Chapter 91

 By the time she got home, it was almost dark. Today was the first day of business, the shop had many customers, and they made a decent amount of money.

Baoning watched as the shop assistant saw off the last customer, cleaned up the place, boarded up the windows, and locked the door. Once everything was done, she picked up the five catties of pork bones she had bought in the afternoon and stepped outside—Pei Yuan was already waiting for her on horseback at the door.

“The walk home takes just fifteen minutes. Skip the carriage—let’s go for a ride.”

Baoning stood on the steps, looking curiously at Saifeng, the horse. She’d known this horse for quite a while, but had never ridden it before and felt a little nervous.

Pei Yuan slapped his thigh loudly and crooked a finger at her. “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get on, unless you want the patrol officers to fine you again.”

Bringing up the fine again, Baoning shot him a glare.

After Yuanzi left that afternoon, Baoning had felt down for quite a while. She got distracted and didn’t watch the store closely, and someone tied their horse to the porch column. The patrol officer saw it and fined her three taels of silver. One annoying thing after another—Baoning’s mood never recovered, and now Pei Yuan just had to bring it up again, making her feel even worse.

She looked down at the bag in her hand, filled with plump pork leg bones, and thought of the delicious broth they’d make tonight. That cheered her up a little.

“Should I sit in front or in the back?”

“In the front.” Pei Yuan reached out to pull her up. “You want to sit in the back? With that little strength of yours, if you can’t hold on to my waist and fall off, there’ll be no saving you.”

Baoning muttered, head down, “Why can’t you just speak nicely? Can’t you learn to be gentle like other people?”

“What are you mumbling about?” Pei Yuan glanced at her and wrapped an arm around her waist to help her settle in.

The night air was cool. He took the cloak draped over his arm, shook it out, and covered her shoulders. “Were you cursing me?”

Baoning looked straight ahead. “I was cursing a pig.”

“Oh.” Pei Yuan responded casually. He nudged the horse into motion, and as Saifeng started to run, he leaned down and said to Baoning, “I’ve been thinking about something just now and couldn’t figure it out. Let me ask you.”

Baoning was sitting sideways, holding the cloth bag in her arms, still marveling at the experience of riding a horse for the first time. She replied distractedly, “What is it?”

“There’s a farmer who raises a pig and a donkey. After raising them for about half a year, it’s almost the New Year. The farmer is in a dilemma. His family is poor and can’t afford to buy meat, but the kids want to eat some. Both the pig and the donkey haven’t fully grown yet, so he can only slaughter one. The farmer looks at the two in the pen, unsure whether to make braised pork or donkey meat buns. Which one should he kill?”

Baoning frowned in thought, and after a while said, “Kill the pig. After half a year, the pig should be pretty big, while the donkey’s still small. Plus, the donkey can grind grain and plow fields—keeping it will earn more money.”

Pei Yuan nodded with approval. “Right, that’s exactly what the donkey thought too.”

Baoning froze, finally realizing she’d been tricked—he was calling her the donkey. How childish.

Pei Yuan burst into laughter. Baoning grunted in protest, but seeing how happy he was, she couldn’t help but laugh too. The joke itself wasn’t that funny, but the playful exchange had somehow eased the melancholy she’d been feeling after Yuanzi left.

The manor was in the countryside, and after exiting Lihu’s city gate, they had to take a mountain path. The evening breeze was cool and refreshing. Wild pomegranate trees grew all along the nearby hills, their vibrant orange-red blossoms full and eye-catching. The horse ran fast, and the overlapping images of the flowers blurred into a red streak, like a stream of light.

Baoning looked around and thought to herself, This must be what they mean by “seeing flowers while riding a horse.”

As they neared the manor gates, Baoning suddenly thought of Su Mingyou and asked Pei Yuan, “When did sister-in-law leave?”

At noon, they’d had a quarrel on the second floor, and when they got back, Su Mingyou was already gone. Baoning had been preoccupied with other things and forgot to ask.

Pei Yuan said, “Not sure. Maybe she was tired and just went back. There’s someone at the manor looking after her—didn’t we just hire a maid named Xier?”

He pulled the reins to slow the horse and brought it to a steady stop in front of the manor gate. He dismounted first and then helped Baoning down. That’s when he noticed the bulging cloth bag she was carrying. When he picked it up, it was quite heavy.

Baoning stood beside the horse, brushing off her skirt, and thought—Is one maid enough for Su Mingyou? She had come from a high-status household, once surrounded by numerous servants. Now she was left with only one maid—it felt a bit shabby. She’d have to ask Mama Liu tonight to buy another one for her tomorrow.

Pei Yuan opened the bag and peeked inside. “What kind of stuff have you got in here that you carried it all the way back?”

A strong, fishy smell of raw pork hit the nose—Pei Yuan grimaced and quickly tied the bag back up. “Why are you carrying these bones around? Isn't it a hassle? Why didn’t you give them to Chen Jia?”

“What fun would it be if Chen Jia carried them?” Baoning leaned against Pei Yuan’s arm with a bright smile. “I’m holding the bones, you're riding the horse, and we're heading home together—doesn’t this feel like we’re a sweet and loving couple?”

Pei Yuan thought she had a point and raised an eyebrow without saying anything.

He walked to the side of the door with his hands behind his back, and gave a formal bow. “We’re home, my lady. Please, go in first.”

