Wish You All the Best - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

After leaving the palace, the two of them returned to the same carriage. Pei You’an continued to lose himself in the book he was holding.

Jiafu could not control her thoughts; the scene of Pei You’an and the female Daoist priest stopping on the palace path kept playing in her mind.

It seemed that he had encountered the priestess on her way out while he was on his way to fetch Jiafu.

Calculating by the timing, the two of them must have been talking for quite a while by the time she reached them.

Jiafu was certain: when he looked at that priestess, his gaze was gentle.

Although he had always been courteous to her, Jiafu could not recall a single moment when he had looked at her with such tenderness.

When he faced her, he was either expressionless, lecturing her, or wearing a smile that was clearly born of tolerance.

Jiafu couldn't help but glance at the Pei You’an beside her once more.

His eyelashes were lowered, his gaze fixed on the page with intense concentration.

A sour feeling welled up in Jiafu’s heart, bringing with it a wave of sadness.

It was obvious that they had known each other in the past. She had already calculated the possibilities in her mind several times.

When Chi Hanzhen was reduced to a government slave, Pei You’an had already left the capital. However, Scholar Chi had served in the Hanlin Academy for a long time as a master of painting and calligraphy and had spent many years as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. Since Pei You’an had long been renowned for his talent and had passed the imperial examinations as a youth, he and Scholar Chi must have had interactions.

Given that, it was no surprise that he recognized Chi Hanzhen.

One was a youthful scholar, the other a talented lady of a noble house—the more Jiafu thought about it, the more she felt the two were a perfect match.

A thought suddenly popped into her head.

Could it be that Pei You’an remained unmarried his entire life in his previous existence because he pined for this priestess? And because she, moved by her tragic circumstances, refused to return to secular life, he left the capital in despair, venturing to the frontier, only to die young, coughing up blood?

Jiafu could not help but turn to look at Pei You’an again, staring at the elegant contours of his side profile.

Pei You’an continued to read, then suddenly said, "What is it?" His eyes remained fixed on the book.

Jiafu was startled. She opened her small mouth, hesitated, and finally shook her head. She murmured "Nothing," and turned her face away, feeling dejected.

Pei You’an glanced at her, then turned a page.

The two did not speak another word for the rest of the journey. Upon returning to the Pei residence, Pei You’an took Jiafu to pay respects at the ancestral hall and then met with several clan elders. By dusk, they ate with Old Madam Pei. When they finally returned to their room and were at leisure, Pei You’an changed into casual clothes and left without telling Jiafu where he was going.

Considering her exhaustion today, the Old Madam had specifically said during dinner that they should rest early and that Jiafu didn't need to continue serving by her side.

She was indeed tired. Their wedding night had been complicated and left her poorly rested, and today had been a whirlwind of activity. Finally, she could take a breath...

Yet he had left again.

Jiafu felt deeply lost.

Pei You’an had just married under imperial decree and was granted three days of leave. Moreover, since they had just been to the palace that morning and it was nearly dark, Jiafu didn't believe he would go out for official business.

It was either to meet a friend, or...

She had an intuition that it might be related to the priestess she had met that morning.

Jiafu bathed, changed into light clothing, and waited for him in the room.

It grew pitch black, but he did not return.

Jiafu climbed into bed, tossed and turned for a while, then got up, dressed, and went to his study.

Back in Wuding Prefecture, Jiafu had discovered he had a habit: he would keep multiple copies of certain books in different places for easy access.

Holding a candle, she searched his study and soon found that copy of Lun Heng.

Jiafu took the book back to the room, leaned against the headboard, and began to read by candlelight.

After a few pages, she wanted to doze off.

It was such a dull book. The beginning lectured on grand principles, the middle lectured on grand principles, and the end did as well.

In short, it was a book about the grand principles of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

Jiafu forced herself to calm down, reading slowly, word by word.

Since he liked to read it, it must be good, and she had to read it too.

The night deepened, and Jiafu grew drowsier. Holding the book, she eventually drifted off to sleep.

Around ten in the evening, Pei You’an returned. Pushing open the ajar door, this was the scene he saw.

Jiafu was leaning against the headboard, sound asleep. One arm hung limply, and a book was sliding from her fair, delicate hand.

Pei You’an stepped forward gently, reached the bed, and took a look.

It was the same book he had read during the day.

She tilted her head, resting it askew on the silk pillow. Her cloud-like hair was disheveled, her two red lips slightly pouted, and her long eyelashes fluttered gently. She did not know what she was dreaming about, but even in her sleep, she looked somewhat aggrieved.

Pei You’an stood by the bed, watching her silently for a moment. He leaned down and reached out to take the book. The moment he touched it, her eyelashes stirred, and she opened her eyes, clearly seeing the shadow before the bed.

"Eldest Cousin! You're back!" With a cry of surprise and joy, she immediately threw back the quilt, ready to scramble up.

Pei You’an took the book, placed it casually on the bedside table, and said, "Sleep. You don't need to serve me."

