Chapter 29: Heh, if you feel sorry for him, you go help

After the rain cleared, the air was filled with a heavy earthy scent.

Liu Changning took a deep breath, the fresh air entering her nostrils causing her slightly furrowed brow to slowly relax.

She turned her gaze sideways, and her convenient husband’s handsome, chiseled face drew close.

He was clearly extremely displeased. Though his lips wore a smile, flames danced in his eyes.

Liu Changning glanced at him askance and said in a low voice: “Although the village chief reasoned with us emotionally this time, how could you not understand the meaning behind his words? He’s clearly determined to push those refugees behind him into our home. How can I possibly refuse now?”

Pei Yuanshao followed her gaze and inconspicuously glanced at the two people at the bottom of the steps.

His hand rested on the red whip at his waist, hesitating for a moment before putting it down.

Although Guan Chen Shi had withdrawn the spies following him, Jing Huan’s whereabouts were now unknown, and not all the moles within the Northern army had been rooted out. Yesterday when he taught those two ruffians from the Liu family a lesson, it was already quite risky. Fortunately, those two were cowards who bullied the weak and feared the strong, and the female scholar could be used as leverage. He could still grasp their weakness.

But if he refused the village chief before him… she was acting according to the rules, beyond reproach. The resettlement of refugees was originally a decree mandated by the court. Those who dared disobey would face imprisonment.

If he forcefully disagreed and caused trouble, drawing Guan Chen Shi’s attention again, all their plans would be disrupted.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuanshao lowered his eyes. Suppressing his displeasure, he inconspicuously pointed at the man behind the village chief and asked in a low voice: “Then… how will he be accommodated?”

Liu Changning spread her hands at her convenient husband, her face expressionless: “I think you can look at it from a different angle. You’re both gentlemen, sleeping together would certainly be more convenient than sleeping with me. Think about it, you and I are wife and husband. If I were to sleep in the same room with him, neglecting the newly married husband, once word gets out, not only would I lose face. You…”

Pei Yuanshao narrowed his eyes, a flash of light passing through them.

These words reminded him that with an outsider in the house, their actions would be under scrutiny. If he were to sleep separately from the mistress wife, wouldn’t that arouse suspicion?

Although Guan Xie Shi hadn’t assigned someone to closely monitor him now, if it became known that he and his wife were merely husband and wife in name… Given Guan Chen Shi’s personality, she was most suspicious. If she became doubtful, all his previous calculations would be in vain.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuanshao pressed his lips together, his face dark, and said in a low voice: “From now on… you’ll sleep in the same room with me. Go to the woodshed now and pack up your clothes, put them in my room.”

Seeing Liu Changning motionless after he finished speaking, he felt frustrated but could only softly plead in her ear: “You said it yourself yesterday, you’d grant me one thing. You can’t go back on your word. From now on, when there are outsiders, we must pretend to be a normal married couple.”

Liu Changning tilted her head, their eyes meeting. Pei Yuanshao quickly averted his gaze, feeling ashamed and annoyed, his tear mole involuntarily trembling up and down.

She looked at him suspiciously: “I’ll sleep in your room? From now on, we’ll share a bed?”

The man close before her eyes narrowed his eyes, pressed his lips together, and said through gritted teeth: “If you’re unwilling, I’ll clear out the soft couch by the window today, alright?”

Since her convenient husband’s room was more suitable for sleeping than the other mud houses, and he was now taking the initiative to humbly plead, Liu Changning wasn’t stubborn. It was only for a month’s time anyway.

Moreover, she was becoming increasingly pale now, her appearance visibly changing beyond control. The matter of meditation would have to be put aside before leaving Xiqiao Village. Living in the same room with her convenient husband wouldn’t interfere.

Since they wouldn’t be sharing a bed, it would also fulfill the promise she made to him yesterday.

Thinking of this, Liu Changning nodded and pointed at the man in tattered clothes not far away, instructing: “You take care of accommodating him first.”

After saying this, she turned and walked into the woodshed.

−

From the corner of his eye, that patch of clothing hem gradually moved farther away.

Jing Huan lowered her head, a flash of fierceness passing through her eyes.

She clenched her fists, her fingertips digging into her palms.

From above came Pei Yuanshao’s affected coquettish questioning: “Your name is Guangjing, hmm? Where are you from and what kind of work can you do?”

Jing Huan felt a mouthful of blood stuck in her throat. Was this person intending to use him as a servant?

She raised her eyes, cold light radiating from them. Although extremely restrained, three parts still leaked out.

Having held a high position for many years, Pei Yuanshao was very sensitive to others’ hostility. His originally casual gaze suddenly focused.

He carefully scrutinized the person not far away again, the smile at the corner of his lips growing even more pronounced, turbulence hidden in the depths of his eyes. This person was not simple.

The man at the bottom of the steps wore tattered clothes. He had been lowering his head all along, his scattered black hair completely obscuring the expression on his face, making it impossible to see his full appearance.

Now, he raised his head. A face that was not flamboyant but resolute and gentle was suddenly exposed to the air.

His features were not ostentatious – phoenix eyes, a straight nose, full lips – put together, though his appearance was not stunningly beautiful, he was still a handsome young man from the streets, refined and courteous.

Their eyes met.

That person very quickly averted his gaze, his expression showing no trace of panic, his whole person standing straight.

If not for the tattered clothes he wore, his bedraggled appearance.

If dressed in fine silks and brocades, with that bearing, even if someone said he was a young master from a noble family, it wouldn’t be out of place.

Pei Yuanshao leaned against the wooden door. Although his heart was filled with doubt, his face didn’t show it. He looked at this person with a smile, but had no intention of inviting him into the house.

