Spoiled and mad critic of powerful ministers

Clutching the silver ingot, Liu opened the creaking wooden door to the backyard. A cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in, and she instinctively closed her eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw a person standing at the bottom of the stone steps.

A thin layer of snow fell on Shen Qiongju's shoulders, and her plain blue cotton-padded jacket made her cheeks appear even whiter.

Behind her were two waiters wearing brown short jackets from Yuexianlou, unloading vermilion food boxes from a mule cart.

"Auntie, are you going out?" Shen Qiongju looked up, a gentle smile on her lips, as if the embarrassing incident at the back door that afternoon had never happened.

"The snow is heavy outside, be careful not to get cold."

As she spoke, she stepped aside to let the waiter carry the food box inside. When she saw the bag of silver clutched in Liu's hand, she understood.

He turned back to Liu, who was standing at the threshold, and said softly, "I thought there might not be enough time to prepare the banquet for tonight, so I took the liberty of going to Yuexianlou."

"Their manager is acquainted with my family's winery. When he heard that the Pei family needed the wine urgently, he quickly prepared several tables and sent them over."

Her gaze swept naturally over Liu's tightly clenched sleeves, and her smile deepened. "Auntie, are you worried and want to go and keep an eye on things yourself? Come in and warm up, the dishes are all ready."

His words were perfectly worded, explaining his whereabouts while also giving Liu a way out.

Liu's face flushed, and the silver ingot in her sleeve weighed heavily on her.

She quickly released her hand and followed up, saying, "That's right, my aunt always says we should be more thorough... You're so thoughtful."

As she spoke, she stepped forward and took Shen Qiongju's hand. Her hand was ice-cold to the touch, and the guilt in her heart surged up again. "Look how cold your hands are. Come inside quickly."

The two entered the courtyard hand in hand. As they walked, Shen Qiongju spoke softly, "Eight cold dishes and eight hot dishes. We added two hot pots so they'll be warm when it's cold. We also ordered warmed yellow wine so it won't harm the elders who come to pay their respects."

Her tone was natural, as if she had really spent the whole afternoon arranging these things.

As Liu listened, her eyes inexplicably welled up with tears.

In the side hall, the patience of the last few guests was almost exhausted.

The tea was refilled three times, and the conversation lingered on old stories. No one mentioned the words "start the banquet," but they kept glancing towards the door, clearly unable to sit still.

Pei Zhihui sat upright below the main seat, his back ramrod straight, his face still bearing that aloof expression.

Just then, footsteps, mixed with the soft clatter of a food box, approached from afar.

As soon as the curtain was lifted, a steaming aroma wafted in—the savory scent of braised pork, the sweetness of steamed fish, and the rich, creamy broth of a hot pot, instantly dispelling the stiff, cold air in the hall.

Shen Qiongju stepped inside, her shoulders still covered in snowflakes, but her cheeks flushed slightly from her busy work.

She first bowed to the elders, her voice clear and gentle: "I apologize for keeping you all waiting. The roads were slippery due to the snow, so the meal was served a little late. Please forgive me."

As they spoke, the waiter had already efficiently set out the dishes. Hot dishes were served, cold dishes were neatly arranged, and soups were steaming. The table was laden with food, not luxurious, but everything was substantial and thoughtfully prepared.

His expression immediately relaxed, and he repeatedly said, "Thank you for your trouble" and "It's all right."

The gourmets among the guests immediately recognized the flavor as Yuexianlou's signature dish, and their faces lit up with obvious delight.

An uncle specially clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and exclaimed, "Young Madam Pei has gone to great lengths."

Pei Zhihui watched Shen Qiongju move among the tables, serving dishes and pouring wine, saying softly, "This pickled fish was specially recommended by the manager," and "Ginger slices were added to the soup to dispel the cold."

She wore a polite smile, her temples were slightly damp from the heat, and the red marks on her fingertips from the cold had not yet faded.

His eyes grew increasingly deep.

By the time the guests had all left, the snow had piled up to half a foot deep.

