silent. Everyone stared at Pei Zisu with their mouths slightly open.
“He… what did he say?”
Second Cousin Wang Kuan was in shock. He looked at Pei Zisu, wondering for a moment if he was just babbling in his cups, but when he saw the unwavering determination in the man’s eyes, he swallowed hard.
Beside him, Wang Hong hadn’t expected his joke to become a prophecy. Among everyone present, only the eldest brother Wang Su remained relatively calm.
Aunt Pei recovered the fastest, but she still asked with uncertainty, “Zisu, are you… are you serious?”
“Aunt knows me well. A son of the Pei family never speaks falsely. I am perfectly sober; though spoken under the influence of wine, these are my true feelings. I have indeed admired Cousin Shiyuan for many years. This… you should have known.”
“Huh? I should have known?”
Aunt Pei looked at him with utter confusion. Then, seeing the questioning looks from the others, she suddenly remembered the Ningxiang Pills that were sent via express courier from Hanzhou every six months. In an instant, it all clicked.
Years ago, Madame Pei’s sister-in-law’s family in Hanzhou had helped a reclusive doctor. That doctor possessed extraordinary medical skills but rarely treated outsiders. Back then, they had sent a letter to Hanzhou with only a glimmer of hope that something could be done for Shiyuan. They hadn’t expected someone to actually be found.
Madame Pei remembered that when her sister-in-law brought that doctor north to treat Jiang Shiyuan, a nine-year-old Pei Zisu had been following along.
Could it be that the seed had been planted way back then?
Memories flashed through her mind: the Ningxiang Pills that never ceased, the way Zisu would always come to celebrate her birthday unless military duties absolutely forbade it—always asking if “Cousin Shiyuan’s health has improved”—and the fact that most of the rare cooling jade mats in the warehouse had been custom-made and sent by him…
Every single piece of the puzzle suddenly snapped into a straight line.