Chapter 88

 The grand opening of Ruyi Tower would take place in three days on Qiushui Street, the most luxurious street in Lihu Town, located on the eastern side.

Lihu was a picturesque small town, with clear mountains and waters. Besides the locals who had lived there for generations, many wealthy families from the capital had also settled there. Affluent families, with extra money, loved to purchase estates, and with Lihu’s beautiful scenery and its proximity to the capital, it became the top choice.

It was just the beginning of the hottest part of summer, but the weather hadn’t reached its peak heat yet, and many people were already coming to Lihu to escape the summer. The small town was becoming lively.

Baoning wore a festive pomegranate red dress and was sitting in a teahouse on the western side, enjoying some refreshments while watching the unveiling ceremony.

Su Mingyou and Yuanzi were there, and so was Wei Meng. Su Mingyou, having met too many people in the past, was worried about being recognized, so she wore a white veil over her face, sitting across from Baoning. The two occasionally exchanged a few words, but there wasn’t much to talk about, and most of the time, they just stared at the bustling crowd below.

Baoning had set up a stall in front of the store, displaying the small toys she had been tinkering with over the past few days. She had hired a few good talkers to demonstrate and call out to the crowd. Colorful bamboo dragonflies, little wooden horses that moved on their own, and a life-sized tumbler doll. There was also a row of rocking wooden horses in front of the store, where children could sit and rock like a swing. It cost ten coins for a quarter of an hour, and many children lined up to ride.

Business was much better than she had imagined.

Su Mingyou looked down at the scene for a long while, then said with a hint of bitterness, "Baoning, your big sister really envies you."

Baoning smiled and asked, "What do you envy about me?"

"I envy your good fortune, and how things always go your way," Su Mingyou sighed. "Not like me, with a missing husband and a child still in my belly. My own family refuses to take me in, and I have no money. I was once of noble status, but now I live a miserable life, dependent on others."

Her expression was sorrowful, and Baoning didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

Baoning found that Su Mingyou had become more and more peculiar recently. When she first arrived, she still smiled a lot, and after being adrift for so long, finally having a stable place to stay should have made her happy. But as time went on, her smiles grew less frequent.

Baoning could somewhat understand Su Mingyou's feelings. Now that a stable life was no longer a rare thing for her, she had gotten used to it and began to want more. Whenever she recalled the days of wealth and freedom from her past, her current life felt rather meager.

This was human nature, but for Baoning, it left an indescribable feeling, like raising a wolf that could never be fully satisfied.

Baoning comforted her, "At least you have your child. Once it's born, it will be your source of support. Whether it's a boy or a girl, I'll discuss it with Ah Yuan, and we will give you a property so you and your child can live securely. If your husband comes back, that would be best, and your family can be reunited. If not... don't worry, we will take care of you."

Su Mingyou smiled, but through the veil, Baoning couldn’t tell how sincere the smile was. She said, "Thank you, sister-in-law."

Baoning didn’t say anything more. Her mind was occupied elsewhere, and she didn’t have much energy left to deal with Su Mingyou.

Baoning glanced across the street and saw the Full Blessing Lady already elegantly walking up to the second floor of Ruyi Tower, preparing to throw the embroidered ball. Baoning couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

Would her elder sister come?

The purpose of getting her elder sister here was to persuade her—ideally, to convince her to spy on the secret messages Jia Ling held. As the commander of the imperial carriages, Jia Ling was responsible for managing the Emperor’s travels to the summer palace. If Jia Ling and Pei Xiao were conspiring, and Pei Xiao had plans to assassinate the Emperor, Jia Ling would undoubtedly be the greatest accomplice.

By the calendar, there were about half a month left before the Emperor’s journey began. Jia Ling’s arrangements should already be in place. Since he had not been in contact with Pei Xiao recently, the secret messages were likely still in his possession.

If they could alter or swap the message, providing Pei Xiao with false information, it would greatly benefit Pei Yuan's next move.

Baoning roughly understood what success in protecting the Emperor would mean for Pei Yuan. He could regain the Emperor’s favor and clear his name. If he could use this opportunity to eliminate Pei Xiao, there was even a chance he could rise to the position of crown prince. Pei Yuan’s situation had already improved significantly, but he was still regarded as disgraced in the eyes of most.

The Emperor’s current attitude was one of indifference, but what if, one day, he decided to revisit the matter and hold Pei Yuan accountable?

