Chapter 89

 Bao Ning was stunned.

Ji Xiangzhen asked her again, "Bao Ning, why did you think Qingluo Pavilion is a clothing shop? Who told you that? It’s one of the most famous brothels in the capital, filled with countless Yangzhou courtesans. Only high-ranking officials and noblemen frequent the place. The one your brother-in-law fancies, Xue Fu, is currently the top courtesan there! I truly despise it. Why must such places exist in this world, tempting men to indulge and ruining so many loving families..."

Bao Ning didn't dare look at Ji Xiangzhen. She felt deeply guilty.

Qingluo Pavilion was opened by Pei Yuan. He too had a hand in ruining families. As Ji Xiangzhen spoke of her pain, she covered her face with a handkerchief and wept bitterly, leaving Bao Ning at a loss for words to comfort her.

Moreover, Pei Yuan had lied to her! He told such a childish lie that even a child would scoff at it!

Bao Ning thought that if Pei Yuan had told her the truth, she wouldn’t have been unreasonable. But why did he need to cover it up? There must be something more to it!

A woman's suspicions began to stir within her. Now, whenever Bao Ning thought of Pei Yuan, she viewed him with a scrutinizing eye. How did he know so many tricks in bed, and where did he get all those risqué books? And that close friend of his, Wei Meng—just looking at him, you could tell he wasn’t the family type. Pei Yuan was always hanging out with him. What could he possibly be learning from him? “If you're close to vermilion, you'll turn red; if you're close to ink, you'll turn black”...

Bao Ning's thoughts deepened. If Pei Yuan could lie to her about this, who’s to say he wasn’t lying about other things?

Sitting across from Ji Xiangzhen, both women fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

Taking a sip of tea, Bao Ning pushed her suspicions aside. She had more pressing matters at hand; she could settle the score with Pei Yuan after sending her sister off!

Wiping her tears with a handkerchief, Bao Ning moved closer to Ji Xiangzhen and cautiously asked, "Sister, what do you plan to do? Will you really allow Xue Fu into your household? I know it's cruel to say, but you absolutely cannot keep that child. If the first child of the heir is from a courtesan, not only will it bring shame, but your future days won’t be easy. Besides, after all these years of marriage and so many concubines in the household, none of them have had a child. How is it that Xue Fu suddenly has one? Given the kind of life she leads, surrounded by all sorts of men every day, how do you even know that the child is your husband's?"

Bao Ning’s words were partly intended to sow discord but also came from genuine concern.

She truly felt that Ji Xiangzhen was getting a raw deal. With her status and beauty, Jia Ling wasn’t the best match for her.

"Bao Ning, I won’t hide it from you—I've thought about all this," Ji Xiangzhen sighed. "But what can I do? I can't just divorce him. I've been married to him for so many years, my youth is gone. Even if I had the heart to remarry, who’s to say my next husband would be any better? And what about the gossip? What would become of me?"

Bao Ning took her hand, showing concern. "Sister, you’re wrong to think that way! One marriage is better than the next! Look at historical figures like Empress Wu of Shu-Han, Empress Zhen of Cao Pi, and Empress Wang of Emperor Jing of Han—they were all remarried! Sister, if you can already see that your marriage is a pit of fire, why hesitate to jump out? Are you waiting to see how much more you'll be burned?"

Ji Xiangzhen was taken aback by Bao Ning’s bold statement, "One marriage is better than the next."

She clutched her handkerchief tightly, speechless, while Bao Ning gripped her wrist, eyes blazing. After a moment of thought, Bao Ning continued, "Sister, don’t blame me for speaking too frankly, but I don’t think the heir’s position is secure."

Ji Xiangzhen's heartstrings were tugged. She asked softly, "What do you mean?"

"The heir can’t father children!" Bao Ning didn’t care about the awkwardness of the topic anymore. Leaning closer, she explained, "Sister, you’ve been married for four or five years. The heir has so many concubines, and he’s in his prime, yet he doesn’t have a single child. Do you really believe all the women are at fault?"

