Young widow in her boudoir

"We've decided to have Zhiheng give you a child to protect your identity, and we'll tell everyone it's Yuan'er's posthumous child. Are you willing?"

As soon as it was light, Xie Rutang was called to her parents-in-law's room.

Thinking that her in-laws wanted to discuss her remarriage, she dressed up and went to Shou'an Hall with a nervous heart.

Since her husband's death, she has worn plain white clothes every day, with only a jade hairpin in her hair.

Lifting the curtain, Xie Rutang bowed to her parents-in-law.

Madam Shen and the old man exchanged a glance and then said the following words.

This news came like a bolt from the blue.

Not long ago, a Second Master Pei, Pei Zhiheng, arrived at the manor.

Upon learning that the emperor's close advisor was going to stay at the Shen family's residence for a while, the servants bustled about, sweeping the courtyard and serving chilled candied fruit, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

There were two prominent families in the capital: the Shen and the Pei families.

Madam Shen and Madam Pei were close friends since childhood. They gave birth to Pei Zhiheng and Shen Yuan at the same time.

With double happiness upon them, the two families discussed the matter and each bestowed a courtesy name upon the other, echoing each other from afar.

Pei Zhiheng's courtesy name was Yuanzhi, and Shen Yuan's courtesy name was Yuancheng.

The two families have maintained frequent contact ever since.

And this Shen residence is Xie Rutang's husband's family home.

She fell into the water when she was young, but Shen Yuan saved her at his own expense, and she developed feelings of admiration for him.

However, less than a year after she married him, Shen Yuan died on the battlefield.

On the contrary, the second master, Pei Zhiheng, passed the imperial examination two years ago, and the whole family rose to prominence thanks to him.

Because Madam Shen had lost her son in middle age, the Pei family would occasionally send Pei Zhiheng to stay at the Shen family's residence to ease Madam Shen's longing for her son.

But Xie Rutang never expected that her mother-in-law would ask her to take this opportunity to borrow a child from Pei Zhiheng and then claim to others that it was Shen Yuan's posthumous child left in her womb!

Xie Rutang parted her lips slightly, and the old lady knew what she was going to say. She shook her head and said, "There's nothing we can do about it. We can't let the eldest son's line die out. Zhiheng is not married yet. Yuan'er often took care of him when he was young. The two are as close as brothers. Zhiheng should also help Yuan'er take care of you, a widow."

Xie Rutang couldn't believe it. She lowered her eyes, her lips gradually turning pale. "Mother, this is against the rules."

Pei Zhiheng is the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, a rising star in the court, while she is just a widow. How could she be worthy of him?

Her parents-in-law remained silent, suggesting they had already made up their minds.

The Shen family had been prominent families for generations, but unfortunately, their fortunes began to decline from their grandfather's generation onwards. Within a few decades, their fortunes plummeted, and they gradually became a marginalized family among the prominent families of the capital.

On the contrary, the Pei family, a family with a long-standing friendship, has become the top of the aristocratic families.

Master Pei will stay at the Shen residence for a month.

Xie Rutang was a sheltered woman. Although Shen Yuan had been dead for thirty days, she still couldn't accept living under the same roof as Second Master Pei just to have children...

"Xie, this is your good fortune. You must be sensible and carry on the Shen family line."

"Zhiheng lives in Suxue Residence in the southeast. Go to his room tonight to bring him soup and cultivate your relationship."

Xie Rutang knelt on the ground, her neck bowed low, begging the old lady to retract her order, but was still helped out by the nanny.

As soon as the maid lifted the curtain, she saw a man in a dark official robe step into the room. He was as cold and aloof as an abyss, and a piece of fine black jade hung from his waist belt.

Xie Rutang clenched the handkerchief tightly in her fingers.

Her deceased husband, Shen Yuan, also had an identical piece of black jade, which was made by a jade craftsman at the request of the Shen and Pei families.

Xie Rutang's husband, Shen Yuansheng, had a warm and sunny personality, and always had a faint smile on his lips.

However, the Second Master, Pei Zhiheng, was aloof, composed, and rarely smiled.

The man's cold gaze had just shot over.

Xie Rutang was already in a bad mood, and she didn't pay attention to the steps under her feet.

"Madam, be careful!"

Fortunately, someone caught her.

Xie Rutang barely managed to stand firm, and looking down, she saw a hand with distinct knuckles.

The man's palm was warm, just enough to envelop her slender wrist.

She was younger and stronger than her husband.

Xie Rutang's heart trembled for no apparent reason.

She suffers from night blindness.

Not long after their marriage, because Pei Zhiheng and Shen Yuan looked so alike, one night she mistook Pei Zhiheng for her husband in the mansion.

Her alluring eyes and tender voice captivated the man.