Both Pei Yuan and Baoning would be in danger. Even if they fled to the ends of the earth, they would always be living in fear, never truly safe.

Baoning knew that even if she couldn’t persuade her elder sister to help, Pei Yuan would have other plans, but she wanted to offer her own strength. In the grand scheme of things, she was planning for their future. On a more personal level, she always believed that a man’s heart could change.

If she wanted to hold Pei Yuan's affection and maintain their current happiness, she had to do something. Beyond caring for his physical needs, she had to show him her brilliance, make him feel that she was irreplaceable.

This was Baoning’s small ambition. She didn’t want just temporary stability; she wanted a long-lasting life where she could confidently stand by Pei Yuan’s side, no matter what position he held, and live the life she desired.

So, whether she could help Pei Yuan through this issue with Ji Xiangzhen was crucial.

...

Pei Yuan and Wei Meng were drinking tea at a neighboring table, separated by a curtain. Since Su Mingyou was there, it wasn’t convenient for them to dine together, so they had drawn the curtain for privacy.

Yuanzi sat by the window, munching on a hard candy.

That night, Yuanzi had insisted that candy would fall from the tree, so Pei Yuan and Baoning had waited all night. By dawn, with the sun rising, they still hadn’t seen the woman Yuanzi had described. Yuanzi, unwilling to believe it, cried bitterly, and it took a long time to calm him down.

Pei Yuan said to Wei Meng, "That business with the candy is a bit strange—hard to tell if it's real or not. Keep an eye on it."

Wei Meng asked softly, "It couldn’t really be that the concubine crawled out of her grave, changed her appearance, and sneaked into the prince's residence, showing up at the end of each month to get close to her son, could it? That would be too bizarre."

"No detail should be overlooked," Pei Yuan replied, peeling melon seeds onto a handkerchief at a leisurely pace. "Keep a close watch next month and see whether it's a person or a ghost."

Wei Meng wholeheartedly agreed.

Suddenly, there was a burst of cheers from downstairs. The two men looked outside and saw that the Full Blessing Lady had already thrown the embroidered ball. It landed in the hands of a young woman, who immediately jumped up in excitement. A servant led her into the shop, showering her with compliments: "Catching the ball is a sign of great fortune. Young lady, you are destined to be blessed. Your parents will live long, your children will be many, and your husband will be loving. You will have a harmonious family..."

With the prize claimed, the crowd began to disperse.

Baoning anxiously scanned the street, and after a while, she finally spotted a luxurious carriage at the street's end, with curtains of gauze covering it. She could faintly make out the silhouette of a woman inside, and it was very familiar. When a servant bought refreshments and lifted the curtain slightly, Baoning caught a glimpse of the woman’s face—it was her elder sister! She had indeed come!

Baoning quickly stood up, ran outside, and instructed Madam Liu, who was guarding the entrance, to give chase.

Pei Yuan had never seen Ji Xiangzhen, but seeing Baoning’s reaction, he understood what was happening. He went to the door, handed the handkerchief with melon seeds to Baoning, and said softly, "Don’t pressure yourself too much. Do what you can, and if it doesn’t work out, just take it as a chance to catch up with your sister."

"I know," Baoning nodded. She adjusted her skirt and asked Pei Yuan, "Do I look good?"

Pei Yuan smiled and replied, "You look beautiful."

Baoning took a deep breath. Pei Yuan could tell from her demeanor that she was as determined as a warrior facing battle. "Then I'm going!" she declared.

She ate all the melon seeds wrapped in the handkerchief, patted the crumbs off her hands, and turned to leave the room.

Bao Ning had arranged to meet Ji Xiangzhen in a private room on the second floor of the Ruyi Pavilion, right across from the tavern where she was currently located.

Pei Yuan stood by the window, watching her hold a white paper umbrella as she gracefully lifted her skirt and walked across the street. She looked dignified and poised, a stark contrast to the shy demeanor she had when he first met her. In private, she was still gentle and bashful with him, but in front of others, she was gradually showing the air of a household matriarch—elegant and captivating.

Pei Yuan felt both pleased and proud, but also increasingly anxious. As Bao Ning grew more impressive, his fear grew as well—what if some scoundrel managed to seduce her? In the future, there would surely be some unscrupulous men, perhaps even younger ones, who might try to steal her away. What would he do then?

