That shout of “cousin” gave Xu Wu a cold sweat.
Strictly speaking, they had no actual family ties, but her grandfather was an old friend of the Pei family, and her grandfather had instructed her to address Pei Han as older cousin. Through mutual visits over time, the form of address stuck.
Xu Wu raised her head sheepishly and saw him dressed in a light-blue brocade robe, his waist bound with a leather belt inlaid with emeralds. His tall stature made him all the more imposing and oppressive.
Pei Han lowered his gaze, casting a sidelong glance at Xu Wu. He saw a fine layer of sweat on the tip of her nose, her clear and striking eyes carrying a look of sheepish evasion. Gone was the appearance of a startled little wild cat caught by its tail; she was as docile as if she had turned into a completely different person.
Since he had no intention of reprimanding her anyway, he simply turned his gaze toward the Sixth Prince, Li Jingling.
That chilly glance made Li Jingling shudder once more. Theoretically, Li Jingling was an imperial prince and the sovereign, whereas Pei Han, despite being the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review at the proper third rank, was a subject. Yet Li Jingling was genuinely afraid of him, even though Pei Han was only three years older.
Or rather, none of the imperial princes in the Hongwen Academy failed to fear him.
Previously, the Grand Tutor of the Hongwen Academy had suffered a stroke and could no longer lecture, so the Emperor had specifically issued an imperial decree for Pei Han to step in as Grand Tutor. Pei Han was stern, rigorous, and a renowned talent of Dawei, inspiring genuine awe and reverence in them.
Above all, the Emperor held Pei Han in extremely high regard.
With the Emperor’s favor and his position as Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, these princes were well aware of Pei Han’s weight. Securing the backing of a powerful minister was tantamount to securing the realm.
During his studies, Li Jingling had been cross-examined on state policy essays by him on numerous occasions, which was why Li Jingling was actually quite afraid of him.
“Yesterday, the Ministry of Revenue submitted the area-seeding agricultural method. Has Your Highness figured out how to reply to His Majesty?” Pei Han’s voice was cold, carrying an overwhelming sense of pressure.
His words filled everyone present with fear and chilliness, causing even someone with as lively a disposition as Zhang Ruopei, Princess Yongqing’s daughter, to slip away at once.
“Thank you for your guidance, Grand Tutor.” Li Jingling frowned slightly, but he still suppressed his emotions, cast a glance at Xu Wu, and turned to leave.
Seeing Li Jingling forced into such a deflated state, Xu Wu couldn’t help feeling a surge of admiration for Pei Han.
Xu Wu took a step forward, intending to call out “cousin,” but Pei Han directly turned around and walked away without even sparing her a single glance.
Xu Wu’s expression faltered. Truly, no one had ever given her the cold shoulder quite like this.
Yet, in terms of reason and propriety, she ought to express her gratitude. Otherwise, she had no idea how her mess with Li Jingling would ever be resolved.
However, her pace was far slower than Pei Han’s. By the time she reached the main gate, Pei Han had already ridden away on horseback.
The sky had grown slightly dim. The wind was not cold, though a fine, scattered drizzle was beginning to fall. Pei Han had originally been discussing state affairs with Princess Yongqing’s consort when he happened to encounter Xu Wu and Li Jingling arguing there.
Given his naturally aloof temperament, he originally had no desire to meddle, but court etiquette could not be disregarded, so he simply scolded Li Jingling a few words.
With that matter concluded, he still had to attend to some official business at the Xu residence.
Upon arriving at the Xu residence, a servant hurried over to take his horse, and Pei Han headed straight toward the inner courtyard to find Elder Xu.
Elder Xu had formerly served as the Director of the Bureau of Astronomy, possessing profound mastery over celestial observation, calendar calculation, and seasonal timing. However, his personality was overly upright; otherwise, he might well have secured the position of Grand Preceptor. Now advanced in years, he had retired from the Bureau of Astronomy, though he still spent his days tinkering with astrolabes and observing celestial phenomena.
Elder Xu disliked being disturbed, so he lived in the very last courtyard of the Xu residence and rarely received visitors on ordinary days.
Hearing that Pei Han had arrived, Elder Xu hurried out from the back courtyard, still fiddling with a luopan compass in his hand. Without even pausing to wash his hands, he grabbed Pei Han’s sleeve. “You are finally here! This year is the Shen fire-element year, and your birth pillars belong to the sword-edge metal element. Those who overcome me are officials, and you rascal, you are running into a peach blossom fortune this year!”
