Chapter 51 - Past Affairs
The farce that took place on Gui Ming Lake sent chills down one's spine upon reflection. Cui Ti, knowing the tender-hearted nature of the man before her, lowered her eyes with a faint smile, "Would you believe me if I said I felt wronged?"
Having witnessed it all, how could he not?
Pei Xuan held her close, a myriad of thoughts flooding his mind, "Whatever you say, I believe."
"Even about Miss Bai?"
Her words made Pei Xuan's heart sink, "My cousin, she..."
"I don't like her character," Cui Ti looked into his eyes, "She appears fragile on the outside, but she's venomous within. Perhaps this is different from the Dou Qingyue you know, but from what my heart sees, speaking of it doesn't wrong her."
Without Dou Qingyue fanning the flames today, the young prince, no matter how lustful, wouldn't have lost his composure in public.
Of all the noble ladies present, when intoxicated, he singled her out...
Cui Ti pointed a finger at Pei Xuan's heart, "I don't want to speak ill of her, but while my eyes might be blind, my heart is not."
She was quite annoyed.
And she wanted to see how Pei Xuan would react to her words.
"She likes you."
"What?"
"Dou Qingyue, she's fond of you, jealous of me, and can't tolerate me."
Pei Xuan's face visibly darkened, holding her with a heavy heart.
"Are you angry?"
Cui Ti gently kissed his cheek, "Even if you're angry, I must say, her coveting eyes on you alone are enough for me to detest her."
As dusk settled, Cui Ti left for a bath, leaving Pei Xuan alone, sitting in a chair lost in thought.
That night, unusually, Cui Ti didn't snuggle into the arms of the person beside her on the bed. She slept facing the wall, in a deep slumber. Pei Xuan, too, didn't have a good night's rest.
Perhaps influenced by what they had seen and heard during the day, one's thoughts during the day often lead to dreams at night, but for Pei Xuan, it was a nightmare.
"Xing Guang?"
Outside the window, the moon shone brightly as the night was about to fade. Cui Ti shook her shoulder anxiously. Slowly opening her eyes, Pei Xuan's gaze briefly revealed deep sorrow.
"Ah!"
Cui Ti was taken by surprise and jumped, setting aside any fleeting annoyance to quickly ask, "What happened?"
Pei Xuan held her forehead, her palm damp with sweat. She seemed confused and, on reflection, couldn't recall anything from the dream. All she felt was a lingering fear, as if a raging fire had once consumed her heart.
"My wife?"
"I'm here."
Cui Ti gently asked, "Did you have a nightmare?"
Pei Xuan hesitated, struggling to describe the panic and sadness she felt upon waking. Realizing she hadn't adequately explained herself the previous night, which might have caused Cui Ti to worry unnecessarily, she quickly said, "I do trust you, it just came as a surprise. Ah Yue has been frail since childhood and was pampered by both the Dou and Pei families. Although she's technically my 'cousin', she's always been attentive to me. We share a deep bond, and I never thought of it in terms of romantic or intimate feelings. When you said she coveted me, it was hard to accept. When you said she's bad, I..."
"Stop thinking about it. If you trust me, that's enough. Just be more cautious in the future."
Pei Xuan's head throbbed, feeling mentally drained, "Don't overthink. She's a cousin, and you're my wife. Even if she's good, she's not one ten-thousandth as wonderful as you."
"Really?"
She nodded earnestly, looking so endearing that Cui Ti's heart melted. Gently tucking her in, she asked, "Shall we continue sleeping?"
Pei Xuan buried her face into Cui Ti's neck, inhaling her scent, and drifted off to sleep in an instant.
After yesterday's incident where Cui Ti faced danger, Pei Xuan, although silent about it, had developed some reservations about Dou Qingyue. So, when her aunt visited, she wasn't as warm as she used to be.
Interestingly, earlier that day at the Su Shui Villa, Lady Dou accidentally witnessed the scholar, who was often seen by the side of Prince Huai, having a private conversation with her daughter. Initially, she thought it was merely her daughter showing romantic interest in someone. But as she eavesdropped, she realized it was a sinister plot against someone's reputation.
