Chapter 4

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Yi’an Hall stood atop a slightly elevated mountain in the southwest of the Pei residence, serving as the sanctuary where the elderly master of the Pei family lived in peace and tended to his health.

Pei Huaijin stood before the grand, bright vermilion gate, and Su An stepped forward to knock.

Soon, an elderly steward with graying hair came out to open the door, his face lighting up with joy.

“The young master has returned.”

Pei Huaijin nodded in acknowledgment. “Has Grandfather awakened from his midday rest?”

The steward smiled and gestured towards the open door of the main room.

“He’s just been waiting for your arrival, Young Lord. Please, enter.”

“Back again,” came the kind voice of the old master. As he spoke, a white chess piece clicked onto the board under his hand.

Pei Huaijin entered and bowed respectfully to his grandfather.

“Your grandson pays his respects. Having been away for over a month, your grandson has been unfilial and caused you worry. I returned late yesterday, so I could only visit you at this hour today.”

“Sit down.”

The old master waved his hand towards the seat opposite him, smiling warmly.

“It’s rare to find a worthy opponent. Play a game with me.”

“As you wish.”

Pei Huaijin lifted the hem of his robe and sat on the couch opposite. From the chess box, he took a black piece, glanced at the board, and placed the black stone in a corner.

The old master chuckled and pointed his finger teasingly.

“You, you immediately play a killing move!”

Pei Huaijin’s usually cold expression softened into a slight smile.

“Your grandson wouldn’t dare. Clearly, Grandfather had set up the board before my arrival, deliberately giving me an advantage.”

The old master laughed heartily and placed a white piece diagonally opposite the black one.

“Your move!”

The board’s tension thickened; the two men put aside their jokes as they exchanged moves.

“I heard from your mother that you’ve been betrothed to the Second Miss Qin.”

Pei Huaijin paused momentarily, not answering directly, merely saying, “Still under discussion.”

His grandfather looked up and glanced at him knowingly.

“Is it because you fear the concubine in the side wing will suffer injustice?”

Pei Huaijin didn’t reply and placed a piece on the board.

“Your turn, Grandfather.”

“Hmph, you won’t let me speak!”

The old master stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“If you’re worried about Mistress Shen, you should have her bear an heir soon, so she has someone to rely upon.”

“Grandfather—”

Pei Huaijin pinched his furrowed brow, speaking with helplessness.

“I only regard Shen Zhiyi as a sister, no romantic feelings…”

The old master looked at him meaningfully, an old fox’s gleam in his eyes.

“Are you truly without such feelings?”

At those words, an inexplicable image surfaced in Pei Huaijin’s mind—the bright, flushed face of Shen Zhiyi drunk that night. Though much time had passed, her slightly parted lips remained vividly red in his memory.

He drank a sip of tea, the liquid sliding down his throat, his fingertips tracing the rim of the cup as he slowly spoke.

“There are no romantic feelings. When I protected her, it was out of childhood friendship. Taking her as a concubine was not for her beauty, but a matter of expediency.”

The old master sighed.

“Back then, the capital whispered that you were close to Qin Zhen, Qin Yin’s elder sister. But I saw you weren’t much interested in Qin Zhen either. Yun’an, you are now twenty-three.”

At his age, men of his standing in the capital would have already started families.

Pei Huaijin’s gaze remained steady as he replied calmly.

“I know.”

His grandfather was urging him once again to consummate his relationship with Shen Zhiyi.

Yet he harbored no such intent.

Besides, even if he wished to, it would be inappropriate for a concubine to become pregnant before the mistress formally entered the household.

Pei Huaijin pondered silently—the consummation could wait another two years. Then he would give her a child, and her surroundings would be livelier.

The old master sighed softly, watching his grandson remain unmoved.

He didn’t know if his old bones would live to see the day of his great-grandchildren.

After several more moves, the game grew fiercer. Suddenly, a voice at the door called out.

“Master, Young Lord.”

“What is it?”

“Someone from the Eastern Palace has come, requesting the Young Lord to visit the palace.”

The old master barely let the steward finish before he tossed his chess piece back into the box with a click.

“Since it’s from the palace, Yun’an, you must go quickly. Today’s game…” He sounded regretful. “Will have to wait for another day.”

Pei Huaijin looked at the board, where his grandfather’s position had clearly worsened. Then he glanced at the old man’s expression, a smile flickering in his eyes.

“Yes.”

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Pei Huaijin reached the door, but the old master called out to him again, his tone now much more serious.

“Though the Crown Prince relies on you, do not forget the proper rules. The Pei family’s standing is illustrious, so you must be cautious.”

“And your father still harbors resentment over the old matter with the Shen family. Shen Zhiyi is pitiful; treat her well.”

Pei Huaijin turned and bowed respectfully.

“Your grandson will remember.”

Yi’an Hall was situated high; upon stepping outside, a cold wind swept over him.

He glanced toward Haitang Garden in the distance.

“What did the doctor say?”