With him saying that, Jiafu didn't have the guts to keep insisting on serving him. She knelt on the bed and watched his silhouette enter the washroom.

After he emerged, Jiafu gathered her courage and asked, feigning indifference, "Husband, where did you go tonight?"

"White Crane Temple."

He replied as if it were a casual matter.

Jiafu’s heart skipped a beat.

Her intuition was right!

She no longer had the courage to ask him what he was doing at White Crane Temple. A scene of him and that priestess discussing poetry and painting, sympathizing with one another’s souls, already floated before her eyes.

She gave a soft "Oh" and fell silent. Pei You’an also seemed to have something on his mind. Looking thoughtful, he said, "You go to sleep first. I'm going to the study for a while; I'll be back later." With that, he left.

He did not return until after midnight. Jiafu was still awake but pretended to be asleep. He climbed into bed with light movements and lay down, leaving the distance of half a body between them.

On the second night of their marriage, he did not touch Jiafu. The following afternoon, he went out again.

The wives of Duke Zhu and the Marquis of Anyuan came to visit the Pei residence in the afternoon. Naturally, the Old Madam summoned her new granddaughter-in-law to accompany the guests.

Jiafu’s heart was in chaos. Her intuition told her that Pei You’an had gone to White Crane Temple again. However, she dared not let a trace of emotion show before the Old Madam.

When she smiled, her eyes naturally curved, and even when she didn't smile, the corners of her vibrant red lips tilted slightly upward. She was both beautiful and sweet. The Old Madam said that having someone like her, who loved to smile all day, in the house brought good fortune. So, as the ladies gathered before the Old Madam to chatter, Jiafu kept a well-behaved smile on her face as she sat at the end of the line. Her cheeks began to ache, and suddenly, her heart jumped.

The ladies had brought up Chi Hanzhen, the granddaughter of the Chi family, who had recently become quite a point of interest.

The wife of Duke Zhu said, "I heard that two days ago, the Empress felt pity for her and summoned her into the palace, asking her about returning to secular life. But she refused. She really is a woman of strong will."

The wife of the Marquis of Anyuan sighed, "Isn't she? To show such integrity back then—not to mention women, how many men could do the same? Not only is she beautiful, but she was a talented woman even before her fate turned tragic when that rebel prince caused chaos."

Old Madam Pei nodded, "In the imperial exam where You’an passed as a scholar, her grandfather, Scholar Chi, was the chief examiner; they had a teacher-student bond. It is a pity for that child. I also knew the old Daoist master of White Crane Temple. In a few days, when I have some time, I will go over and pay a visit."

The ladies praised the Old Madam for her kindness. Jiafu became increasingly distracted. Finally, she saw the guests off.

Pei You’an and Jiafu were newlyweds, and their own courtyard didn't yet have a small kitchen, so they were temporarily eating with the Old Madam. When it grew dark and Pei You’an still hadn't returned, Jiafu served the Old Madam dinner. Because there were no outsiders present, the rules were relaxed, and the Old Madam let her eat with her, asking about Pei You’an.

Jiafu smiled, "He went to visit a friend."

Old Madam Pei replied, "I suspected as much. It’s just that you are newlyweds, and he is returning quite late. When I see him, I will speak to him."

Jiafu pretended to be a virtuous wife. As she ladled soup for the Old Madam, she smiled sweetly, "It is fine. He is a great man; it is only right that he goes out to socialize."

Old Madam Pei nodded, "Good child, you are truly understanding. Still, you are newlyweds, so he shouldn't leave you behind all the time. I will say something to him. You are returning to your parents' home tomorrow; when he returns, sleep early tonight and rest up."

Jiafu agreed. After dinner, she was dismissed by the Old Madam. It was not until the middle of the hour of the Dog (around 8:00 PM) that Pei You’’an returned.

He seemed very busy. Upon returning and changing his clothes, he went straight to the study.

Jiafu suppressed her tumultuous emotions and personally went to the small kitchen near the Old Madam’s quarters to make pigeon-egg and magnolia milk congee. In the snow-white milk congee, there were several halved pigeon eggs and floating magnolia petals—the gold was vibrant, the milk-white was pure. The fragrance of milk was intoxicating; it was as beautiful as it was delicious, and it even had a nickname: "Gold Resting in Snow."

The effort for this dessert lay entirely in the milk congee. While waiting for it to slowly simmer, Jiafu returned to her room, hurriedly bathed, and changed into a "Yuehua" (Moonlight) skirt. The skirt was made of ten panels of fabric, each in different shades—pink, green, goose-yellow, and iridescent hues—all fresh and delicate. Each panel was faintly shaded like an ink painting and gathered at the waist with pleats. When she walked, the skirt hem fluttered with her steps like the moon reflecting on a pond, sparkling with light. It was breathtakingly beautiful, hence the name.

Jiafu had Tanxiang style her hair in an alluring flower-crown bun, applied a thin layer of rouge, and admired her reflection, which was stunningly vibrant. Only then did she personally carry the food to the study.

