Chapter 27 - Daughter's Fragrance
"This... this won't do..."
The Earl of Xining looked around the humble room in a fluster. His eyelids twitched as he noticed the wind leaking through the ceiling – even if he had the courage of a bear or a leopard, he wouldn't dare let the legitimate son of the Prime Minister suffer such indignity.
A single word, "Sir Earl", bridged the gap between father-in-law and son-in-law. The Earl urgently gestured at Cui Ti, hoping his daughter might intervene and persuade. Yet, in the next moment, realization struck him. How foolish he had been! Cui Ti was blind; how could she see his plea for help?
"Ti'er, please try to convince him. Isn't it better for both of you to stay in the Agarwood Courtyard?"
His voice carried a tone of desperation.
The warm and smiling Pei Xuan, and the distant and cold Pei Xuan, seemed like two entirely different people. She usually didn't act haughty, but when truly angered, she brought out her pride, exerting immense pressure on others.
It was true what they said—a good-tempered person's anger is more frightening.
The Earl of Xining paled, sweating profusely on his forehead.
One was her birth father, the other her new 'husband'—seeing Pei Xuan's cold expression from the corner of her eye, Cui Ti felt a stir of affection.
Pei Xuan always accommodated her in everything, if she advised her, this person would not persist.
But...
She cherished her husband in her heart. Pei Xuan doted on and treasured her, how could she stop her from venting?
If she didn't fully express her anger now, she might feel remorse tonight.
She naturally loved Pei Xuan, and thinking quickly, shook her head. "I'm married now, I follow my husband."
This was an attitude of non-interference.
The Earl of Xining goggled his eyes, about to rebuke her, when Pei Xuan raised her eyelids. "Uncle has quite the imposing manner."
What a thing to say!
The Earl of Xining's mouth twitched. No matter how imposing he was, how could he compare to this son-in-law with a shell harder than a golden turtle's?
"Son-in-law..."
Pei Xuan was unmoved. "Show him out."
Bai Tang was about to act when Hao Zhong subtly stopped her hand. The attendant who had silently stood by Pei Xuan's side all this time smiled and stepped forward. "Uncle, this way please."
He was Lord's man, and even moreso, Pei's man. Outside, his words and actions carried more weight than Bai Tang's. Even if the Earl of Xining held a petty grudge, he wouldn't take it out on his own daughter. Bai Tang was the young mistress's servant, with minimal contact between father and daughter in the future, avoiding trouble was preferable.
Today, Lord had utterly humiliated the Earl of Xining. Even if he was angry, he had to swallow it down and continue bowing and scraping in service.
"Uncle!"
Stepping outside the small courtyard, the Earl of Xining's legs went soft and he nearly fell over. The attendants nearby quickly propped him up. He looked back at the quiet, lonely courtyard silhouetted against the wind.
He naturally couldn't resent Cui Ti. She was a married daughter, and to be a proper Madam Pei she first couldn't offend Pei Xuan. Her lack of speech in that situation was understandable.
What truly horrified him was Pei Xuan's change in attitude. All smiles one moment, icy cold the next. At only eighteen, in that small room her aura had forced him to hunch his back.
This child would definitely accomplish great things in the future. But for now, had he offended her?
The wisest make mistakes. But this error could have been avoided!
Staring at the shabby little courtyard, he thought of the leaking roof, the poverty inside. Anger welled up in him. Striding to the back garden, he saw a maid and asked sternly, "Where is your mistress?"
The maid jumped in fright. "Mistress went to the White Peony Courtyard."
The White Peony Courtyard, bright lights illuminated.
Stepping inside, he saw the tidy, well-pruned flowers in the courtyard. But appreciating the scenery was the furthest thing from the Earl of Xining's mind. What he first thought of was the ramshackle courtyard he'd just visited.
That was where Cui Ti had lived for over ten years.
It was easy to imagine—after tonight, his ideal father-son relationship would be ripped to shreds. Pei Xuan would no longer show him respect, and the Pei family would no longer favor this marriage alliance with the Cui family.
If the Chancellor knew his precious son had moved with his wife into a dilapidated courtyard this very night, he would accuse him of mistreating his eldest daughter and lacking fatherly compassion. How could he explain the eldest living in squalor while the youngest lived in splendor?
"Mistress, the Earl has arrived."
The Earl's wife and daughter were tasting tea together amid curling steam. She didn't even lift her eyelids. "If he's here, he's here. You all..."
"You all leave first."
"Father?"
"You too, leave!"
Cui Dai was frightened by his shouting. She looked to her mother. The Earl's wife set down her teacup and gently coaxed, "Go on first."
The Earl of Xining watched them file out. Taking a deep breath, he said nothing. His wife poured him a cup of tea. "Instead of courting your good son-in-law, what are you throwing a tantrum for here?"
"Throwing a tantrum?" The man rushed forward in three steps and slapped the woman across the face. "This is what's called throwing a tantrum!"
The Earl's wife's head buzzed from the slap, one cheek swollen high.
The Earl of Xining heaped rebuke on her. "I left domestic affairs to you. Look what a state you've left them in! I could overlook things before, but leaving the south courtyard in disorder—do you want to drag the Cui family down with you to your death?"
His words were too heavy. Fearing some fatal matter had happened, the Earl's wife swallowed her resentment for the moment and didn't bicker with him. "What's happened?"
"The son-in-law and Ti'er have moved into the south courtyard." Saying this, his brows knotted again. "You're her mother. How could you let your daughter live in such a tumbledown shack for over ten years? If word of this gets out, what face will the Cui family have left!"
"It was me...it was me who let Cui Ti live in that tumbledown shack?"
