Chapter 29 - A Serious Person
Cui Ti stood there, stunned. The kind and gentle mother-in-law she remembered seemed to have changed in an instant. How could she spout such nonsense with a straight face?
Had it not been for some celestial being riding a crane to open her spiritual eyes, enabling her to see this life's Pei Xuan, after hearing those words, Cui Ti would almost certainly believe them—well, at least ninety percent of them.
After all, which mother would spread rumors about her son's... inadequacies?
She stood there, dazed, which to Lady Pei looked like the shock of a devastating blow. The empathetic mother-in-law thus gave her daughter-in-law some time to process her bewilderment, astonishment, and grief.
However, only one thought kept circling in Cui Ti's mind—
My mother-in-law is trying to pull one over on me.
Lady Pei cleared her throat lightly, her voice laced with a touch of inevitable sadness, "Xuan is kind-hearted and talented. Coming from the influential Pei family, he is the son of the Prime Minister and will undoubtedly have a limitless future. Now that you are known to outsiders as the young Lady Pei, you are tied to him. Cui Ti, don't blame him. If you must blame someone, blame me, his mother."
Saying this, she made a move to kneel before Cui Ti, but halfway through remembered that her daughter-in-law was blind and couldn't see her actions.
Her attempt at playing the victim was nearly in vain.
Caught in a semi-kneeling position, Lady Pei sighed inwardly at her miscalculation. It was her first time in decades trying to deceive someone like this. Firstly, she had no experience, and secondly, Cui Ti's appearance genuinely evoked tenderness.
Deceiving such a gentle and beautiful young lady made her conscience prickle with guilt.
Had she really given birth to a son, Cui Ti, despite her blindness and lesser family background, would be perfect in every other way.
"Mother, where do such words come from? The Pei family has treated me very well, and my husband... my husband has shown me unparalleled kindness in this world. Mother, you confided this secret to me out of trust. How could I blame you? Moreover, it's not like my husband wished for this misfortune..."
"Do you truly feel this way?"
Lady Pei asked, emotionally gripping her daughter-in-law's hand.
In Cui Ti's heart, she thought: even if Pei Xuan were not a woman but truly a eunuch, she was bound to him for this lifetime.
"Marrying into the Pei family and becoming my husband's wife is the blessing of my past and even past-past lives. My only wish is to stand by his side for a lifetime, living a life full of undoubting love."
"Good, good!"
Real or feigned, Lady Pei, with her years of experience, could discern the sincerity in a glance. Seeing Cui Ti's genuine feelings, she felt a different kind of joy, believing she paved a good path for her daughter. "Good girl, you've suffered."
"I don't feel wronged. But my husband... he's the one who truly suffers."
These words struck a chord in the mother's heart. Years ago, Pei Rufeng, out of stubborn pride, insisted that his newborn daughter be disguised as a boy. Lady Pei couldn't stop him, resulting in Pei Xuan living eighteen years of her life as a male.
A girl, raised as a boy since childhood, endures hardships multiple times more than others. To the unseen eyes, as she reached maturity, she had to bind her chest and constantly guard her true female identity.
Thinking of these hardships, tears threatened to fall from Lady Pei's eyes.
When Pei Xuan wanted to marry, to take the girl of her dreams as her wife, Lady Pei tried to dissuade her but didn't forcefully stop her.
"That you can be so understanding of her situation is Xuan's good fortune. She may have lived a tough life, but with you by her side, things will be different now.
"Cui Ti, as her wife, you must be patient with her. From childhood, she's borne such a heavy responsibility, is somewhat proud, and at times lacks tact. Please, don't ever quarrel with her. I remember how she knelt in the ancestral hall for an entire night, just to soften her father's heart to marry you.
"I won't hide this from you. Now, both your father-in-law and I are very pleased with you. We see you as family and are open-hearted with you. Even if she does something wrong in the future, I ask you to forgive her for my sake and not be angry with her, alright?"
A mother's biased love for her child was evident in every word.
At this moment, Cui Ti envied Pei Xuan for having such a caring mother. Her own mother...
A pain struck her heart, and the mention of "an entire night kneeling" deeply moved her. With a quiver in her voice, she replied, "I promise, Mother, I won't quarrel or bear grudges against her."
