Chapter Nine, Unintentional Enmity Leads to a Fateful Encounter

Pei Zhen cast him a sidelong glance and said, "Do you take me for a bully? Would I engage in such acts of forcibly seizing women? Or are you hoping that the new aunt will take advantage of my slumber to stab me?"

Pei Zhen turned around and gasped for breath for a while, his palms sweating. After weighing the matter carefully again, he finally said dejectedly, "I was momentarily overwhelmed by heat; please forgive my indiscretion, grandmother, and do not let it harm your health." He then instructed the maid beside Su Jie, saying, "Help your grandmother back and take good care of her. I will have Mr. Wu personally deliver the five hundred taels tomorrow as an apology to grandmother. I am not feeling well today, so please let it go this time."

The child wilted like an eggplant struck by frost, instantly drooping.

Outside, the sound of frogs is incessant. In the blink of an eye, it has reached the summer solstice, and the heat is unbearable. The servant brought a rocking chair and placed it on the porch. Pei Zhen kicked it aside and exclaimed, "You have no sense at all. There isn't even a breeze, and you still worry that I might catch a chill! Move it to the middle of the courtyard! Tomorrow, have someone tear down the flower wall; it blocks all the wind!"

The servant, feeling quite aggrieved, moved a chair to the center of the courtyard to gaze at the large, round moon in the sky. His master had been in a foul mood for several consecutive days, likely because he was counting on Liu Hong's ten doses of medicine to be finished, yet there was still no sign from Miss Chun Jun. Growing anxious from the wait, it was inevitable that he would vent his frustrations on those around him. The few young servants attending to him were so frightened upon seeing him that they could hardly speak coherently. Only he, with his tough skin and thick flesh, dared to remain in his presence despite being beaten and scolded.

Seeing Pei Zhen was enraged, the young servant hurried over to report, "The madam is causing a commotion in the room, and the previous dynasty's Cui Ping has been knocked over, shattering into pieces all over the ground. Both the master and the mistress have been alarmed, and Lord Lan and the second madam are trying to persuade her, but to no avail. We can only summon the master to come."

"How dare you!" Sister Su shouted, "If you provoke me, I can do anything. Just try me if you don't believe it."

Sister Su said, "I don't know what you're thinking, but now you've fallen for a girl from a destitute family and are about to marry a new mistress. You have your subordinates make me lose face. What does three to five hundred taels of silver amount to? Even if it were thirty to fifty thousand, you, my esteemed lord, could produce it immediately. Yet, when I need it, it is nowhere to be found. Are you not deliberately trying to embarrass me?" She then snorted coldly and continued, "It is true that my father is a seventh-rank official, but he cannot control others. Instead, it is you, my future son-in-law, who becomes the subject of ridicule. Show some virtue in your words; you may need something from others in the future. After all, Liu Yu died early, and even if he were a first-rank official, it would be of no use. You cannot even speak in front of Prince Yan. What is there for you to be proud of?"

After finishing speaking, he waved his hand and closed his eyes, no longer saying anything. Sister Su noticed that his face had turned pale and his lips were white. Realizing that forcing him would not be good, she turned around and called a maid to invite the family doctor to come and check his pulse, while she herself left the Chrysanthemum Garden and returned to the Golden Key Pavilion

Pei Zhenping dismissed those around her and said, "Which family's maid or matron can casually spend five hundred taels of silver? You are wealthy and extravagant, but my Pei family cannot afford you! Logically speaking, your father is merely a minor editor, a seventh-rank official, with a monthly salary of only seven stones and five dou. Now you can easily spend three to five hundred taels; have I ever said anything to you? Because you are a master, I feared it would be difficult for you to maintain your dignity in front of your servants, so I accommodated you in everything. Yet, you have only become more unruly, disturbing the peace of the household. Do you still remember that there are parents-in-law above you and younger brothers and sisters-in-law below? How can you still call yourself a master lady?"

Pei Zhen said, "Tell her to go smash things, you go pass the message. As long as she doesn't smash the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall, she can smash whatever she likes at home according to her temperament. Send the master and madam back to rest, just say the two elders were startled, and tomorrow I will go apologize."

The deity roamed the vast void and saw a person peeking out from behind a flower wall. He called for his assistant to come over, and Pei Zhen scolded, "Who is there?"

