chapter 10

As I was thinking, someone suddenly knocked on the door. I hurriedly asked, “Who is it?”

“Me.”

“Second Uncle, what is it?”

“I brought Medicinal Wine. Apply it to your foot.”

“Oh, alright.”

I limped over to open the door and saw Pei Second Son standing outside. I took the bottle of medicine from his hand, pondering whether I should take this opportunity to tell him about the Scholar.

So I began, “Second Uncle, there’s something…”

I had only spoken a few words when I suddenly noticed something was off. Pei Second Son was dressed neatly, holding his Sword, as if he was about to go out.

“Second Uncle, are you heading out?”

“Mm.”

“Where to?”

“Jiangzhou County.”

“Why are you leaving just after arriving?”

“This trip was for official business. I just happened to pass through Tao Zhou to see you all.”

“It’s so late already. Second Uncle, take care on the road and stay safe.”

“You wanted to tell me something just now?”

“It’s nothing urgent. I’ll tell you when you return.”

Pei Second Son stood with his arms crossed, gripping his Sword, tall and imposing, his gaze falling on me. He let out a soft laugh, “I have something important to ask you. The Knee Pads and Pocket Cushion you gave me earlier-were they made for someone else?”

“…Yes.”

“Why did you make those for him? Think carefully before you answer.” His voice deepened, his expression displeased.

I stammered, “The Scholar… the Scholar is a good person. He helped me before, and he treats Xiaotao well at the Private School. Besides, he has no parents. Last time, he missed the exam because of a cold, so I… so I…”

“Don’t do it again. Never make things for him in the future.”

He frowned, his face still cold, but his voice had softened a little.

Slow as I was, I finally sensed that Second Son’s attitude toward me was somewhat strange.

A sense of panic rose in my heart, and I hurriedly said, “No, Second Uncle, I really have something to tell you.”

“No rush. Wait until I return. I have something to tell you too.”

…

He left again, for another month.

A few days later, the Scholar also left, heading to the capital for the imperial exam.

Before leaving, he asked me, “Yu, did you tell Second Uncle about us?”

“…Not yet. I’ll tell him when he comes back this time.”

I was a bit flustered, but the Scholar didn’t notice. He said to himself, “I feel General Pei doesn’t like me, but don’t worry. Once I earn my title this time, maybe he’ll look at me differently.”

“Then do your best on the exam.”

“Mm, I will.”

Xiang’s health had improved a lot lately. She could go out and help at the Shop.

But the new young assistant at the Shop would rush to do everything whenever she tried to help, not letting her do anything.

Curious about what Pei Second Son had said to her, I couldn’t help but ask. She said he hadn’t said much, just looked at her and said calmly, “When I saved you back then, it was so you could live for yourself, not to pin your hopes on others.”

Xiang even smiled bitterly, “Yu, your Second Uncle is really harsh. He also said that if he’d known I’d end up like this, he shouldn’t have saved me back then. If I was destined to die, what’s the point of living these extra years?”

“I suddenly cried, but after crying I felt much better, as if the blockage in my heart was gone…”

Her heart was unblocked, but mine was now blocked.

I was restless for days, even Xiaotao noticed something was wrong and asked, “Sister-in-law, do you also have someone you can’t have?”

Me: …

Early spring in March, it was still cold late in the day.

That night, it rained outside the window. Before bed, I closed the doors and windows and wrapped myself tightly in the quilt.

Late at night, half asleep, I suddenly felt a chill, damp with rainwater, as if drops fell on my face.

I woke with a start, terrified, and screamed.

The person by my bed quickly covered my mouth and whispered in my ear, “Don’t be afraid, it’s me.”

A month after Pei Second Son left, he returned again.

Only, he came through the window, not the door.

In the darkness, my voice trembled, almost crying, “Second Uncle?”

“Mm.”

“You scared me to death! Wuwu.”

He apologized, soothed my emotions, then told me to get dressed and go out immediately to a Pavilion several hundred li outside Yun’an County, to pick up a Young Master Xiao dressed in deep purple robes.