Su An replied, “The doctor’s diagnosis matches what Xia He said. Mistress Shen’s condition is due to poor rest, nothing serious.”

Pei Huaijin nodded and descended the mountain, heading straight to the main gate.

Just as he reached his carriage, the man stopped.

“Go buy some preserved plums from the Chen family in Cuiying Alley to send to Haitang Garden. The medicine is bitter, and she likes eating these.”

Su An glanced up quietly at his lord.

“Yes.”

Mistress Shen had not always been ill.

In those early days after arriving at the Pei residence, perhaps shaken by family upheavals, she often suffered headaches and fevers.

At first, the young master visited her side wing a few times during her illness. Su An could tell he sincerely wished to live harmoniously with Mistress Shen.

But once he caught her feigning sickness to lure him into visiting, the young master seldom set foot in Haitang Garden thereafter.

This time… he was so concerned about her illness?

Su An folded away the horse stool, puzzled. Could it be that his lord was planning to marry and felt guilty toward Mistress Shen?

He quickly dismissed that thought. He knew his lord well—cold, aloof, strictly principled, and detesting frivolity.

When Pei Huaijin arrived at the Eastern Palace, Chief Eunuch Li Ying was waiting at the gate.

At the sight of Pei Huaijin, his face immediately lit up with smiles as he hurried forward.

Pei Huaijin nodded slightly.

“Please inform His Highness on my behalf…”

“Oh!” Li Ying flicked his dust whisk, bowing even lower, respectful yet warm.

“No need to inform—please come in quickly. His Highness has been awaiting you.”

Today, Pei Huaijin wore an elegant white round-neck robe embroidered with cranes, a waist sash accentuating his slender figure, and a matching cloak decorated with silver thread patterns. Even the silver hairpin in his crown seemed to shimmer with radiance.

He looked refined and ethereal, a paragon of grace and nobility, making the grand palace behind him seem but a modest backdrop.

The man ascended the vermilion steps. Inside the hall, two people drinking tea turned to look.

Pei Huaijin bowed slightly toward a figure clad in bright yellow.

Before he could speak, the Crown Prince smiled brightly.

“Cousin, please sit! I was just speaking to Changyu about you.”

Beside him, Xie Changyu poured a cup of tea and pushed it toward an empty seat.

“How was your journey? I heard you nearly got injured rescuing that Qin Yin? And the favored niece of Consort Hui is still locked up in the Dali Temple’s prison. Are you planning to risk everything for a woman, Lord Pei?”

“With all those questions, how am I supposed to answer?” The Crown Prince laughed and beckoned to Li Ying.

“Bring the usual celadon bamboo-patterned cup for the Young Lord.”

Xie Changyu looked on, noting that the tea he had personally poured remained untouched by Pei Huaijin, and he smirked with a click of his tongue.

Pei Huaijin appeared not to hear the sharp mockery. When Li Ying brought the cup and filled it, he lifted it, tracing the bamboo pattern with his fingers, and spoke slowly.

“Last night, Feng Ping gave his statement.”

Xie Changyu exclaimed.

“Impressive, Pei Er! Feng Ping is famously tight-lipped. The Jinyiwei used eighteen tortures over three days and nights but couldn’t break him. You got everything out in one evening!”

Pei Huaijin ignored him and continued to the Crown Prince.

“After the dam collapsed last year in Pingjiang County, the compensation funds were tampered with under his orders. Moreover, the timber and mud used for the dam were substandard. I’ve compiled the charges overnight. During last night’s interrogation—”

Pei Huaijin sipped his tea, his gaze pointedly fixed on the Crown Prince.

“I was the only one present.”

The Crown Prince’s brow twitched sharply; even Xie Changyu gasped.

Feng Ping was Consort Hui’s nephew. This implied the consort’s involvement.

“That’s enough.”

The Crown Prince tapped the table.

“Draft two copies of the charges—one for the Dali Temple, one for me.”

“I’ve already prepared them.”

Pei Huaijin slid the document forward, his bold strokes concise and powerful.

The Crown Prince ordered Li Ying to collect them, then said:

“I originally wanted you to use the excuse of escorting Qin Yin to investigate the case. Didn’t expect you to actually bring her back to the Pei residence. Are you serious about marrying her?”

Whenever news of Feng Ping surfaced, waves of assassins attacked recklessly. The Crown Prince believed only Pei Huaijin could handle the matter.

He also learned that Feng Ping coveted Qin Yin in Pingjiang and thus concocted this covert plan.

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But in truth, the Crown Prince and Xie Changyu knew less about Qin Yin than about Shen Zhiyi.

Qin Yin’s father, Qin An, was a senior official in the cabinet and Pei Huaijin’s mentor.

Qin An came from humble origins. Given the Pei family’s status and Pei Huaijin’s talents, he need not have been so deferential to his mentor.

But Qin An had two remarkable daughters.

The elder, Qin Zhen, was graceful and refined, known throughout the capital for her literary talent. Her poems and essays remained widely admired.

