Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Pei Xianjing did care for Xing Shuwei and ultimately did not torment her too harshly.
Even so, the exertion left her so exhausted that she fell asleep in his arms.
He lifted her from the water, dried her body with a towel, and dressed her in a lotus-pink undergarment.
Then he carried her to bed and lay down with her.
* * *
During the days Xing Shuwei spent recuperating, Pei Xianjing feared she would grow bored. He placed another chair beside his desk so she could paint or read when she had nothing else to do.
It was a rare period of leisure, yet Xing Shuwei was always distracted.
“Weiwei, what are you thinking about?” Pei Xianjing asked, lightly tapping the tip of his brush between her brows.
Her thoughts abruptly interrupted, Xing Shuwei raised her limpid eyes to him. “I was thinking that once Princess Jin’an enters the household, I probably won’t be able to enjoy peaceful, lovely days like these anymore.”
Pei Xianjing’s gaze darkened. “You enjoy worrying over nothing.”
Xing Shuwei blinked and lowered her eyes. As she wrote on an open folding fan, she asked, “After Brother Jing marries, will you continue living in the Duke’s estate or move to Princess Jin’an’s residence?”
“When the time is right, I will establish a household of my own.” Clear displeasure had already entered his voice.
Obviously, he did not wish to discuss this with her.
Even so, he patiently continued, “I will neither let you be mistreated in the Duke’s estate,
“nor make you live in fear at Princess Jin’an’s residence. So stop imagining things, all right?”
Xing Shuwei’s hand paused, and the ink at her brush tip nearly pooled into a blot.
She set down the brush and wondered what he meant.
But Pei Xianjing had already changed the subject. “I had Chengde test Shuyan.
“His martial arts and scholarship are both adequate. You taught him well.”
Xing Shuwei’s heart lurched. These days, everything he said seemed to carry some hidden meaning.
“He said his temperament is too straightforward for court, but he wants to distinguish himself as soon as possible and asked me to arrange a post for him.
“The Eleventh Prince happens to need a personal guard. I think he is highly suitable.”
Xing Shuwei panicked at those words. “Serve as the Eleventh Prince’s personal guard? How can that be allowed?”
The Eleventh Prince appeared certain to become the future heir apparent.
If Yan’er went to his side, he might never be able to leave for the rest of his life.
Pei Xianjing made it sound appealing, but this was merely another way to bind both siblings to his side.
“Why not?” Pei Xianjing set down his brush as well and challenged her.
Xing Shuwei sighed almost imperceptibly. “Yan’er has never learned many rules and cannot even get along well with the other young masters. If he rashly enters the Eleventh Prince’s service and makes a mistake, he could lose his head.
“I know Brother Jing is considering his future. I’m only afraid… afraid he may fail to live up to your expectations.”
As she spoke, she rose from her chair, pulled the handkerchief from her waist, and twisted it between her fingers.
She circled to Pei Xianjing’s side and rested one slender arm on his shoulder.
Pei Xianjing turned and raised his eyes to her.
She voluntarily settled onto his lap and complained coyly, “You know that you placed him in Zhenxi Hall four years ago.
“I have seen him so few times in these four years that I cannot say with confidence what sort of temperament he has developed.”
That was the truth.
Zhenxi Hall gave its students only four days of leave each month, and Xing Shuyan was not always able to return to the Duke’s estate on time.
Over the years, the siblings had spent pitifully few days together.
“I’m afraid both that he might lose his life and that he might cause trouble for you.”
Xing Shuwei leaned against his shoulder, her lips faintly brushing his neck. “Brother Jing knows I am someone who likes to ensure everything is foolproof,” she said softly.
Pei Xianjing tipped up her chin. He was about to speak, but her crimson lips captured all his attention.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. Leaning forward, he pinned her against the desk.
“Eldest Young Master, someone from the palace has come to request your presence,” Chengde’s voice suddenly sounded outside the door.
Xing Shuwei clutched his collar and pushed him gently. “Official business is more important.”
Pei Xianjing was plainly displeased at being interrupted. He pressed his mouth to hers and nipped at her lips for a while before relenting.
“Wait for me to return.”
Xing Shuwei nodded carelessly to humor him. “Who else would I wait for?”
She had been excessively obedient these past few days, not once saying anything that defied him.
Pei Xianjing knew it was an act.
But if she could maintain the act for a lifetime, that would be a fine thing too.
He changed into his official robes and left. Xing Shuwei also used the excuse of visiting Qiutong at Qianchen Pavilion to leave Qiansheng Pavilion.
Only after seeing Qiutong did she learn how the disaster at the porridge distribution had been handled.
“Miss, the Eldest Young Master is openly protecting you,” Qiutong said.
Xing Shuwei shook her head. “He wanted to suppress the matter quickly. If it grew, it would damage the dignity of the Emperor and the Eleventh Prince.”
Qiutong did not answer, thinking her mistress’s explanation sounded reasonable.
The matter involved a princess. The slightest mishandling would damage the imperial family’s dignity.
Faced with an incident this serious, a powerful official like the Eldest Young Master ought to prioritize the greater good rather than Miss alone.
Regardless, after this incident, the Eldest Young Master truly no longer intended to conceal his relationship with Miss.
At that thought, Qiutong asked, “Miss, now that word of you and the Eldest Young Master has spread, are we still leaving?”
Xing Shuwei looked at Qiutong and said firmly, “We must leave.
“They are not even married yet, and the princess is already capable of something like this.
“After they marry, if I become his concubine, disasters like the ‘refugee incident’ will happen constantly.
“Princess Jin’an is so ruthless that Pei Xianjing cannot protect me every time.
“How many favored concubines in noble households die unnatural deaths?
“I have struggled this hard to survive because I want to live openly and with dignity.”
“Becoming a concubine is absolutely impossible.”
The moment she finished speaking, a voice came from outside the courtyard. “Miss Xing, Lady Pei has summoned you.”
It was Qingling’s voice.
Xing Shuwei turned toward the gate. “See? The moment he leaves, trouble arrives one thing after another.”
“This servant will accompany you, Miss.” Qiutong moved to support her.
The mistress and servant left the courtyard and followed Qingling all the way to Panlin Court.
Every servant in the courtyard wore an ugly expression.
Xing Shuwei left Qiutong outside and entered alone.
“Greetings, Lady Pei.” She curtsied.
Lady Pei told her to rise and said bluntly, “The Duke has spoken. I am to choose a date and take you into Jing’er’s household.
“Jing’er acted rashly and displeased an exalted person in the palace.
“The Empress Dowager has issued an edict ordering you to go to Princess Jin’an’s residence first and carefully attend the princess on Jing’er’s behalf.”
Xing Shuwei listened intently.
How had the Empress Dowager become involved again?
An edict of the Empress Dowager?
Could Zhang Mingan have gone to the palace to request it? Was the stated purpose of serving at Princess Jin’an’s residence merely a cover for arranging her staged death and escape?
Xing Shuwei was unsure. After everything she had endured, she now had to ponder every new development before acting.