Pei Han lowered his gaze and swept a glance around, prompting his attending servant to step back.
“You previously said my stars spelled utter loneliness and isolation, yet today it has turned into a peach blossom fortune.” Pei Han’s expression was cool and detached, though his tone carried a trace of teasing, making it clear that he and Elder Xu shared a close friendship.
Elder Xu stroked the goat-beard on his chin and chuckled, “Time dictates destiny, and fate dictates timing! Everything is subject to change.”
Elder Xu possessed extraordinary talent and was well-versed in divination and astrological calculation. However, to avoid becoming entangled in the murky waters of the imperial palace, he never used those divinatory arts for personal gain, relying solely on astronomical forecasting. Yet, he was always more than willing to speak his mind unreservedly with Pei Han.
After all, Pei Han was the son of an old friend, and it was only right that he look after him to some extent.
In the year the Emperor ascended the throne, misled by trusted ministers, he grew fearful of the vassal princes day by day. Completely disregarding the meritorious service the vassal princes had historically rendered in protecting the nation, he initiated a wave of downsizing and inquisitions that followed one after another. Prince Guang was the most distinguished in military exploits among all the princes and possessed the most prosperous fiefdom, naturally making him a thorn in the Emperor’s side.
Using the death anniversary of the late Emperor as a pretext, the Emperor summoned the vassal princes to the capital, while secretly colluding with the non-royal vassal Wu Chengliang to capture Prince Guang’s wife, using her as leverage to force Prince Guang to take his own life. Thus, Prince Guang suddenly died a violent death in the capital. To preserve Prince Guang’s bloodline, Prince Guang’s deputy general, Pei Junsheng, exchanged his own son with Prince Guang’s legitimate son, thereby safeguarding Li Han when the Emperor slaughtered Prince Guang’s estate.
Later on, the deputy general Pei Junsheng changed Prince Guang’s legitimate son’s surname from Li to Pei, making him the Pei Han of the present day.
Elder Xu had been on good terms with Prince Guang, and before Pei Junsheng died, he entrusted this matter to Elder Xu, asking him to secretly keep watch over the boy.
Indeed, Pei Han had lived up to expectations, passing the palace examinations to become the top scholar at eighteen. Now, he was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review at the proper third rank and had even served concurrently as Grand Tutor, truly a sight to warm the heart.
Pei Han followed Elder Xu into the main hall and quietly gazed at the landscape painting hanging on the southern wall. In the painting, wisps of cooking smoke curled upward. Not far from the smoke was a babbling stream, and beside the stream lay checkerboard-like, fertile farmland. It was incomparably peaceful and joyous, just like the days when his adoptive father was still alive.
Elder Xu held his teacup and observed Pei Han’s expression. Even though Pei Han wore a poker face that revealed neither joy nor anger, Elder Xu still caught the fleeting flash of grim darkness in his eyes. His mind raced through countless thoughts, wondering how best to speak of it.
He had secretly cast divination on Pei Han’s birth chart; he was not a creature of a mere pond, and when the hour of transformation arrived, it would inevitably bring devastation to the realm.
He wondered if there was anyone who could anchor and restrain him.
Just as he was thinking along these lines, he heard a soft voice outside the door, “Grandfather, your granddaughter has brewed some fresh tea and specially come to honor you.”
Hearing that soft voice, Pei Han frowned slightly.
Elder Xu, however, beamed with delight, joy filling his features as he said cheerfully to Pei Han, “It is my most beloved granddaughter, Xu Wu.”
Elder Xu had an eccentric temperament and disliked being disturbed by family members, which was why he had moved into the innermost courtyard, nor did he permit family members to come pay formal respects. Yet that spoiled and hot-tempered Xu Wu was somehow able to gracefully enter and serve tea.
Pei Han’s expression remained cool and detached, revealing nothing. Smiling, Elder Xu added, “This granddaughter of mine is the best person in the entire world, and her fortune reaches the heavens!”
The corner of Pei Han’s eye twitched. Whether her fortune reached the heavens or not, he could not say for sure, but when it came to putting people in their place, she certainly seemed capable of reaching the heavens, scratching faces the moment she pleased, and scratching an imperial prince’s face at that.