Lady Xiao’s gentle coaxing smoothed out her resistance.
Shen Youran nodded obediently and seriously began to study.
A maid nearby listened for a while by the window, then slipped out unnoticed, heading to the second mistress’s courtyard.
The Second Madam, upon hearing that Pei Huaijin had invited Lady Xiao as a Mu Shi for Shen Youran, grew suspicious.
Lady Xiao was renowned in the capital for her virtue; even great families struggled to invite her.
She wondered what means Pei Huaijin used to bring her here.
At first, she hoped Shen Youran’s lazy and rebellious nature would prevent her from learning well.
But messengers sent to Yunzhi Courtyard reported that Shen Youran had changed her laziness and was studying earnestly with Lady Xiao, who lavished praise on her.
This made the Second Madam restless and anxious.
If the eldest daughter-in-law of the main house could learn even a fraction of Lady Xiao’s skills, the Old Lady would hand over the household management to her.
Though the Second Madam knew she would eventually have to relinquish control, she wished that day would come later rather than sooner.
Hearing that Shen Youran had started learning bookkeeping, she could no longer restrain herself.
She summoned a trusted maid, handed over a packet of cold medicine, and instructed her to secretly sprinkle a little of it into Shen Youran’s early meals delivered to Ci You Courtyard.
The medicine wasn’t poison; men with abundant yang energy were unaffected.
But for women with deficient yang, it caused discomfort.
The Second Madam didn’t want to go too far—only to delay Shen Youran’s progress a few days, so she wouldn’t graduate so quickly.
Meanwhile, Shen Youran struggled with bookkeeping and was discouraged.
Fortunately, Lady Xiao continued to encourage and praise her, so she persevered.
The next morning, after breakfast, Pei Huaijin left as usual.
Shen Youran mustered her spirit, waiting for Lady Xiao’s arrival to start the lesson.
They reviewed yesterday’s content, and just as Lady Xiao was about to teach something new, Shen Youran suddenly felt discomfort in her lower abdomen.
She interrupted the lesson.
“Auntie, I feel some pain; I want to change clothes…”
“Go ahead.”
Shen Youran left.
The mild pain made her think she needed to use the restroom, but after going, the discomfort barely lessened.
She returned and sat down, only for the pain to return again.
This cycle repeated several times, making it impossible to focus on the lesson.
Lady Xiao packed up the account books and said kindly, “Did you eat something bad? Let’s skip today’s lesson; rest well. If you still feel unwell, have someone call the Langzhong to examine you.”
Lady Xiao had other noble daughters waiting for lessons and couldn’t waste time.
Shen Youran touched her aching belly and thought it strange.
She hadn’t eaten anything after breakfast, and her period was still five or six days away; this pain was unusual.
Still, the lesson couldn’t continue.
She apologized and sent Lady Xiao off, then asked Danruo to make some hot tea.
Drinking it didn’t ease the pain.
“Young Madam, maybe we should ask the Langzhong to come examine you,” Danruo suggested anxiously.
“Let’s wait a bit longer—maybe it will get better.”
Sure enough, after noon, the pain eased and was gone by evening.
Shen Youran didn’t give it much thought.
But the next day, the same inexplicable pain returned, stronger this time, disrupting her lesson again.
Lady Xiao had to end class early once more and arranged for a Langzhong to check on her.
The doctor said there was nothing seriously wrong, just a slight chill.
He advised her to wear more clothes and avoid cold food but didn’t prescribe medicine.
Lady Xiao’s expression changed.
“If it’s nothing serious, we’ll pause lessons until you recover. Inform me when you’re ready again.”
Though gentle, it was clear Lady Xiao was upset.
“Auntie, I really am unwell. Maybe my period is coming,” Shen Youran insisted.
She wasn’t faking or trying to avoid lessons; the pain was mysterious, and the Langzhong’s diagnosis was puzzling.
“Don’t worry. Rest and take care of yourself.”
Lady Xiao left soon after.
Shen Youran clutched her belly, troubled.
She genuinely wanted to learn, but now Lady Xiao refused to teach.
When Pei Huaijin found out, he would surely scold her.
At dusk, Pei Huaijin finally returned.
By then, Shen Youran’s pain had subsided.
Knowing she hadn’t purposely driven Lady Xiao away, she felt aggrieved when Pei Huaijin asked why she had missed lessons again.
“I want to learn, but I really was in pain…” she said softly.
Pei Huaijin’s gaze mirrored Lady Xiao’s from earlier—clearly doubting her.
“Does it still hurt? If so, I’ll have someone bring the Langzhong again.”