The younger, Qin Yin, was as beautiful as a blossoming jade flower, gentle and captivating, known alongside Shen Zhiyi as the capital’s two greatest beauties. Suitors nearly trampled the Qin household’s threshold upon her coming of age.

In the past, Qin Yin was not close to them.

Instead, Qin Zhen’s exceptional talents made her a frequent conversation partner for Pei Huaijin. Their relationship seemed a perfect match of talent and beauty to onlookers.

Rumors in the capital said Qin Zhen remained unmarried at eighteen, waiting for Pei Huaijin to come of age and marry her.

Until three years ago, when Qin Zhen died one month before Pei Huaijin’s coming of age ceremony.

Before her death, Qin Zhen entrusted Pei Huaijin to care for her fourteen-year-old younger sister, bringing Qin Yin into their circle.

The Crown Prince recalled that when Pei Huaijin first brought Qin Yin to a gathering three years ago, Shen Zhiyi nearly lost her mind with jealousy.

The pampered Miss Shen, usually doted upon by her entire household, could not show anger in front of Pei Huaijin. Instead, she bit her silver teeth and glared at Qin Yin, drinking in silence despite others’ advice.

Just as she was about to become thoroughly drunk, Pei Huaijin calmly knocked her wine cup aside.

Without a word, he glanced at her coolly. Shen Zhiyi’s defiance immediately subsided, and reluctantly, she switched to tea.

Thus, the animosity between Shen Zhiyi and Qin Yin was born.

Later, when Qin An left on an official tour, Qin Yin remained in the capital.

Shen Zhiyi, leveraging her family’s influence, bullied Qin Yin openly and covertly, but Pei Huaijin always protected Qin Yin.

The spoiled young lady could not tolerate Pei Huaijin’s favoritism toward another, deepening the rift with Qin Yin.

Only two years ago, when Qin Yin went to her maternal grandfather’s home in Jiangping, did the tension between them ease.

The Crown Prince studied Pei Huaijin’s calm expression with concern.

“If Qin Yin becomes the principal wife, what about the one in your household?”

Pei Huaijin’s expression did not change.

“Your Highness, have you forgotten? The Shen family covets the imperial treasury.”

The Crown Prince laughed.

“I know Shen San’s temperament well, and you should too. Even as the Shen family empties our empire’s coffers, Shen San still happily applies her rouge.”

Xie Changyu scoffed.

“After you brought Qin Yin back, Shen San didn’t cause trouble?”

Pei Huaijin glanced coolly at him.

“Always prying into others’ households and worrying about concubines. Xie Changyu, don’t you have any Jinyiwei cases to investigate?”

Xie Changyu shifted his posture, reclining lazily with a tone of nonchalance.

“No, no, no. I’m not as merciful and kind as the Crown Prince. I am the most hateful of evildoers. I’m just waiting to see the Shen family’s downfall.”

“The two of you used to get along with Shen Zhiyi. Why do you despise her now because of the Shen family’s affairs?” the Crown Prince glanced at him.

Xie Changyu pursed his lips.

“Cheers, Your Highness. If not for your mediation, I’d still be stuck at home, scolded by my father.”

“Cut the nonsense. Seriously, Pei Er—” The Crown Prince turned to look at the man opposite Xie Changyu. “What do you plan to do with Shen San?”

Pei Huaijin was silent a moment before speaking.

“Qin Yin’s gentle nature makes her suitable as the Pei household’s mistress.”

As for Shen Zhiyi… once the mistress formally enters the household, he would take better care of her.

Xie Changyu and the Crown Prince exchanged a look but tactfully refrained from pressing further.

The three drank lightly, and since the Crown Prince had affairs later, Xie Changyu accompanied Pei Huaijin out of the palace.

Walking through the palace’s high walls, vermilion roofs dusted thickly with white snow, the official road was spotless, swept clean by palace servants. Yet melting snow left patches of wetness on the ground.

Xie Changyu stepped into a shallow puddle, water splashing, his indifferent voice breaking the quiet.

“I heard Shen San fainted last night?”

Pei Huaijin halted, frowning at the puddle, then turned and stepped around it, continuing forward.

If one looked closely, his shoes bore not a speck of mud, pristine and shining, while Xie Changyu’s were dotted with mud from his splash.

Xie Changyu knew Pei Huaijin well. Though appearing refined and steady, this second young master of the great Pei clan carried an arrogance and pride unique to the highborn.

Unyielding, disdainful, and exacting, like the bamboo-patterned cup just now.

Seeing Pei Huaijin silent, Xie Changyu tilted his head, pinched his earlobe, and added,

“Could it be hearing you’re to marry stirred you? That Shen San really hasn’t changed.”

Pei Huaijin raised his eyes, a trace of deep meaning passing through his indifferent gaze. His tone was unreadable.

“In the past two years, you’ve rejected all the marriages your household proposed, regardless of status. Xie Changyu, what exactly are you still looking for?”