In the study, a Boshan incense burner on the desk gently exhaled fragrant clouds, the smoke curling delicately around.
Shen Yunshu confided to Pei Huaijin the secret she had kept buried deep in her heart.
When she was ten, she followed her mother into the Lu family through marriage.
She had heard that her stepfather had long admired her mother when they were young.
This reunion with her mother had made him love her dearly, and by extension, he showed extra care to her, his stepdaughter.
Their relationship had been peaceful enough, and she got along fairly well with her stepfather’s children.
Lu Yi, two years her senior, had a difficult temper, but he spent most of his time studying at the academy and rarely came home, so Shen Yunshu had little contact with him.
Until one day, when she went to the tile market with her maid, she unexpectedly saw him there.
He, who should have been studying at the academy, was instead drinking and watching a show with a group of ruffians at the market…
He threatened her not to tell their stepfather.
Shen Yunshu had always been somewhat afraid of him, so she had no choice but to agree.
But a few days later, somehow, their stepfather found out about Lu Yi skipping school.
He dragged him back from outside and beat him nearly to death in the ancestral hall.
Since then, Lu Yi suddenly became hostile toward her.
On the surface, he no longer clashed with elders, no longer caused trouble, humbling himself to study diligently.
Within three years, he passed the County Examination, then successfully became a Xiucai.
From a rebellious youth, he grew into a modest and courteous talent.
Everyone thought he had truly reformed, but only Shen Yunshu knew the boy was still as malicious at heart.
He was convinced that she had reported him to their stepfather and secretly bullied her frequently.
Naturally, she was no pushover and often fought back. But after she came of age, he changed his methods of “bullying” her.
He would say he liked her, teasing her against her will, pretending to be a harmonious sibling in front of elders, but behind the scenes, sabotaging her marriage prospects.
She felt helpless, living in fear for over a year and ashamed to ask elders for help, until she could only run away.
After Shen Yunshu finished recounting the past, she began speaking of what had happened today in the Lu family’s backyard.
“After I left Mother’s courtyard, he tricked me with a maid to the guest room. Sensing something was wrong, I knocked him down with a vase and escaped.”
“But I don’t understand why Yuran and Seventh Young Master Pei would have gone there.”
“When I came back from the front yard to find them, they were locked inside the guest room by someone.”
“Yet both were still clear-headed, though injured, and had not done anything inappropriate…”
She paused to catch her breath before continuing, “Lu Yi is obsessive and dark-hearted. I even suspect he was behind the Snatching the Bride Incident that day.”
“Today he caused trouble again, nearly harming Yuran and Seventh Young Master Pei. Though none of this was my intention, it all stems from me, so I am willing to accept the consequences…”
Pei Huaijin rested his forehead on his palm, quietly listening to her story.
Being entangled by her stepbrother—though not her fault—was a stain on her name. \
Society was harsh on women, and if such an improper affair were to be spread, it would ruin her reputation even more.
So there was no need for her to lie.
To protect her sister, she was willing to reveal her own wounds, just as Shen Youran was willing to sully herself to protect her.
Such sisterly devotion was rare.
“No wonder after the Marriage Swap, you’d rather marry Seventh Young Master Pei than return…”
He had never understood why she chose to marry someone who was clearly not her match, when she could have gone back home and started fresh.
Now he saw the true reason.
“You fled from the Lu family to the Shen family, then begrudgingly stayed in the Pei family. Do you intend to hide from him your entire life?”
“I once thought that if I married someone, he would give up his dark desires. But now I see I was too naive.”
Though her tone was resigned, her clear eyes revealed an indomitable spirit.
“Lu Yi once openly sought to marry Yuran, to force me to break off with the Pei family. I refused and plotted to send him to prison. Unfortunately, he was only jailed for half a month. Had he been imprisoned longer, the Snatching the Bride Incident might never have happened…”
A woman trapped in the backyard of the household was even familiar with the law, which surprised Pei Huaijin.
What surprised him more was that Lu Yi had feelings for Shen Youran, even openly proposed to her.
No wonder…
No wonder that night after the Marriage Swap, when he tested her about whether she had attracted other men, her guilty expression was impossible to hide, causing him to misunderstand her.
What a huge burden she had borne.
Putting aside his guilt toward her for now, Pei Huaijin continued, “I will ask Dàyǐsì Sīzhí Xiao Ci to investigate the Snatching the Bride Incident thoroughly. It should be resolved soon.”
“Thank you, big brother.”
“As for your stepbrother harassing you, I will keep it confidential.”
“Many thanks, big brother.”
“No need to thank me. I have one more matter to entrust to you…”
“Please, big brother, speak.”
“Seventh Young Master Pei has been unmotivated for years. Now that he’s married, it’s time to settle his mind.”