Wei Meng, unaware of Pei Yuan’s inner turmoil, looked at Bao Ning’s retreating figure and praised, "The young madam has matured. She can now share your burdens, and in the future, she will certainly manage the household well. When you reach the pinnacle, she can stand beside you. My earlier concerns were probably unnecessary."

Pei Yuan glared at him resentfully. He could no longer tolerate others complimenting Bao Ning. Looking at Wei Meng's weathered face, Pei Yuan suddenly suspected him of harboring indecent thoughts.

Pei Yuan spat out three words slowly, "Shameless fool."

"Huh?" Wei Meng, completely baffled by the insult, looked at him in confusion.

...

Chang Xi sat with Pei Xiao in a teahouse, watching Bao Ning as she leisurely crossed the street, her hair styled in a married woman’s bun, revealing a slender, fair neck.

Whenever Chang Xi saw Bao Ning, he was reminded of Pei Yuan and the box of gold-scaled carp, which made his teeth ache and filled his mouth with a fishy taste.

"Your Highness, should we go fetch the little imperial grandson now?" Chang Xi regained his composure and asked respectfully.

Pei Xiao, knowing that Pei Yuan was watching from across the way, decided not to go over just yet. He was waiting for a moment when he could be alone with Bao Ning. "Let's wait a bit," he said.

Pei Xiao didn’t consider himself a romantic, nor did he waste time on affairs of the heart. But this secret pursuit, this feeling of sneaking around like a lover, unexpectedly captivated him. As his fingers traced the rim of his cup, he reminded himself that he was here to fetch Yuanzi, a legitimate task, so there was no need to feel guilty.

While he was lost in thought, Chang Xi suddenly let out a small exclamation, "Oh!"

Pei Xiao asked, "What did you see?"

Chang Xi’s hand trembled as he pointed in the direction of Su Mingyou and asked, "Your Highness, is that...?"

...

Ji Xiangzhen was escorted up by Liu Mama through the back door, so no one saw her.

Bao Ning had been waiting for a while. Upon hearing the sound of footsteps on the wooden stairs, she quickly stood up to greet her, calling warmly, "Big Sister!"

Ji Xiangzhen had been skeptical when Liu Mama told her that Bao Ning was waiting for her. But seeing her sister in person now, she was overcome with emotion, grasping Bao Ning’s hands tightly, "Bao Ning, it really is you! How did you end up here?"

Bao Ning invited her to sit down, "I live in Li Hu now. I’ve opened a shop, the Ruyi Pavilion. I didn’t expect to run into you here, Big Sister."

Ji Xiangzhen had no doubts and repeatedly exclaimed, "What a coincidence, what a coincidence."

Bao Ning poured her tea and observed her carefully. Ji Xiangzhen had a gentle and peaceful face, with a long, graceful countenance, always showing a faint smile. But now her complexion was haggard, and she no longer possessed the beauty she once had. Bao Ning felt a pang of sorrow for her.

After taking a sip of tea, Ji Xiangzhen suddenly remembered something and asked, "Bao Ning, you're running a shop so openly—did the Fourth Prince actually allow it?"

Bao Ning nodded, "He’s supportive and even helped me with the arrangements."

"That's wonderful," Ji Xiangzhen said, a trace of envy crossing her face. She hadn't intended to reveal her troubles, but there was no one in the Marquis of Chongyuan's household she could confide in. Now, seeing her sister, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, her bottled-up emotions began to surface, and her eyes gradually reddened.

Bao Ning was carefully considering how to steer the conversation toward Jia Ling, but before she could speak, Ji Xiangzhen said, "Bao Ning, I truly envy the harmony between you and your husband. You have no idea about the situation with your brother-in-law and me..."

Bao Ning eagerly asked, "What happened to the Marquis?"

Ji Xiangzhen responded, "Your brother-in-law has been having an affair with a woman from Qingluo House behind my back. And now she’s even pregnant, and he wants me to pay to bring her into our home!"

Bao Ning knew of Qingluo House—it was one of Pei Yuan’s businesses, a clothing shop.

But what was this about? Bao Ning couldn’t quite make sense of it, so she asked, "Why would the Marquis go to Qingluo House? Does your household really need him to go there for clothes? And he got involved with a seamstress?"

Ji Xiangzhen gave her an odd look, "What seamstress? She’s a courtesan!"

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