She was both angered and alarmed.
Lady Dou recognized the scholar; he was someone the Dou family had once sponsored, assisting him in his education and in achieving his official title.
Realizing that her daughter's possessiveness over Pei Xuan had reached alarming levels, Lady Dou, full of worry and concern, decided to visit Su Shui Villa where her nephew resided.
"Xuan, please excuse my sudden visit, but I have a favor to ask of you," she said.
Pei Xuan replied with a smile, "Please, aunt, feel free to tell me."
"It's about Yue."
At the mention of Dou Qingyue, Pei Xuan frowned slightly, "What about my cousin?"
Lady Dou was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush. She quickly explained her purpose, leaving Pei Xuan somewhat hesitant.
"Xuan, please, help your cousin and help me. She's of marriageable age, and any more delays would be disadvantageous for everyone. You have so many acquaintances; surely you can introduce her to someone suitable."
Lady Dou's intention was clear: she wanted Pei Xuan to arrange a suitable match for her daughter, hopefully putting an end to her daughter's irrational thoughts.
"Alright," Pei Xuan agreed.
After seeing her aunt out, Pei Xuan pondered the situation. She realized that her aunt's advice was sound. With a husband by her side, her cousin wouldn't be overly fixated on her anymore. It would also prevent Cui Ti from getting dragged into any further complications. Pei Xuan thought this was a good solution.
Coincidentally, right after Lady Dou's departure, Song Zizhen knocked on the door, intending to ask Pei Xuan a favor.
He had caught a fleeting glimpse of Dou Qingyue by the Gui Ming Lake the previous day. Among all the noble ladies, he was particularly enchanted by her delicate demeanor. He spent the whole night restless, and by dawn, with dark circles under his eyes, he asked his friend, Pei Xuan, to play matchmaker.
Pei Xuan chuckled, "Are you sure about this?"
Song Zizhen nodded fervently, "Absolutely sure! You have your beloved wife by your side. You can't let me spend nights alone in the cold, right?"
With such righteous indignation, Pei Xuan laughed, "Alright, I'll give it a try."
Song Zizhen was elated, generously offering a jar of his family's best wine in gratitude.
While the Dou family was making wedding arrangements for their daughter, Prince Xiao Jingcan was reported to the official by the Prime Minister. Before the day ended, Pei Xuan also filed a complaint against the young prince.
Father and son stood united. Even if the Emperor had intentions of favoring them, he had to save face for the Pei family. Thus, finding some excuse, the adopted son was expelled from Xi Jing, out of sight and out of mind.
That settled the Emperor's worries, but all the troubles landed on Dou Qingyue.
She had hoped to use this young prince once more as her sharpest tool, but the Pei family's protective measures led to him being banished eight hundred miles away.
Without her handy weapon and hearing that her mother was planning her wedding, Dou Qingyue, upon further investigation, learned that the mediator was her so-called 'cousin'. Overwhelmed by this, Dou Qingyue spat out blood in her room.
"Miss?"
"Silence!"
In front of her vanity, she stared intently at her reflection in the copper mirror, wondering how she fell short compared to Cui Ti.
In her past life, when the blind man died, her cousin was so furious that he demanded she die alongside Cui Ti. It was the first time she saw Pei Xuan with murder in his eyes.
His hands were tightly choking her neck, genuinely wanting her dead.
And she did die.
Before her death, the way Pei Xuan looked at her was as if he was looking at something filthy.
Logically, having experienced death once, one would avoid those who killed them. But Dou Qingyue was an exception.
Dou Qingyue wasn't a good person to begin with. She had a dark heart and ruthless hands. No matter how cold-hearted Pei Xuan was, she was still infatuated with him. This infatuation was so deep that she was willing to risk dying at his hands again, just to see if she could win him over in this life.
She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, thinking of her beloved. The sensation was a mix of pain and thrill.
The deities in the Ninth Heaven were sighing in exasperation:
"Why is Fairy Qingyao so oblivious? It's clear to everyone that Wenqu is enamored with the rabbit spirit. She has already harmed the reincarnated rabbit spirit once, and yet she hasn't given up."