“N-now?”

“Yes, now. The Carriage is ready for you, waiting at the Shop entrance.”

“Oh, alright, I’ll go now.”

Once I was dressed and went out, he was already waiting at the door. He said nothing, just handed me an Umbrella and a Cloak, speaking gently, “Don’t be afraid. I’ve arranged everything. You just need to make this trip; there won’t be any danger.”

I didn’t really understand what he was doing, but he was a General. Whatever he did must be necessary. As a woman with little ability, I just needed to follow his instructions.

So, on that cold, rainy night, I lifted my skirt and got into the Carriage, saying to him, “Second Uncle, don’t worry. I’ll bring him back.”

Pei Second Son nodded and smiled.

Then, in the dead of night, after two hours on the road, I finally picked up the noble Young Master Xiao in purple robes.

When I saw him, he was alone in the Pavilion in the wilds outside town, rain still falling, no one else around. He took the Cloak from my hands and draped it over his shoulders. Though his face was pale from the cold, his bearing remained intimidating.

“Where is General Pei?”

Following Second Son’s instructions, I said nothing else, only, “You will see soon, Young Master. Please come with this Common Woman.”

“Madam, what is your relation to General Pei?”

“This Common Woman is his Widowed Sister-in-law.”

Young Master Xiao was quite cautious. Only after asking did he get into the Carriage, and we returned to Yun’an County Town together.

The Carriage turned into Lion Lane and stopped at the Shop entrance. It was already the second watch, and I could hear a few roosters crowing.

I thought for a moment and hung up the ‘Closed’ sign at the door.

I led him upstairs, opened the room, and had just said, “Second Uncle, the honored guest has arrived.”

When my expression changed, I rushed over in shock, “Second Uncle! Second Uncle, what’s happened to you?”

Pei Second Son was inside, but he was unconscious by the bed, covered in blood. One arm hung limp, blood pouring endlessly from his wounded shoulder, pooling on the floor.
I was so frightened that I burst into tears, cradling his face and trembling as I patted him with my hand, “What happened? You were perfectly fine when I left. Second Uncle, don’t scare me.”

“Quick, fetch a doctor. He’s badly hurt.”

That calm and composed Young Master Xiao gave me instructions in an orderly manner while stepping forward to take over the collapsed Second Son at the bedside, pressing down on his wound.

The doctor arrived in haste.

He stopped the bleeding, untied the clothes, and found that there was more than one wound-there was a very deep gash on the lower back as well.

Pei Second Son only slowly regained consciousness after two or three hours.

Due to excessive blood loss, his lips were pale, and his face was white.

Yet, upon seeing Young Master Xiao, he spoke immediately: “Crown Prince, this Subject is incompetent and has alarmed Your Highness.”

As expected, this man was either rich or noble, but I never imagined he was the current Crown Prince.

With my humble background, living among the common folk, I never thought I’d ever meet such a person in my life.

The heir to the throne.

My hands trembled, and I hurriedly knelt to the ground.

The Crown Prince smiled, looking very kind: “Madam Xue has shown me great kindness. There’s no need for such formality. Please rise.”

“Your Highness flatters this Common Woman. I am unworthy.”

I rose anxiously, seeing that they seemed to have more to discuss, so I withdrew to make tea.

When the tea was ready, I stood outside the door, and I vaguely overheard the general outline of the events.

At the end of the year, the Arms Case implicated a series of corruption, bribery, and treason cases.

The Crown Prince was ordered to go south to investigate, and the Emperor appointed General Pei to accompany him.

Just as they uncovered some clues, a large group of assassins arrived, intending to kill the Crown Prince.

They fled all the way.

Upon reaching Taozhou Prefecture, another fierce battle broke out. Pei Yi risked himself as bait to draw away the killers and agreed with the Crown Prince to meet at a Pavilion hundreds of miles outside Yun’an County Town.

The Crown Prince had already waited there for two days.

Having survived the ordeal, even as the Crown Prince, he couldn’t help but sigh with relief.