Hearing this, Lady Pei gave her a profound look, then knelt and bowed deeply. "On behalf of the Pei family, I thank you."
The muffled sound of Lady Pei's head touching the ground reached Cui Ti's ears. Startled, she quickly shifted to the side, not wanting to receive such a grand gesture of respect. Holding up her dress, she knelt down and said, "I cannot accept such gratitude, please rise, Mother!"
Relieved of a weight from her heart, Lady Pei stood up and helped Cui Ti. Sincerely, she said, "No wonder Xuan was so smitten at first sight. It had to be you."
Blushing, Cui Ti was at a loss for words.
Seeing her flushed face and her inability to lift her head, Lady Pei, with a kind and loving expression, decided not to tease her any longer. "Xiu Rong, help the young mistress out."
"Yes, madam."
The maid named Xiu Rong stepped forward to support Cui Ti by her arm.
Lady Pei smiled and said, "Call Xuan in for me, I have something to discuss with him."
"Mhm." Cui Ti respectfully bowed, "I will take my leave."
Although she was blind, she possessed a good nature, was respectful, and well-mannered. The fact that she hadn't been spoiled by the neglect from the Earl of Xining and his wife for over a decade was probably due to her inherently pure nature.
Thinking this way, she seemed perfectly matched with their daughter.
Xiu Rong assisted the young Lady Pei out the door. Bai Tang, Hao Zhong, and Rao Liang, who were waiting outside, immediately approached to greet her.
Not seeing Pei Xuan, Cui Ti asked softly, "Where is my husband?"
"M'lord has gone to bathe the rabbit."
"..."
Cui Ti's heart skipped a beat, feeling unexpectedly envious of the fluffy bunny.
"Mother wants to see him. Tang Tang, go call him."
Bai Tang acknowledged and went on his way.
While waiting, Cui Ti tilted her face into the wind, silently letting the gentle breeze cool the warmth on her cheeks.
In her previous life, Pei Xuan had fallen from a wall and injured his wrist, losing the position of top scholar in the imperial examination. Many lamented the fact that such a talented individual did not get his due recognition.
Pei Xuan himself regretted it, not to mention Lady Pei, who had eagerly anticipated becoming the mother of the top scholar?
When Cui Ti first married into the Pei family, her mother-in-law wasn't as pleasant as she was now. She probably still remembered that Pei Xuan had fallen from her family's wall and always felt that Cui Ti brought bad luck.
After a short while, her mother-in-law's attitude toward her shifted dramatically, becoming gentle and affectionate, full of protection.
She surmised that Pei Xuan must have put in a good word for her, leading to this change of heart.
In the life before this, when she had first married into the family, neither she nor Pei Xuan had confessed their true feelings to one another, and the mother-in-law hadn’t hurried them to consummate their marriage.
But with this new beginning, the entire trajectory had changed.
Cui Ti cherished this transformation.
However, the warmth on her face took a while to fade. The mere thought of "consummation" sent her heart racing. She tried to distract herself with other thoughts, then remembered her mother-in-law’s humorous disparagement of her ‘son’ and couldn't help but laugh.
Pei Xuan, holding a clean little rabbit, approached her. Just a few steps away, he was drawn by the serene and radiant smile of his wife. His mood instantly lifted, "What did M'lord tell you?"
Cui Ti pondered for a moment, then slowly shook her head, holding back her words.
She feared that if she spoke, he might feel embarrassed or become angry, and then utter something even more embarrassing.
In broad daylight, how could one speak so audaciously?
"M'lord is waiting for you inside. You should go."
"All mysterious," Pei Xuan said, placing the tiny rabbit into her palm, "Play with it for a while. I'll be right back."
His tone was so naturally doting. Cui Ti caressed the rabbit’s ear and turned away, avoiding his gaze.
With light steps, Pei Xuan moved toward the door.
Bai Tang laughed, her eyes squinting into slits, "Finding a man as gentle and considerate as Sir Earl, one who loves animals, and is so devoted and attentive to his wife, is as hard as searching with a lantern in the daylight."