Uncle, you might as well visit the Golden Key Museum; otherwise, you might end up smashing the Western Han period's Tianhuang lion as well

Pei Zhen said lightly, "I will go to plead guilty before the King of Yan myself"

Pei Zhen sulked, carelessly flopping onto the rocking chair, and coldly said, "No need, you can go eat by yourself. If you need money, just go to the treasury to withdraw it. Just one thing, you are not allowed to interfere in the matter of that girl from the Liu family. You and I are different from other couples, and you know it in your heart."

Pei Zhen remained silent, staring at her intently. The young lady Su felt embarrassed, her face resembling a pear blossom drenched in rain as she began to cry. She said, "You no longer regard me as important; I demand five hundred taels. Your accountant actually tried to silence me with words. In this household, I am treated worse than the maids and nannies."

Sister Su did not get angry but instead smiled, asking, "Where did I go wrong that you want to dismiss me?"

The assistant was completely taken aback. My covert scouts are not the same as the methods of the Jinyiwei. Now, they have been sent to investigate what a young girl eats and what she says? Wouldn't Lord Yu faint from this?

The assistant quickly ran outside the courtyard, shrinking his neck, and said to the person guarding the door, "Hurry, hurry! Master Zhen wants to eat an ice bowl, and it needs to be topped with rose syrup and red bean paste. Hurry up! If you are late, be careful of your skin!"

Pei Zhen, upon hearing this, felt an overwhelming urge to give her two slaps and shouted, "Watch your mouth! If I were to ruin things for you, it would not benefit me either. Go ahead and speak recklessly, but if something goes wrong, you will be the first one I won't let off the hook!"

Pei Zhen sneered, "In that case, I can only marry her according to the rites of a concubine. You must not regret it."

Zhen, dressed in a fine gauze undershirt, stood with one hand on her hip and the other waving a fan. She did not sit down on the rocking chair that had been placed, but instead wandered aimlessly in the courtyard. The more she walked, the hotter she felt, and she shouted, "Go to the cellar and knock for a bowl of ice, to be drizzled with rose dew and red bean paste; I want to eat it."

Pei Zhen listened, and a look of displeasure appeared on his face, "Do you dare to speculate on my thoughts?"

Sister Su also realized she had let something slip, her expression somewhat displeased. The two of them calmed down for a moment, and Sister Su recalled that he had not eaten anything that evening, so she said, "I had someone prepare a bowl of congee made with chicken cubes and golden silk dates using cosmetic rice. Shall I bring you a bowl?"

Pei Zhen looked up at the moon, then lowered his head to glance at the fan, which bore a poem inscribed by Li Zhiyi. Among the lines, one read: "Not seeing yet pondering, seeing yet still the same, to ask why I often long to see, what is it like to be together for long...! ... The sky is not old, and people have not yet met, this line is truly well-written!

Sister Su lifted her skirt slightly, tilted her head to look at him, and with a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown, said, "Do not forget, I am the legitimate wife, and it was His Highness the Prince of Yan who acted as the matchmaker. If I do not give my consent, no matter how capable you are, you will not be able to enter the garden. I will not concern myself with your outside household, I only hope that you do not lose the dignity of the family."

The servant, in a flurry, knelt down and pressed his head to the ground, pleading, "My lord, please calm your anger. Even with a thousand lives, I would not dare to mock my master! I was merely thinking about whether the two maidservants sent to my old aunt last month are suitable for their tasks. Tomorrow, I will go to Mantou Village to take a look."

Pei Zhen said, "Without children, prone to jealousy, and speaks excessively."

Sister Su turned pale and said, "What? Are you really going to divorce me?"

As the assistant returned to the courtyard, Pei Zhen had already lain down, frowning, with sweat covering his forehead. The assistant hurriedly took a handkerchief to wipe his face and fanned him, pondering to himself that it wasn't even that hot outside; the master must be troubled by something to be in such a state! In the past, the great strategist who remained composed before the Prince of Yan was now flustered over a mere girl of modest talent. Who would believe such a story if it were told? It is truly hard to say who has fallen now; just look at the master's appearance, what happened to the 'Lord Mingyue'? He is now just an ordinary man troubled by love.

Now, Zhu Er no longer dared to speak. When someone outside brought in an ice bowl and saw Zhu Er kneeling on the ground, they were so frightened that their knees went weak and they also fell to the ground. Pei Zhen looked on with annoyance, waved his hand to dismiss the person, and instructed Zhu Er to get up and respond.

