Belated wishes on the Chinese New Year! 新年快乐！
Gu Lin ran back to Xiangsi Courtyard and burst into tears in front of Bai yiniang.
Seeing her like this, Bai yiniang was immediately heartbroken.
“Lin’er, what’s wrong? Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I’ll stand up for you.”
Gu Lin gritted her teeth, her makeup smudged all over her face.
She didn’t care about her appearance at the moment and wiped her tears while saying, “It’s my da jiejie. She said that because yiniang goes to the shangfang every day to abide by the rules, you’ve probably offended taitai and have been punished.
“She mocked me in front of er jiejie, saying that it wasn’t my turn to be invited to the prefect’s furen’s banquet. Waaah…! Yiniang, what should I do? If all my sisters go to the banquet and I’m the only one left out, it’ll be so humiliating. I won’t live with this shame.”
Bai yiniang sneered coldly upon hearing this. Gu Zhen asking for a beating.
She patted Gu Lin’s head and said earnestly, “You, you’re still too impatient. I thought it was something serious, but for such a small matter, how could you cry like this? If someone saw, those gossipy maids would surely spread rumors.”
Gu Lin tried hard to stop crying, looking at Bai yiniang with teary eyes. “Yiniang, what should I do? I also want to attend the prefect’s furen’s banquet. If my sisters go and I don’t, I… I… waaah…!”
The tears Gu Lin had just managed to stop fell again.
Bai yiniang raised her hand, holding a handkerchief, and gently wiped away Gu Lin’s tears.
She said, “Yiniang promises you that you will attend the prefect’s furen’s banquet.”
“Really? But taitai doesn’t like yiniang and because of that, she dislikes nü’er too. Will taitai let me attend the banquet?”
Bai yiniang affirmed, “Certainly. No matter what, yiniang will make sure you attend the this banquet.”
Gu Lin instantly smiled through her tears and hugged Bai yiniang‘s waist. “Yiniang is the best.”
Bai yiniang smiled softly, stroking Gu Lin’s back. She gazed out the window, her expression gradually darkening.
If Xie shi was going to be unjust, she couldn’t blame her for being ruthless. Bai yiniang suddenly chuckled silently, her lips curling into a mocking smile.
In shangfang, the doors and windows were tightly shut.
In the sweltering summer heat, the room was stiflingly hot.
Xie shi sat upright in the main seat, having sent all the maids out of the room. Standing before her was an older woman—a trusted servant known as Ping mama.
Ping mama was Xie shi‘s closest confidante. All the tasks Xie shi couldn’t handle openly were entrusted to Ping mama. It could be said that the only person who knew all of Xie shi‘s secrets was her.
With no outsiders present, Xie shi still lowered her voice to ask, “How did it go?”
Ping mama nodded slightly. “The information is confirmed. At the prefect’s furen’s banquet in ten days, Lu hou Pei Ren’s daughter, Pei Yun, will attend.”
Xie shi grew nervous, her palms beginning to sweat. Clutching a handkerchief, she asked, “Are you sure?”
Ping mama replied confidently, “This information came from the spy da laoye planted in Jinzhou. It cannot be wrong.”
Xie shi visibly relaxed. If the news came from her elder brother’s spy in Jinzhou, it must be accurate.
Even though Xie er laoye had left Jinzhou, she was still tasked by her elder brother, Xie Mao, to complete this mission.
The fact that Pei Yun would attend the banquet in ten days presented an opportunity Xie shi couldn’t afford to miss.
Xie shi asked, “Is everything prepared?”
Ping mama retrieved a small porcelain vial from her sleeve. “Please inspect it, taitai.”
Xie shi took the vial, opened it, and sniffed it. There was a faint fragrance. “What is its effect?”
Ping mama replied with pride, “This kind of sedative is highly effective. Those who inhale it will remain conscious but lose all strength in their limbs. With this, liu shaoye can effortlessly take down Pei da guniang, turning the raw rice into cooked. At that point, for the sake of Pei da guniang‘s reputation, Lu hou will have to pinch his nose and accept this marriage.”
Hearing this, Xie shi nodded, feeling more confident.
Ping mama then asked softly, “Taitai, should we inform liu shaoye about this?”
Xie shi hesitated, her expression conflicted. Eventually, she shook her head slightly. “No, we won’t tell liu lang yet. When the time comes, I’ll have a maid lead him there.”
“But if liu shaoye doesn’t cooperate, what then?”