Ji Xiangzhen was stunned. "But, but..."

She couldn’t find a way to refute it. Bao Ning was right, and in fact, everyone had been saying the same thing. Ji Xiangzhen herself had considered it before, but now that Bao Ning laid it out so plainly, she couldn’t ignore it.

Bao Ning pressed on, "Look, Sister, it’s likely the heir has a hidden ailment, but he won’t seek treatment. It will be difficult for him to have children. No—he does have a child now, Xue Fu is pregnant, but who knows who the father is? You’ll end up raising a child that’s not even yours, and what’s worse, that child and his mother will gain power. What good will that do you?"

Ji Xiangzhen was left speechless. How had her once quiet and reserved sister become so eloquent, hitting every painful truth?

Bao Ning continued, "If anything happens to that child, it’ll be even worse. The heir will have no children, and can he still inherit the title? The Marquis won’t stand for it! Before long, he may lose his heirship altogether. When that happens, you’ll have nothing. If the heir loved you, and you lived a simple, content life together, that would be fine. But he’s a philanderer! Sister, I really don’t think it’s worth it!"

Bao Ning watched Ji Xiangzhen closely, noticing her expression shift from sorrow to shock, then back to sorrow, and finally settling on determination.

Bao Ning exhaled in relief.

This was her first time manipulating someone so boldly. While she seemed confident and smooth, her palms were sweaty from nervousness.

Ji Xiangzhen said, "Bao Ning, I know. I can’t stay in this dead-end marriage. The longer I drag it out, the more I lose any advantage I have. When my beauty fades completely, it’ll be too late! But… I don’t know how to explain this to Father and Mother! Mother already blames me for not bearing the heir any children. If I return to the Guogong Manor, life won’t be any better for me… And who would even marry me?"

Bao Ning’s heart skipped a beat. She thought, Here’s my chance!

Bao Ning hesitated for a moment, her face showing reluctance as if she had something difficult to say. "Sister, I heard that the heir was recently appointed as Captain of the Imperial Carriages?"

Ji Xiangzhen nodded. "A minor position, with little pay."

"But it’s a crucial one! I also heard..." Bao Ning trailed off, sighing, "Forget it, I don’t want to burden you with this."

Ji Xiangzhen grew anxious. "Bao Ning, don’t say half of what’s on your mind! Tell me everything!"

"I heard that the heir is quite close to the Crown Prince..." Bao Ning lowered her voice and retold the story Pei Yuan had once shared with her about Zhang Liang’s assassination plot against Qin Shi Huang.

Watching Ji Xiangzhen’s growing alarm, Bao Ning said, "Sister, I didn’t want to meddle, but we are sisters. Your safety is my safety, your honor is my honor. If the heir makes a fatal mistake, you won’t just be facing the problems of an unhappy marriage, but a matter of life and death!"

Ji Xiangzhen thought back to Jia Ling’s behavior, growing more terrified the more she considered it.

In truth, Ji Xiangzhen had sensed Bao Ning's intent all along, realizing that her sister’s words were subtly leading her down a certain path. Yet, she couldn’t resist. Bao Ning’s reasoning felt so right.

Panicking, Ji Xiangzhen turned to Bao Ning as her only source of stability and asked urgently, "If this is true, what should I do?"

Bao Ning shook her head. "I’m just a woman, Sister. When it comes to matters of the court, I’m powerless." Bao Ning didn’t dare push further. Ji Xiangzhen was a smart woman, and though she was currently unsettled, if Bao Ning pressed too hard, she would realize the manipulation, and all would be lost.

Ji Xiangzhen’s gaze drifted to her tea cup, as though lost in thought.

Baoning said, “Sister, don’t worry. These are just unreliable guesses. I trust the heir isn’t that foolish. But if, by any chance, it is true, it would be best for you to leave him sooner rather than later. This wouldn’t be betrayal; it would be loyalty to the emperor and the right thing to do.”

After speaking, Baoning suddenly smiled.