Under the Marriage Tree, the Matchmaker, wearing a bright red robe, voiced his disdain. He has never been fond of Qingyao, saying, "Let her be! Wenqu's past-life memories have already begun to resurface. It's unlikely she can harm anyone anymore."
Legend has it that Fairy Qingyao was an immortal plant nurtured next to Wenqu's ink-washing pond. Bathed in its pure essence daily, she became obsessed.
Seeing Wenqu secretly pining for the rabbit spirit through countless reincarnations, one day she went behind the deities' backs to the Reincarnation Platform, reborn into the Dou family, and became Pei Xuan's cousin.
Because she forcibly reincarnated without a stable spiritual cultivation, her journey was interrupted, and she was born frail and sickly.
In her past life, out of jealousy, she caused Cui Ti to drown in a lotus pond. After the incident, she was killed by Pei Xuan. Now, in this life, she still hasn't learned her lesson.
It's as the saying goes - she's courting her own doom.
Setting aside the gossip of the deities in heaven, Pei Xuan was staring blankly at the lotus pond in the palace.
The flowers were in full bloom, a sight to behold. Yet, inexplicably, it filled her heart with dread.
"Assistant Pei? Assistant Pei?" The crown prince called out repeatedly.
Pei Xuan felt a wave of dizziness and staggered back a few steps before steadying herself. Raising her hand, she said in a calm voice, "I'm alright, Your Highness. Thank you for your concern."
"Are you sure you're fine?"
"I'm fine."
She didn't look okay. The crown prince didn't dare to engage her in further conversation and sent maids to escort her home.
"Mistress, M'lord is back."
"M'lord was brought back with assistance."
"What?"
Cui Ti quickly got up.
Bai Tang steadied her, and the mistress and servant rushed out.
"Mistress, I've brought M'lord Pei back to you."
Cui Ti thanked the palace servants and sent them away. He then quickly wiped the sweat from Pei Xuan's forehead, seeing she was drenched in perspiration. He then instructed his servants to bring more ice into the room.
"My wife..."
Pei Xuan felt a splitting headache, staggering as if she was standing on the edge of a lotus pond, which seemed to sway before her eyes.
She waved her hands, attempting to dispel the vision.
"Xing Guang, Xing Guang!"
She mustered some strength, reaching out to touch the cold back of Cui Ti's hand. In the next moment, the illusion morphed. She watched in horror as 'Cui Ti' was pushed into a pool, shouting in vain to the heavens and earth for help.
"Cui Ti!"
She was about to jump into the water to save him.
Such an odd behavior
Made it seem as if she was in some kind of trance. The servants of Su Shui Villa were in a panic; some went to fetch a doctor, while others dashed to the mansion to inform the family.
With the help of Bai Tang and a few others, Cui Ti struggled to get Pei Xuan inside. Once on the bed, she was still restless, moving her arms and legs and murmuring words that no one could understand.
"M'lord, has she been bewitched?"
"Bewitched?"
Cui Ti's face was pale as he held onto the woman on the bed tightly. A tear rolled down, gently landing on Pei Xuan's lower lip.
Tears are salty.
The touch of reality shattered the terrifying illusion. Pei Xuan's eyes cleared, and she saw Cui Ti right in front of her. She quickly pulled him close, her body shivering while he looked completely bewildered.
When Lady Pei arrived in haste with the doctor, her 'dear son' was sitting on the bed, being fed by his wife.
She looked confused. "What happened to Xuan?"
Pei Xuan's face alternated between red and pale. Not wanting to admit her recent paranoia, she swallowed her rice porridge and gently said, "I just haven't been sleeping well these past few days."
The statement was half true, half false. Seeing that Pei Xuan didn't want to elaborate, Lady Pei didn't press further and exchanged glances with Cui Ti.
Come nightfall, Cui Ti indulged in her whims and leaned over her, whispering, "Did something happen during the day?"
Pei Xuan sighed, "Did you see who pushed you into the pool in that strange dream of yours?"
Cui Ti felt a pang of regret and shook his head. "No, I didn't."
After a long silence, Pei Xuan, with an unsettled spirit, caressed his pale back, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "What if I told you... I saw it clearly?"