Jing Huan had no choice but to cup her hands and reply in a clear voice: “In response to the young master’s question, this humble one’s home is in Langhuanqishan. My parents passed away early, and now only I remain in the family. Recently there has been fighting in the north, so I fled here with the people from town.”

After saying this, she glanced at Pei Yuanshao. Seeing the smile on his face but scrutiny in his eyes, she forced a smile, looking completely innocent.

It was only natural for someone as clever as the Empress Consort to be suspicious and alert.

But no matter what he was thinking, this trip to Xiqiao Village was absolutely necessary.

The master had arrived, and she needed to take her back to share in the prosperity and splendor of the mortal world.

The only regret was that Pei Yuanshao had interfered, not only breaking up the situation that had been carefully arranged in Jinling City.

Now it was even worse, the wife who came to the door, found at random, turned out to be possessed by the master.

From the very beginning, she didn’t believe that the master’s cold and aloof personality would take a liking to such an excessively flamboyant young man as Pei Yuanshao.

It was all just an act, but for whom to see? Heh…

Yesterday it took an entire day to thoroughly investigate everything that had happened in the month since the Empress Consort was demoted to the northern frontier.

It seemed that although he was in Xiqiao Village now, he had likely already made contact with his aunt who was far away on the frontlines.

Originally planning such a scheme, pretending to be foolish and simple-minded, marrying a farmer woman, letting him and the nobles in Jinling City relax their surveillance of him. After all, a married young man couldn’t make big waves no matter what.

On the other hand, as soon as the Empress Consort entered North Ring County, he first provoked Chen Nianci’s hatred and surveillance. It seemed to be a meticulously calculated plan, one ring linked to another.

It should be known that there was a deep blood feud between Pei Yunzhi and the Xie clan. If he wanted to make a move against Pei Yuanshao, how could the Xie clan, who were watching Pei Yuanshao, not know?

Therefore, if Pei Yunzhi wanted to do something to the Empress Consort, it would only become more and more difficult.

That person had calculated everything, seemingly just to investigate the spies in the Northern Army.

This time the Northern Army’s great defeat of the Northern Barbarians was originally his plan. The Yongtai Emperor had left spies for him in the North, and he had used his hidden forces to arrange a situation, attempting to grasp the weakness of General Mo.

He had planned to infiltrate his own trusted subordinates into the Northern Army, thereby grasping control over the command of the Northern Army’s 300,000 troops.

But unexpectedly, upon entering North Ring County, he learned that not only had his plan failed to succeed, but it had backfired completely.

This time, with the Northern Army’s great victory, let alone infiltrating his trusted subordinates into the Northern Army, even the spies buried in secret by the Yongtai Emperor would likely meet with more misfortune than fortune.

If it was just because of this matter, catching him off guard, it would still have been discovered not too late. In any case, even if he could no longer have designs on the Northern Army’s 300,000 troops, with General Mo’s daughter in his hands, he could still use this to gain some benefits.

What truly enraged Jing Huan was that Pei Yuanshao had to use her master as his nominal wife, of all people.

Calculating from the time of the falling star, that scoundrel had been coercing the master for many days. Thinking of how the two of them had been putting on an act earlier, whispering in each other’s ears, Jing Huan regretted not falling. Back then in Jinling City, she should have stabbed him to death with one knife.

Jing Huan’s thoughts churned, but her tone remained particularly frank as she continued: “This humble one knows a bit of cooking, and usually tidies up the house at home, so I can do some household chores.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely true.” Jing Huan cupped her hands and answered, but saw the man in red leaning against the wooden door narrow his eyes, his phoenix eyes full of playfulness.

For some reason, an ominous feeling arose in her heart.

Just as she was about to investigate carefully, that person’s languid voice entered her ear.

“Since you know how to do household chores, that’s perfect. It just so happens that it rained yesterday, and the house is leaking badly. Now the rooms are full of water. I’ve never been good at housework, so I’ll leave this matter to you.”

Jing Huan hesitated and nodded, then entered the old house together with Pei Yuanshao.

Several mud houses that had turned into water rooms came into view.

The submissive expression on her face completely cracked. She raised her eyes and met the red-clad man’s scrutinizing gaze, which seemed to be smiling yet not. From the corner of her eye, she saw that hurried figure not far away, and restrained herself from the urge to kill.

In her heart, she cursed that despicable young man Pei Yuanshao countless times, thinking to herself that this person must never fall into her hands, otherwise…

When Liu Changning finished packing her clothes and came out of her convenient husband’s room.

She happened to see him lying back in the rocking chair, gesturing and directing the newly arrived young man.

“You… that wooden chair in the main hall should be placed on the inside of the square table… No, the angle you’ve placed it at is wrong!”

“That broken vase would look more beautiful with some wildflowers in it. After you finish tidying up the main hall, go to the back mountain to pick some flowers.”

…

Not far away, the man wearing patched hemp clothes lowered his head, clenched his fists with blue veins bulging, yet for some unknown reason, did not act out.

Liu Changning raised her eyes and looked around. The mess in the house had been mostly cleaned up by the newly arrived young man.

She walked to Pei Yuanshao’s side, lowered her head, nodded towards the young man in the main hall, and reproached: “Isn’t that going too far? You’re both young men. That person can clean up the room spotlessly, while you can only helplessly watch the mess inside. It’s one thing if you can’t do it yourself and don’t lend a hand to help, but treating someone like a servant is a bit unreasonable, isn’t it?”

“Are you saying I’m not as good as him?” The man in red suddenly looked up, a flash of hurt passing through his eyes.

He suppressed the indescribable disappointment in his heart, raised his slender hand to point at that man in the distance, and sneered: “What I can do, he may not necessarily be able to… What’s the use of arguing about these things with you, a farm woman? If you feel sorry for him, why don’t you go help yourself?”