Fortunately, the maidservant reminded him in time, preventing an even more embarrassing situation from occurring.

Pei Zhiheng had already withdrawn his hand, and the cold and unfamiliar aura had also faded away. He called out in a distant tone, "Madam Shen."

Xie Rutang froze.

Recalling her in-laws' words, she became increasingly uncomfortable, so she lowered her head and said, "...Second Master."

Because of the special relationship between Pei Zhiheng and the Shen family.

The servants in the manor called Shen Yuan "Master" and Pei Zhiheng "Second Master." Now that Shen Yuan has passed away, Pei Zhiheng has become the hope of both families.

Pei Zhiheng's gaze fell on the widow, while the lotus flowers swayed gently in the breeze beside the Taihu stone in the courtyard.

Because she was still a widow, Xie Rutang wore only a white dress every day in the mansion, without even a pair of earrings on her delicate white earlobes. But upon closer inspection, her beauty was subtle yet captivating, and her almond-shaped eyes held a spring-like mist.

Especially her clothes, which were stretched taut.

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind: she wouldn't need to hire a wet nurse for her children in the future.

Pei Zhiheng was a second-rank official in the Court of Judicial Review and also the governor of Nanjing. Just by standing there with his hands behind his back, he exuded an imposing aura that made her feel suffocated.

Xie Rutang bowed to him and then quickly left, returning to Cuiwu Courtyard.

Since her husband Shen Yuan died in battle, she has kept a low profile for the past month, never seeing any men outside the family. Even when she sees men from other branches of the Pei family, she avoids them to avoid gossip, let alone this second master from another family.

Xie Rutang clutched her handkerchief tightly.

She had little interaction with Pei Zhiheng.

He was usually busy with official duties, and she could only see him when he came to visit Madam Shen during festivals. As a member of the Shen family, she would lead a group of female relatives to wait for him at the hanging flower gate.

As night fell, she was summoned to Shou'an Hall by the old lady.

Xie Rutang lowered her eyes, concealing her inner thoughts. "Given Second Master's status, I'm afraid he wouldn't be interested in a widow like his daughter-in-law. Mother, why don't you adopt a son from a collateral branch to continue the lineage of the eldest son's family?"

Old Madam Shen held the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, her smile indifferent. "You were the woman Yuan'er loved most when he was alive. Otherwise, why would he have insisted on marrying you despite the pressure from the entire household?"

She was already extremely disgusted when Shen Yuan wanted to marry Xie, the daughter of a merchant.

Her gaze swept over them heavily. "Even if my son dies, he must have a son so that someone can visit his grave to pay respects during festivals. Only the child born from your womb is Yuan'er's child."

"Your child with Zhiheng is the same; both the Shen and Pei families will treat him as their heir."

Looking at her healthy figure, the old lady smiled enigmatically, "Don't forget, your brother is still suffering in prison."

Xie Rutang's face turned pale instantly!

Her brother, Xie Huai, got into legal trouble for assaulting someone and was imprisoned.

Madam Shen had always been in poor health and spent most of her time at home eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers. She dared not trouble the old lady with this matter, so she had to bear it all by herself and run around trying to find a solution.

Unexpectedly, the old lady knew about it behind the scenes! But she remained aloof and did nothing.

Even though she was Shen Yuan's widow, Old Madam Shen always treated her as an outsider.

"Your brother's case isn't a huge one, but it's not insignificant either. The victim is adamant and won't let it go, so someone in the government has to put in a good word for him."

Xie Rutang clenched her fingers, her heart growing cold, as if she had been stabbed in the chest.

Madam Shen put down her teacup. "Although you are a widow, you are fortunate to have a voluptuous and charming figure. Any man would covet you. Although Zhiheng is old-fashioned and upright, and devoted to court affairs, he may not be without feelings for you."

Xie Rutang knelt on the ground, her frail body making her all the more pitiful. "What does the Old Madam want Rutang to do?"

Only she knew how cold her heart was.

The old lady closed her eyes. "Tomorrow, after you have finished washing and dressing, go to Zhiheng's room and bring him some soup."

If Xie Rutang, the daughter-in-law, can successfully seduce Pei Zhiheng, she will not only be able to continue the family line of the first branch, but also gain access to the Pei family. The interests of the two families can then be intertwined, which would be a good thing.

The old lady smiled and took a sip of tea.

There are advantages to being a widow.

Xie Rutang was only eighteen years old, a year younger than him.

……

The following day, the summer night was warm.

Pei Zhiheng is busy with official duties. Xie Rutang has already sent her maid to inquire and learned that he will return to the mansion at 7 PM.

Under pressure from Madam Shen, Xie Rutang, carrying a bowl of soup and dressed in thin clothes, barged into Pei Zhiheng's study.