Pei You’an was standing before a bookshelf with his back to her, buried in a thick book. Hearing Jiafu’s voice, he didn't even turn his head, only saying, "Put it down. You’ve gone to trouble."

Jiafu set it down. Unwilling to leave, she stood to one side and said, "Husband, remember to eat it while it’s hot. It won't taste good once it cools."

Pei You’an finally turned his head. His gaze landed on her and lingered for a moment before quickly looking away. He turned back and murmured, "Understood. I will eat it in a moment. Go rest; you don't need to wait for me. I have things to do."

After he finished speaking, he did not look back again.

Jiafu had no choice but to leave the study silently and return to their bedroom. She took off her clothes, angry that she really wouldn't wait for him, and climbed into bed.

He returned in the middle of the night again. Just like the night before, Jiafu pretended to be asleep, and he did not touch her.

Jiafu felt her heart twisted in knots; naturally, she did not sleep well that night. The next morning, she woke up with dark circles under her eyes. Fearing that she wouldn't look good for the return visit to her parents' home, she applied several layers of powder. Once ready, she followed Pei You’an into the carriage.

Her daughter having just married, the Madam Meng was naturally still in the capital, looking forward to their arrival from early morning. Pei You’an wore a smile and was extremely respectful. Madam Meng was satisfied to see her daughter and her ideal son-in-law. She entertained them with great hospitality. After lunch, they should have left, but Madam Meng was reluctant. Pei You’an smiled and said, "Mother-in-law, let Afu stay a while longer. I have some matters to attend to. You two mother and daughter talk; I will step out and return later to fetch her home."

Madam Meng would be returning to Quanzhou soon, so every meeting was one less. Hearing this, she was overjoyed and very grateful for her son-in-law’s thoughtfulness. She personally saw him to the gate. When she returned, she and Jiafu went into the room, where they had endless things to talk about.

Jiafu was a bit absent-minded, responding to her mother vaguely. By the hour of the Monkey (around 3:00 PM), Madam Meng stood up and said she would tell the kitchen to prepare snacks for Jiafu. Jiafu had no appetite, so she stood up too: "Mother, before I left this morning, the Old Madam and the others thought I would be back by noon. Grandmother expects me to serve her, and I don't know when Husband will return. It might be better if I head back on my own. When he gets back, you can just tell him."

Madam Meng thought this made sense and said, "Serving the Old Madam is important. It is fine if you return first. I will have Zhang Da take you."

Jiafu agreed with a smile. Madam Meng saw her daughter into the carriage and instructed Zhang Da to take her back to the Ducal Mansion. Once they reached the usual gate, Jiafu was helped down by Nanny Liu. As soon as she entered the gate, she waited until Zhang Da had left, then stepped back out, sat directly in the carriage, and ordered the driver to head toward White Crane Temple.

Nanny Liu and Tanxiang, who accompanied her, were baffled, but seeing Jiafu’s determined tone, they could only obey. When the carriage reached White Crane Temple in the south of the city, the temple gate was wide open, and small groups of female Daoists could be seen coming and going with incense bags.

Jiafu had come here in a fit of rage, but now that she had actually arrived, she didn't know what to do. Seeking out a person inside was a loss of status and dignity, so that was naturally out of the question. If she sent Nanny Liu in to find out the truth, she would inevitably have to explain her reasons.

Jiafu did not want anyone else to know about such a thing.

Unable to go in and unwilling to return like this, she sat in the carriage, dazed for a while, then told the driver to park on the roadside, waiting like a rabbit waiting for a tree—she would wait for Pei You’an to come out.

Nanny Liu and Tanxiang were confused, but they couldn't get anything out of her, so they sat in the carriage, staring at each other while keeping watch with Jiafu.

The sun gradually slanted westward, and the flow of people in and out of the temple thinned. Jiafu looked out from the corner of the window until her eyes were nearly strained, but she still didn't see Pei You’an. She thought of how he had returned late at night for two days in a row; he was likely still inside, but she couldn't wait until dark. Nanny Liu kept urging her from the side, and her heart felt like it was being clawed by a cat.

"My little mistress! You’ve been staring at that temple door for half a day! You’ve stared until flowers have bloomed! What exactly are you staring at? It’s almost dark; if we don’t go now, I’m afraid we’ll be questioned when we return!"

Nanny Liu was very anxious.

Jiafu was torn between tears and laughter, saying weakly, "Let's go back."

Nanny Liu chanted a prayer and stood up, about to urge the driver to leave. Just then, they heard the voice of the driver outside the carriage: "Master?!"

Jiafu’s heart jumped. Before she could sit up straight, she heard the sound of the carriage door being pushed open. She turned and saw Pei You’an appear at the carriage entrance, his eyes fixed on Jiafu.

Jiafu froze. Nanny Liu and Tanxiang looked at each other, realized what was happening, and hurriedly stood up to greet him.

"You two, get down."

This was naturally said to Nanny Liu and Tanxiang, his tone calm but containing an implied command.

The two dared not disobey, acknowledged him, and hurriedly climbed out.

Pei You’an stepped up, closed the carriage door, and the carriage moved forward.