Baoning played along, curtsying gracefully. “Husband, you first.”

“No, my lady, you first.” Pei Yuan shook out his sleeves. “Respect between husband and wife—that’s how people know we’re truly in love.”

Ahuang and Jixiang were wildly running around the yard. Hearing their voices, they ran over and circled around the cloth bag, jumping up, trying to lick it.

Baoning couldn’t keep up the charade anymore and called out anxiously, “Protect my bones! Don’t let the dogs eat them!”

“Aren’t they your beloved dogs!” Pei Yuan shouted, kicking Jixiang aside. “Watch your dogs!”

...

Su Mingyou clutched the note Changxi had handed her earlier that day. Sweat had seeped into her palm and blurred the ink. She stood in a secluded corner by the wall, watching Pei Yuan and Baoning laugh and tease each other at the gate, feeling a surge of envy and bitterness in her mouth.

How could their relationship be so good? So genuine, so simple, so full of life’s ordinary joys?

It was nothing like her and Pei Che. On the surface, they smiled, cared for each other with polite words, and acted like the perfect couple. But only she knew the truth behind the facade—it was all an act.

Even during meals, she had to maintain a composed appearance, afraid to speak too loudly or spill a single grain of rice, always upholding her noble image. Just seeing him exhausted her.

Su Mingyou’s thoughts drifted to Zhao Qian. He was a thin, pale youth—the first time she met him, he was about fifteen or sixteen, just a low-ranking guard in the Crown Prince’s residence. She took a liking to him at first sight. Mustering her courage, she seduced Zhao Qian and made him her secret lover.

At first, she had been afraid. But Zhao Qian was so attentive—he sent her flowers and wrote her letters. She was still a woman after all. Faced daily with a cold, unfeeling husband, how could she not fall for someone so tender and considerate?

Su Mingyou didn’t think she was a fool. She knew exactly what Zhao Qian wanted—money and power. And she? She desired his body.

Men were allowed to keep mistresses. Pei Che had a hideous maid he fancied. So why couldn’t she do the same? Why should she be the only one to remain chaste?

Later, after nights of passion, she became pregnant. Whether the child was Pei Che’s or Zhao Qian’s, Su Mingyou no longer knew.

Life is short and confusion is sometimes a blessing. She didn’t even care anymore whose child it was. She only feared being recognized—what if someone saw past her noble facade and discovered the truth she hid inside? That terrified her.

She had worked up the courage to tell her own family. But her father had thrown her out. Even her own parents had turned on her—who else could truly accept her now? Only Zhao Qian.

Pei Che would certainly blame her too. That’s why Su Mingyou was secretly glad about the poisoning case—it had caused Pei Che and that ugly maid to disappear. Hopefully, they would never return.

Actually, living in Lihu during this time had slowly brought her some peace. She’d thought—she could quietly give birth, live out the rest of her life in calm solitude. A bit lonely, sure, but not too bad.

If only she hadn’t received Zhao Qian’s letter today...

The letter had been delivered by the chief eunuch by Pei Xiao’s side. She knew what that meant.

Su Mingyou understood that what she was doing might be wrong, but people are selfish by nature. Some love money, some love power, some love kingdoms. She loved herself the most.

People who seek power can sacrifice thousands of lives to protect their own interests. Why couldn’t she sacrifice someone else’s interests for her own sake?

Besides, she wasn’t that bad. Su Mingyou thought, If Pei Xiao wants to harm Pei Yuan or Baoning, I won’t agree. But if it’s something minor, something harmless... well, maybe it’s acceptable.

She had made up her mind—she would go to the meeting!

In a secluded grove not far from the manor, Pei Xiao looked at the delicate and handsome young person standing before him—or perhaps it was a young woman?

Zhao Qian was dressed like a maid. With naturally fine features, he looked beautiful whether in male or female attire. Clad in a light yellow cloth robe and skirt, he resembled a dewy flower bud in the early morning.

Changxi secretly clicked his tongue in surprise. No wonder the former Crown Princess had favored him so much—he truly was stunning.

Pei Xiao scrutinized him for a long time before finally speaking:
"I know what you’re after."

Zhao Qian lifted his head.

"You want wealth and status, don’t you?" Pei Xiao curved his lips into a faint smile. "You’re really heartless. Su Mingyou treated you with such sincerity, but as soon as she lost her position, you cast her aside. Now you’ve come to me, flaunting your past relationship with her like it's some impressive achievement, hoping I’ll hold you in higher regard because of it."

Zhao Qian lowered his gaze.
"I am heartless, and I have no shame. If Your Highness gives me what I want, I will be the tip of your spear—point me wherever you wish, and I’ll strike. I don’t have the talent for eloquence, nor can I master martial arts, but I do have a good body, one that wins women's hearts. Men may look down on me, but I believe that even this kind of skill will have its use."

Changxi could hardly bear to listen to his bold declaration. He thought, How can someone be like this… so self-aware, yet completely shameless!

Pei Xiao, however, laughed and clapped his hands.
"Excellent. I like clever people—and you are very clever."

Zhao Qian asked, "Does Your Highness want me to enter the manor to serve the former Crown Princess?"

"What use is she? She's a ruined woman, nothing more." Pei Xiao’s smile faded.
"The one I want you to capture is another woman's heart. First, seduce her—make her leave the Fourth Prince. Second, use her to feed me all the latest information on Pei Yuan’s movements. Do you understand?

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