Ji Xiangzhen asked, “Why are you smiling?”

Baoning said, “I just thought of something strange. If this turns out to be true, and you help the emperor in dealing with it, how could the emperor not reward you? I even thought that this might be like a blessing in disguise—like finding a golden opportunity. The emperor would bestow a noble title upon you and shower you with riches. Who would need a husband then? You could live a carefree life, free from any worries.”

Ji Xiangzhen smiled faintly, “Well, when you put it that way, it does make sense.”

Baoning said no more on the subject. They shared some tea and glanced out the window; it was already past noon. Ji Xiangzhen rose to take her leave, and Baoning saw her out.

As they parted, Baoning held Ji Xiangzhen’s hand, reluctant to let go. She said, “Sister, you’ve always treated me well since we were little. Even after you got married, I still think of you often. I know you don’t have anyone close by your side, so if you ever need to talk or need help, just come to me. The Fourth Prince treats me well, and you are my sister. If you ever run into trouble, he will surely help.”

Ji Xiangzhen, moved, said, “I’ll remember that.”

She got into her carriage, waved goodbye to Baoning, and set off westward for home.

Baoning suddenly felt drained, as if all her strength had left her. She thought to herself, Pei Yuan’s life isn’t easy. In battle, it’s hard to conquer a city, but in social relations, it’s even harder to win hearts. He must be utterly exhausted every day.

Baoning reflected on Ji Xiangzhen’s demeanor. It was just as she had expected. So, does that mean today was a success?

…

Liu Mama supported her arm as they ascended the stairs. Turning the corner, they were met with Pei Yuan’s smiling face.

Pei Yuan had overheard part of the conversation in the room earlier. He hadn’t held much hope for Baoning at first. When Baoning and he had reconciled, Pei Yuan had been happy that she was willing to accept what he did, but he never expected her to help him in his career. Today, however, he was truly impressed by her!

“Our Ningning has really made me proud!” Pei Yuan grabbed Baoning’s hand and led her into the room, closing the door behind them.

He pulled a piece of almond candy from his sleeve, unwrapped it, and placed it in Baoning’s mouth.

Pei Yuan was so overjoyed that he didn’t notice the change in Baoning’s expression. He spread his legs and sat in a chair, pulling Baoning onto his lap so they sat face-to-face.

Baoning’s thoughts drifted back to Qingluo Fang. She was angry but not ruthless—she still wanted to give Pei Yuan a chance.

“What do you want for dinner?” Pei Yuan pinched her cheek and kissed her pouty lips, “Shall I take you to a restaurant? We haven’t been out to eat yet.”

Baoning said, “I want to buy some clothes.”

“Hm? Why suddenly this?” Pei Yuan paused but didn’t think much of it. “Alright then.”

Pei Yuan playfully teased Baoning. He found her serious expression adorable and poked her tongue with his finger, swirling it around the candy.

“What’s wrong, little Bao’er?” Pei Yuan tapped her small sharp teeth with his fingertip.

He played with her like a cat, completely unaware of the danger that was coming. He asked in a teasing tone, “Why do you look unhappy?”

Baoning said, “Let’s go to Qingluo Fang to buy clothes.”

Pei Yuan froze, a flash of embarrassment crossing his face before he quickly dismissed it. “That place doesn’t sell good clothes. Let’s go somewhere else. You can pick whatever you want.”

Baoning asked, “Is Qingluo Fang really just a clothing shop?”

“Of course,” Pei Yuan affirmed.

He added, “Why do you even remember that shop? Its business isn’t doing well, and I’m planning to close it down. Don’t mention it again.”

Hearing his response, Baoning’s eyes blazed with anger, her jaw clenching.

Pei Yuan’s finger was still in her mouth when she bit down hard, making him cry out in pain, “What are you, a dog? You bit me!”

Baoning shook off his hand and spat the candy into his face, hands on her hips. “Well done, Pei Yuan! So you really have been lying to me!”

Author’s note:

Pei Yuan: “The jig is up!”

Baoning: “Too late!”

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