“The Langzhong already came during the day.
He said it was just a chill.”
“Maybe that Langzhong wasn’t experienced with this.
I’ll have another come.”
He immediately sent Danruo out to fetch another doctor.
The second Langzhong also found nothing wrong, speculating either chill or bad food, advising her to be careful.
After the doctor left, Pei Huaijin sat formally across from her and asked, “Do you have anything to say?”
Shen Youran had no words for her grievances but stubbornly defended herself.
“I’m not lying. I really was in pain during the day. If you don’t believe me, that’s fine.”
Though suspicious, Pei Huaijin had no proof and didn’t want to make things difficult.
He said, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll personally go to Lady Xiao’s residence to apologize.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No need. What if you have pain again tomorrow?”
“Hmm.”
“Lady Xiao won’t come these two days; you must not slack off and should study by yourself.”
Shen Youran muttered, “I can’t learn even with someone teaching me, and you want me to study alone…”
Pei Huaijin didn’t tell her that he planned to return quietly after apologizing to Lady Xiao to find out the real reason behind her pain.
That night, Shen Youran brought out a thick quilt from her wardrobe and asked Danruo to prepare several Tangpozi (warming packets).
“What’s this for?”
Pei Huaijin noticed the extra quilt on the bed as she stuffed the warming packets beneath it.
“The Langzhong said my pain might be from a chill,” she busied herself.
“Maybe it’s because we share one quilt. Tonight I’ll try sleeping under my own.”
Pei Huaijin stared at the extra quilt.
“Isn’t it warmer to sleep together?”
“Can that be warmer than the Tangpozi?”
“It can,” he said seriously.
“You can just hold me.”
No way!
She could barely tolerate sharing a quilt, but sleeping wrapped around him?
Thinking of that night when he held her tight and pinned her down for most of the night, leaving her sore and stiff the next day, she absolutely refused.
Shen Youran pouted, arranged the quilt carefully, and crawled under.
She twisted and turned, wrapping herself tightly like a chubby cocoon.
Pei Huaijin didn’t insist further.
He left a small lamp by the bed and extinguished the rest of the lights.
After drawing the curtains, the room was dim.
He wasn’t sleepy yet.
Resting his head on his hand, he pondered how to apologize to Lady Xiao tomorrow.
If he met Xiao Ci, he would ask about the abduction case and whether Lu Yi was really involved.
Thinking of the abduction reminded him of their wedding day, when he should have gone to welcome his bride but was summoned to the Palace.
His Majesty had been eager to see him because, in Pei Huaijin’s last three months as Lingzhou Tongzhi, someone impersonated the Former Crown Prince’s orphan, causing trouble among the people.
The case was simple to investigate, but since it involved the Former Crown Prince, the Zhizhou Daren hesitated to make a ruling and reported secretly to His Majesty.
His Majesty sent two eunuchs to Lingzhou for verification; both said it was not the same person.
The impersonator, likely scared, committed suicide in prison.
His Majesty asked Pei Huaijin what the man looked like.
Pei Huaijin truthfully reported the man looked nothing like His Majesty and had confessed to being a fraud, acting under others’ orders.
His Majesty was silent for a long time before murmuring, “If he truly were the Former Crown Prince’s orphan, he would be my grandson…”
Pei Huaijin respectfully and firmly answered, “Your Majesty, that man is not.”
His Majesty waved him off.
Had he not been delayed by the Palace visit, he would have welcomed his bride as planned.
Even if the abduction had happened, perhaps he would have discovered it earlier.
The more he thought, the clearer his mind became.
Beside him, the sleeping woman was quiet, deeply asleep.
They said carefree people always sleep deeply.
Pei Huaijin smiled softly and turned to look at her, just in time to see her overheating.
She’d pulled out two hands from under the quilt, stretching them above her head.
If he counted correctly, she had stuffed seven Tangpozi beneath the quilt.
There was still a burning Xunlu in the room, and the extra quilt she brought was thick.
She was so hot her nose was flushed.
Just leaving her arms out wasn’t enough.
Soon, she kicked off the quilt, leaving most of her body exposed.
This wasn’t good—going from hot to cold easily led to illness.
Pei Huaijin kindly tucked the quilt back over her.
A moment later, she kicked it off again, turned onto her side, groaning when the Tangpozi poked her.
She whimpered and rolled toward him.
Without thinking, he lifted his own quilt.
The delicate, fragrant young lady rolled right into his embrace.
Her small hands fumbled at his chest, seemingly content with this “big warming packet,” her head resting on his shoulder.
Her arms and legs draped over him, she finally stopped moving.
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