After seeing off the last guest, Shen Qiongju stood under the eaves and gently blew on her hands. The dim light of the lanterns revealed a fleeting look of fatigue in her eyes.

"Sister-in-law."

Pei Zhihui's voice came from behind, sounding somewhat hoarse.

She turned around, her face bearing that gentle smile again: "Uncle, are you still not resting?" Her tone was as usual, as if the "anything goes" comment from earlier in the day had never been heard.

Pei Zhihui's Adam's apple bobbed, all the words stuck in his throat, but in the end he could only squeeze out two words stiffly: "Today, Zhihui has misunderstood sister-in-law. Sister-in-law has worked hard to manage the funeral banquet."

Shen Qiongju gave a perfectly timed smile: "Of course."

After saying this, he nodded and turned to go to the side hall to tidy up the remaining food.

Pei Zhihui stood there, watching her figure disappear into the warm yellow light, while the wind and snow howled outside the corridor. He felt somewhat lost.

.

That night, the Pei family's old residence fell silent.

Shen Qiongju carefully copied the last gift list, while the oil lamp on the table flickered on and off.

She rubbed her shoulders, rested for a while, then reached for the blue cloth bundle beside her pillow and gently opened it.

Inside were two simple clothes and an old wooden comb. She loosened her hair, which had been tied up all day, combed it, and began to fold the clothes.

The sunlight from the snow outside shone through the window, and the fabric rustled softly.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door, two hesitant knocks.

Shen Qiongju paused.

"Who?"

There was a moment of silence outside the door before that familiar, slightly hoarse voice rang out: "...It's me, sister-in-law."

It was Pei Zhihui.

Shen Qiongju pursed her lips, stuffed the half-folded clothes back into her bundle, and got up to open the door.

Pei Zhihui stood under the eaves, wearing only an outer robe. In the dim light, his face was so pale it was almost transparent, but his lips were pressed tightly together.

"What's the matter?" Shen Qiongju blocked the doorway, not letting him in.

Pei Zhihui's gaze passed over her shoulder and landed on the half-open bundle on the kang (a heated brick bed). The blue cloth contrasted with the white hem of her clothes, and his eyes narrowed.

"You're leaving," he said.

Shen Qiongju remained silent for a moment, then turned to let him see the situation on the kang (a heated brick bed): "Father lives alone, and there's a lot going on at the winery at the end of the year, so I'll go back and take care of things for a few days." Her tone was calm, as if she were stating something that had already been decided.

Pei Zhihui stepped into the house and closed the door behind him.

Shen Qiongju did not want to be reminded of her loved ones by the sight of familiar objects, so after returning, she lived in the side room next door.

The room was cramped and small, and Pei Zhihui's presence filled it instantly.

"About noon..." he began, his Adam's apple bobbing, "I spoke without thinking."

"These are the expenses for the funeral in the manor these past few days. Thank you for taking care of things." He spoke slowly, his tone seemingly tinged with guilt.

Shen Qiongju looked up at him; this was the second time today that he had spoken to her in such a gentle and soft-spoken manner.

He lowered his eyes, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his cuffs at his side.

"I know you're saddened by your elder brother and grandfather's passing. I am indeed partly to blame for this disaster that has befallen the Pei family." She suddenly spoke, her voice soft but each word clear.

"I don't deny it, and I'm trying to make amends, but didn't your Pei family do anything wrong?"

"A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall. Since these blueprints could cost the Pei family their lives, you should destroy them as soon as possible."

"Your elder brother is on the verge of death in prison, and you in the prefectural city were unaware of it. Not a single member of the Pei family stepped forward to rescue him, while I, a mere woman, did everything I could—"

Glancing out of the corner of her eye at Pei Zhihui, who remained silent, Shen Qiongju suddenly stopped, the tears in her eyes abruptly ceasing.

Pei Zhihui seemed to remember something, and his face gradually darkened, his previous shame disappearing.

"I've done what I should have done, and I've also done what I shouldn't have done, right, sister-in-law?"