Xie shi chuckled softly. “A man and a woman alone in a room—even if nothing happens, what will people think? Outsiders will assume that liu lang and Pei da guniang have had some sort of relationship. With the right maneuvering, the marriage will be inevitable.”
Ping mama frowned, less optimistic than Xie shi. “Taitai, I’ve heard that Lu hou has a fiery temper. If he reacts in anger and harms liu shaoye, what then?”
Hearing this, Xie shi frowned as well. She considered all possibilities and ultimately stuck to her original decision.
“We still won’t tell liu lang. If things go wrong, liu lang can always claim he was unaware and had been set up to extricate himself from the situation.”
Ping mama asked, “If the plan fails and da laoye asks for an explanation, what should be said?”
Xie shi snorted coldly. “My da ge’s mission is important, but liu lang’s life is even more so. I’m not going to put liu lang in danger. If a connection with Pei jia is truly needed, it’s not as if it has to be liu lang. Worst case, let san yatou…”
At this point, Xie shi‘s heart clenched with pain.
Gu Yue was her most cherished daughter. How could she bear to send Gu Yue to Pei jia as a concubine?
Yes, if Gu Yue were to enter the Pei family now, it would only be as a concubine.
Lu hou Pei Ren’s eldest son, Pei da shaoye, was already married and had children. If they wanted to forge a connection with Pei jia, and they were in the capital, things could be a little flexible. But now that they were in the north-west, they could only focus on Pei da guniang or Pei da shaoye.
If liu lang Gu Cheng didn’t succeed in taking down Pei da guniang, the only option left would be to turn their attention to Pei da shaoye.
But Pei da shaoye was married, so if Gu Yue were to enter the family, she could only be a concubine. The mere thought of this outcome made Xie shi‘s heart ache.
Clutching her chest, she said to Ping mama, “No matter what, liu lang must succeed with Pei da guniang.“
Ping mama calmly said, “Taitai, to ensure success, I believe the truth must be shared with the liu shaoye. His cooperation is essential to this plan.”
“How can I tell him?”
Xie shi felt a pang of guilt. Her son was so outstanding, so proud.
How could she bring herself to tell her precious son, “You must sleep with Pei da guniang, and I’ll take care of the aftermath so you can marry her”?
Xie shi closed her eyes in anguish. She couldn’t say it. Such words would expose her ugliest side in front of her son, making her seem so despicable and lowly.
The mere thought of her beloved son looking at her with disbelief and disgust was unbearable. She would rather hide the truth and quietly make things happen behind the scenes. Afterward, she could pretend it was all an accident.
That way, in her son’s eyes, she would still be the loving mother he admired.
Ping mama looked at Xie shi and sighed inwardly. She knew what Xie shi was thinking.
“Taitai is too soft-hearted. Liu shaoye is grown now, and it’s time he learned about these matters.”
“Shut up!” Xie shi gripped the armrest tightly and snapped at Ping mama. “It’s easy for you to say. How could I say such things? Liu lang… he’s determined to become a scholar and serve as an official. How can I let him get involved in such filthy matters?”
“Liu shaoye will encounter such things sooner or later. Knowing earlier will allow him to prepare and avoid being schemed against.”
Xie shi‘s face turned pale, and she shook her head repeatedly. “I can’t tell him.”
Ping mama thought for a moment and said, “If taitai cannot say it, then let nubi tell him.”
Xie shi stared at Ping mama with blazing anger. “What are you trying to do? Are you deliberately trying to drive a wedge between me and my son?”
Ping mama replied emotionlessly, “Nubi wouldn’t dare! It’s just that taitai underestimates liu shaoye. He is intelligent and mature. Even if taitai doesn’t tell him, do you think he won’t figure it out? When he opens the door and sees Pei da guniang, do you think he won’t realize what’s going on?
“Taitai, think about it. How would liu shaoye feel then? Wouldn’t he blame you for not telling him? If taitai tells him in advance, and liu shaoye is unwilling, then we can abandon the plan and think of another way.
“If liu shaoye understands taitai’s intentions and agrees to cooperate, then the plan has a better chance of success. Or does taitai truly intend to send the san guniang to Pei jia as a concubine?”
Xie shi hesitated and struggled, her lips trembling as she uncertainly asked, “Do I really need to tell liu lang?”
Ping mama nodded firmly. “For this plan to succeed, liu shaoye’s cooperation is crucial. Taitai, don’t hesitate any longer.”
Xie shi closed her eyes in pain and nodded slightly. “Then you will go and explain everything to liu lang.”
“Nubi obeys.”
Ping mama let out a long sigh of relief.
Leave a Reply