One side of the Earl's wife's face was hugely swollen, as if she'd heard the biggest joke in the world. "You're her father. It wasn't just today you knew she lived in the south courtyard. Did you ever go see her?
"I bore you children three times. Just because the eldest I gave you was born disabled, an embarrassment to be hidden away! You ripped out my heart first, yet in the end all the faults are mine? Cui Shao, do you still have a conscience? Speaking such words, aren't you afraid of heaven striking you dead with lightning!"
A moment of dead silence. Another cry of intense argument burst out from inside the door. Cui Dai shrank away outside, trembling all over.
What was happening?
She was utterly confused.
Why was Mother scolding Father? Why did Father hit Mother?
She was extremely frightened, holding her breath and not daring to make a sound.
This matter was merely a catalyst, exposing the dissatisfaction both husband and wife had kept suppressed all these years. The previously passably loving couple hurled ugly accusations when arguing. The Earl of Xining resented his wife for not giving him a son. The Earl's wife hated her marriage to a heartless man.
The moon and stars shone on each other. In the south courtyard, after the servants hurriedly tidied it up, the small courtyard finally took on a clean appearance.
The dust was swept from the tabletops, bedding neatly laid out. Hao Zhong lit incense in the inner chamber. Rao Liang somehow found a bouquet of flowers for the vase. Bai Tang directed people to fill the waist-high wooden tub with water, then tripped over to Cui Ti in little steps, whispering in her ear and leading everyone out.
"Husband..."
Pei Xuan held a book, oblivious when it was upside down as she avidly read. "Wife, you bathe first."
She paused momentarily before realizing that without her assistance, the mistress, being blind, might stumble and hurt herself. Quickly, she rushed over to support Cui Ti by the arm. "Mistress, this way."
Steam rose from the bath, the surface dotted with fresh petals. Although Cui Ti couldn’t see them, she could certainly smell their fragrance. Pei Xuan's palms grew warm as he said, "Here it is, right here."
Glancing at Cui Ti and mindful of her blindness, he asked, "Would you like assistance with your clothes?"
In this moment, his demeanor was a stark contrast to the intimidating presence he held as the Earl of Xining. Cui Ti, suppressing a chuckle, nodded slightly, "Yes."
Pei Xuan took a deep breath and looked away, trying to maintain decorum.
Her clothes fell gracefully, piling up like blossoming flowers around her slender ankles. Her calves, smooth and white, gleamed. He closed his eyes and turned his back to her, murmuring, "Mistress, please be careful."
From behind came the faint sound of water. Cui Ti shyly hid in the tub, the warm water soaking her shoulders. Delicate flower petals dotted her fair skin.
"Husband."
Pei Xuan reflexively turned around, abruptly seeing her bare beautiful wife, blushing as she awkwardly went to the window to continue 'reading'.
Her book was upside down. Cui Ti was too embarrassed to point it out, laughing softly in the tub.
Hearing her laugh, Pei Xuan's eyes grew misty with embarrassment. Her gaze went past the screen to Cui Ti's upraised jade arm. Her heartbeat chaotically quickened.
In a daze, she didn't know how much time passed before Cui Ti stood up in the water. "Husband?"
Pei Xuan abruptly raised her eyebrows.
Cui Ti was startled by the struggle in her eyes. Still, she didn't want to pressure her and gently said, "I'll call Tangtang in to prepare warm water for you again."
"No need." Pei Xuan went around to the clear bathwater. "No need to trouble them, I'll use what's left from wife's bath."
"This, how can this do?"
"It's fine." She placed her hand on her sash. "Wife, first go rest on the bed. I'll be there soon."
"...Alright."
Shyness crept up her face. Cui Ti didn't dare look or ask anymore. Grasping her bamboo cane, she went to the bedside. Hesitating, her face still burned. She suppressed herself from thinking too much and lay down on the wooden bed.
The water was still warm. Aside from the floral fragrance, there was also a refreshing feminine scent. Pei Xuan felt bashful yet thrilled as she undressed. In the end, she resented herself for lacking shame.
Cui Ti's heart pounded like a deer as she waited for her. The wind gusted in through holes in the roof, but with Pei Xuan accompanying her, she no longer felt the past loneliness and unease.
Pei Xuan put on her night clothes and took out a fingernail-sized incense cube from her purse, tossing it into the zitan incense burner.
It was an aphrodisiac incense. Cui Ti helplessly realized but pretended not to see.
The wooden bed was only wide enough for one. Luckily both of them were slender and could squeeze together. She had kept space for Pei Xuan early on. Lying on the crude bed, it creaked and groaned under Pei Xuan's weight.
Cui Ti's face reddened as she explained, "It's just a little noisy but quite sturdy, it won't...won't collapse."
She pulled the quilt up to her chest, a subtle silence falling. Suddenly realizing something, her face instantly turned red.
Pei Xuan smiled enigmatically, wrapping his long arm around her waist, drawing her close to lie in his embrace. "I should have come here sooner. You've endured so much because of me. I'm sorry."
"It's alright. I haven’t suffered too much," Cui Ti whispered softly, "It's all in the past now."
It might be in the past for her, but for Pei Xuan, the weight of it still pressed heavily on his heart. In the past, even if she left home for a few days, her mother would send people to meticulously maintain her room.
Unlike his wife, who, after marrying, had her former residence turn into a desolate house.
It was clear that the Earl and Countess of Xining didn't truly cherish their eldest daughter in their hearts.
The realization of their neglect, only understood in hindsight, was even crueler than knowing and ignoring from the outset.
"My dear..."
Using a gentle force on her hand, she compelled Cui Ti to prop her arms by the side of the pillow. Pei Xuan's hand rested behind her head, their lips meeting in a tender kiss, "I'm very fond of you, my dear..."