After waiting for a long time without hearing Pei Zhen speak, the servant cautiously asked, "Will the servant go to Mantou Village tomorrow?"

As the assistant received the order and was about to withdraw, a large group of people suddenly appeared outside the Kanjuh Garden. Hastily, they retreated back to Pei Zhen's side, gazing with a sense of unease at the leading Lady Zhen.

Pei Zhen lay back in the rocking chair, his head pounding, and asked drowsily, "What has happened again?"

Why go through so much trouble? Just take the sedan chair and carry it directly.

Pei Zhenyuan still had some feelings for her, but now, whenever they quarreled, they became bitter enemies, filled with a hatred so intense that he wished he could swallow her whole. He thought to himself, I was forced to marry you in the first place, and though I felt wronged, I chose not to dwell on it. Now you actually intend to climb over me, the more I think about it, the angrier I become. He raised his voice and shouted, "Someone, bring me my writing desk!"

This nightshade star, apart from her appearance, what else does she do all day! Pei Zhen said resentfully, Her dowry has not been touched at all, adding five or six hundred taels is nothing, the public funds cannot be moved casually, and she even smashed my emerald screen, several five hundred taels would be enough!

This esteemed grandmother is named Ji Suqing, and she possesses a beauty that is truly captivating. At merely 19 years of age, she is in the prime of her youth. Her temperament and character were originally dignified and virtuous, but ever since she learned that her husband intended to take a concubine, she has completely transformed into a different person. With just a few words exchanged, she raises her eyes and begins to scold, truly resembling a fierce woman.

Pei Zhen gritted his teeth and said, "I won't go! I actually have time to spare, which really makes me hate it to the core! Let her wait; apart from me, no one in this world can make Liu Hong walk on the ground. I want to see how long she can endure this! Next time she wants to invite me, don't send a message for her; let her come and plead with me herself. I must maintain my dignity!"

The few young servants who had just entered from outside were drenched in sweat, and the assistant was puzzled. After all these years of silence, there must be some underlying reason. Regardless, it was essential to stabilize the situation with the madam first. If something truly happened, it would only bring shame to the master. Meanwhile, he hurriedly rushed over to hug Su Jie'er’s leg, advising, "My dear madam, you know what kind of temper the master has. After a night’s sleep, he will forget all about it. Why take it so seriously?" He then went to plead with Pei Zhen, saying, "If the master is unhappy, he might just hit the servant a couple of times. Why should he take it out on the madam and damage their relationship? If we delve deeper, it may not end well. The master should think it over carefully."

That person received the order and rushed away, even from a distance, one could still hear him shouting: Ice bowl... Red bean paste...

Pei Zhen said, "Convey a message to Yu Ziqi, asking him to send someone to investigate and report back to me once he receives news."

The young man, quite perplexed, hesitantly asked, "What kind of woman is it that you cannot find? With just a word, a multitude of girls would rush over. Why must it be Miss Chun Jun, causing yourself such distress?"

The young servant replied, "Last time, the filigree headpiece sent from Langgu Studio was deemed unsatisfactory by the madam, and today she wants to exchange it. She has set her eyes on a set of jade jewelry but needs to add another five hundred taels. The little maid was sent to the public treasury to fetch the silver, but Mr. Wu from the accounts office said it could only be collected after the master returns. The madam was unwilling to accept this and caused quite a commotion there. Now, reflecting on the unfairness of it all, she has started another uproar."

Pei Zhen was not concerned; those people in his hands were originally meant for gathering intelligence. Whatever useful information he could obtain, it was sufficient to acquire it. At present, he believed that investigating Liu's girl was far more important than probing the Northern Yuan camp or the Prince of Ning, Zhu Quan. Therefore, Yu Ziqi had to ensure that the matter was handled properly. The target of the investigation was not important; the outcome was what truly mattered.

Sister Su settled down on the stone bench under the tree and said, "How could Master Wuzi know? Should we go to the master and mistress to discuss this? It is quite tiresome for me to bear the blame for Wuzi alone; it would be better to speak openly and let everyone enjoy themselves."

The servant was lost in his own thoughts, while Pei Zhen, half-opening his eyes, looked at him and ominously said, "You wretch, do you think I am here to be the subject of your ridicule?"