Hao Zhong and Rao Liang had admired their M'lord since morning and gathered around Cui Ti, showering him with praise.
"M'lord, did you call for me?"
Lady Pei sipped from a cup of aromatic tea, lifting her head slightly, "Xuan, come with your mother."
Pei Xuan followed her with a smiling face.
Once they reached a more secluded and safe space, Lady Pei rested her hand on a vase, speaking with a hint of self-satisfaction, "I've smoothed out the thorns on your path ahead. The rest is up to you."
"M'lord means..."
"If you truly cherish her and cannot live without her, then you mustn't delay the consummation. Only when she becomes yours, will she be acknowledged as our Pei family's daughter-in-law. Otherwise, she will always be an outsider, a potential threat."
The joy in Pei Xuan’s eyes gradually faded, "To act so hastily, isn't it unfair to her?"
"Where in this world is there absolute fairness? You carry the honor and disgrace of our entire family. All I ask is for you to claim her. Can't you even do that?"
Lady Pei was reluctant to force him. After a moment of reflection, her tone shifted, "I see her affection for you runs deep. She's the wife you so earnestly sought. Can you bear to let her languish in an empty room, deprived of marital joys?"
Seeing her silent, Lady Pei pressed on, "There are distinctions between men and women. If you're worried about her discovering any discrepancies during intimacy, you can set that concern aside. I've already spoken with her."
"Spoken with her?" A bad premonition rose in Pei Xuan's heart, "What did you tell her?"
"..."
Even when speaking to her own flesh and blood, Lady Pei found the words embarrassing to voice. But when weighed against the prosperity of the family, what was this little embarrassment?
With an air of nonchalance, she said lightly, "Your 'manhood' is intact, but it's no longer functional."
Pei Xuan, having dealt with men for years, understood all too well the implications of calling a man "incapacitated."
Heat rushed to her face, and she protested with embarrassment, "M'lord, how could you..."
"How could I what? Isn't everything I do for your sake, for our family? You keep hesitating. Are you trying to be the death of me? If you lack that certain something, you can use your hand, your tongue, whatever you wish."
With a composed demeanor, she reached into her sleeve, pulling out a prepared booklet and tossing it, "Educate yourself. All you know is kissing the Miss. It's shameful."
"..."
Pei Xuan was dumbfounded. Nearly breathless, both frustrated and amused, her pretty face showed deep vexation, "M'lord, how could you embarrass me like this? How will I face Ti Ti after this?"
Lady Pei's spine tingled with discomfort at the mention of "Cui Ti" by Pei Xuan. On one hand, she was baffled by how her upright and straightforward daughter had become so sentimentally attached. On the other, she was annoyed at her daughter's timidity, deeming it disgraceful.
"In any case, decide for yourself. Do not let down my and your wife's expectations."
"But, I..."
Lady Pei, unable to bear the sight any longer, held her forehead, "Xuan'er, the arrow is on the bowstring and must be released. If you wish to hide your identity and completely eliminate this risk, you must be ruthless. If you're not ruthless, don't blame me for being ruthless on your behalf."
She turned away, her voice chilling, "Would you prefer to take matters into your own hands, or shall I send someone on your behalf? Think about it."
The undertone was clear, causing Pei Xuan's flush to immediately fade.
It was obvious, anyone able to securely hold the position of a prime minister's legitimate wife had to have means and ruthlessness.
The room fell silent.
Little room was left for contemplation.
Pei Xuan tightly held the thick booklet, cold sweat forming on her brow. She gritted her teeth, "I will heed mother's words, but aside from me, no one is allowed to lay a hand on her!"
Lady Pei smiled with satisfaction, "If you want her, she is yours. She will be the honorable young mistress of our Pei family. A woman's reputation is paramount. Only after she becomes 'yours' can she truly be part of our family."
She departed with a flourish of her sleeves, the long hem of her dress flowing smoothly over the gleaming floor tiles.
Surrounded by deafening silence, Pei Xuan frowned with frustration. Clutching the booklet in her hands, she opened the first page, and a risqué illustration confronted her.
Thud!
The booklet fell to the ground.
The usually composed Pei Xuan let out a surprised gasp, as if the booklet had burned her fingers.