Grateful for Pei Yi’s protection, the Crown Prince asked, “General Pei, do you know the origins of those assassins?”

Pei Second Son paused, “Jiangdu Commander and Youzhou Governor both take orders from Prince Kang.”

“I know that Feng Jiru has helped you before. Prince Kang’s power is entrenched, and the Imperial Court is rife with factional strife. As a newly appointed official, you surely do not wish to be drawn into it.”

“Your Highness, this Subject stands only with the Son of Heaven.”

“And who is the Son of Heaven?”

“Legitimate Succession is the Son of Heaven.”

“Hahaha, well said, Pei Yi.”

“Rest assured, Your Highness. I have killed all those assassins and notified the Governor of Taozhou Prefecture. Han Ying is also leading men to protect you. Your Highness may safely return to the Capital in a few days.”

A few days later, the Crown Prince was escorted back to the Capital.

Pei Second Son, wounded, stayed in Yun’an County Town to recover.

The one who changed his medicine every day was, of course, me.

The candlestick flickered in the room. Because his wounds were on his shoulder, back, and lower waist, he wore only trousers.

A man who has trained and fought for years, his physique was strong, muscles firm, lines smooth, his broad back straight, tapering to a tight waist that disappeared into his trousers.

But the old and new scars all over him were especially glaring.

He sat upright as I carefully changed his medicine, always startled by the savage wounds, making my movements gentler and slower each time.

My fingers inevitably brushed his shoulder, back, and waist.

He would occasionally shudder slightly, and I would think I’d hurt him, nervously asking, “Does it hurt?”

He would sit up straighter, “No.”

I sighed, feeling strange inside, and asked, “When I went to fetch someone that day, Second Uncle, you were perfectly fine. How is it that as soon as we returned, you were so badly injured? Did assassins come to the shop after I left?”

He seemed to smile faintly at my words, “No.”

“Then how did you get hurt?”

He didn’t answer, just turned to look at me quietly, and from that gaze, I felt a hint of chill, “Did you do it on purpose?”

“More or less.”

“Why? Are you reckless with your life? How could you be so harsh to yourself?”

I grew anxious and angry, unable to help but hit him, “No matter how big the matter, you shouldn’t go so far. What if something happened to you and you lost your life?”

“Sister-in-law feels sorry for me?”

I was so anxious my breathing quickened, but he was calm and unruffled, his eyes quietly watching me, suddenly asking such a question.

My breath caught, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

“Of course, I’m your Sister-in-law. Naturally, I’m afraid something might happen to you.”

“Then why are you blushing?”

My cheeks, already burning, grew even hotter, as if some forbidden feeling was about to break free.

He stared at me motionlessly, his dark eyes seeming to see straight into my heart, waves surging in their depths.

I panicked, quickly raising my hand to cover my left cheek, scolding, “Second Son, don’t talk nonsense.”

Unexpectedly, he also reached out and directly grasped the hand I used to cover my face.

His large hand was rough and burning hot, as if set aflame, the heat spreading from my hand to my whole body, to every limb and bone.

He looked at me with veiled eyes, emotion surging, his voice hoarse and low, “Yu…”

My eyes reddened in panic, my voice trembling, “Second Uncle!”

“Second Uncle, I have something to discuss with you. The Scholar you met last time has looked after me for many years. You know, he left just after I married your brother. I’ve managed things alone all these years. Now I’m twenty-one, and I think the Scholar is a good man. I want to marry him.

“Second Uncle, don’t worry. The Scholar said that even after we marry, we’ll still be family. I can keep running the business and continue to care for Younger Sister-in-law…

“When you’re settled in the Capital, you can bring Grandmother and Younger Sister-in-law there. If they don’t want to go, they can keep living with me. Whatever works.”

The more I spoke, the more flustered and confused I became. Pei Second Son’s hand seemed to tremble, then he withdrew it, his eyes reddening, his expression growing colder.

“Sister-in-law, have you thought it through?”

“I have.”

“Good. Wait and see.”