“Third uncle and I have agreed to keep him at home to focus on his studies and cultivate his character. Though we’ve hired a tutor, you will need to supervise him.”
“In a year’s time, we might send him to Yingtian Prefecture Academy or prepare him for the County Examination…”
Though this was a good thing, Shen Yunshu felt troubled.
On the day of the Marriage Swap, she and Pei Huaian had agreed not to interfere with his life or pressure him to improve.
That was why he agreed to pretend to be her husband.
If she agreed to Pei Huaijin’s plan now, would Pei Huaian refuse to continue the charade?
However, since Pei Huaijin had promised to get the Dali Si to quickly capture Lu Yi, she could accept this for now.
As for Pei Huaian, she would find a way to keep him pacified until Lu Yi was banished from the capital.
Then she could regain her freedom and leave the Pei mansion.
After a moment, her frown eased, and she obediently agreed, “Yes, big brother, I will supervise Seventh Young Master Pei diligently…”
Pei Huaijin watched the flicker in her eyes and briefly pondered what she might be thinking.
Not wanting to pry, he accepted her answer and said no more, “It’s still early; I’ll visit the Dali Si. You may make yourself comfortable here.”
“Comfortable” meant she could roam freely around the courtyard, including going to see her sister—the foolish girl who locked herself away copying The Etiquette for Women.
When Shen Yunshu entered, Shen Youran had just asked Danruo to bring ink and brush to copy The Etiquette for Women.
Hearing the door open, she thought it was Pei Huaijin entering.
Bowing her head in earnest repentance, the wolf-hair brush in her hand was suddenly snatched away, and her sister’s mock-angry face appeared before her.
“Why take all the blame yourself? Are you stupid or what?”
Danruo had already told her that sister was here, probably called by Pei Huaijin for questioning.
“Sister, you…”
She was at a loss where to begin.
“I have already explained everything clearly with big brother. You and Pei Huaian are not at fault today.”
“Does he believe you?”
“He should.”
“How did you explain it?”
“Honestly.”
Shen Yunshu forced a light smile.
“The medicine in the incense was put there by Lu Yi. But why were you and Pei Huaian together? Why did you go to the guest room?”
“I…I saw you go there. I wanted to find you, but I met a drunken and lost Pei Huaian. He said he wanted to bring you back together, so I took him to the guest room to find you…”
“I see.”
It was such a simple reason, not the secret tryst Pei Huaijin and she had imagined.
“You must have guessed it—Lu Yi drugged the incense…to harm me.”
Shen Youran only dared suspect this in her heart, holding onto hope that it might be her imagination.
She hadn’t expected her sister to admit it outright.
“Lu Yi is really, truly that despicable?”
Shen Yunshu nodded.
“He sought to marry you to force me out of the Pei family. When I refused, I had him sent to prison. But he was only held for half a month. If he had been imprisoned longer, the Snatching the Bride Incident might never have happened…”
Shen Youran was shocked and covered her mouth.
She hadn’t expected her sister to have engineered Lu Yi’s imprisonment.
Beneath her seemingly calm life hid such dangerous undercurrents.
If not for her sister shielding her behind the scenes, she would have been dragged into that whirlpool.
“I used to think he was a good person. Turns out, he’s a hypocritical villain.”
Shen Youran cursed him a few times before asking, “You didn’t tell Pei Huaijin all this, did you?”
Shen Yunshu tapped her forehead affectionately and helplessly.
“If I didn’t tell him the truth, would you bear the blame? Besides, today’s incident wasn’t small. Had I not arrived in time and something happened to you and Pei Huaian, the Pei family would insist on investigating, and my secret might not stay hidden…”
“Sister,” Shen Youran grasped her hand with deep concern.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? If I had known he treated you this way, I would have beaten him badly…”
“People like him cling on once involved. I don’t want you to have anything to do with him anymore…”
Meanwhile, Pei Huaijin went to Dali Si to meet his old classmate Xiao Ci.
Naturally, the evening included a feast with a few friends at Fengle Restaurant.
Though he didn’t get drunk, three rounds of drinking in one day took a toll on his body.
When he returned to Yunzhi Courtyard, he found the bedroom dimly lit and assumed she had already gone to bed, leaving only a small lamp on for him.
Noticing the strong scent of alcohol on himself, he washed up and chose to sleep in the study.
The next day, his leave ended, and he had to go to Shumi Yuan to observe government affairs.
He woke early, washed, ate breakfast, and left.
As a newcomer and newlywed, his colleagues at Shumi Yuan showed their care by taking him out for another meal after duty.
Thus, he spent a second night in the study.
Having not entered the bedroom for two nights made Shen Youran think he was still angry.
But hadn’t her sister already explained everything clearly?
Why still treat her coldly?
Yet without him beside her, Shen Youran slept unusually well.
If he wanted to be angry, let him be angry longer; she was happy to sleep alone.
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