Young widow in her boudoir

Pei Zhiheng frowned.

He is currently on the rise in the Dali Temple, with a pile of important and trivial cases every day, including files from the Ministry of Justice, impeachments from the Censorate, and secret edicts from the palace. The emperor relies heavily on him and summons him to the palace to discuss matters every few days, sometimes for half a day. He really has no energy to think about marriage.

Pei Zhiheng's tone was so calm that there was no discernible fluctuation: "Let's postpone this matter."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao's beautiful, peach-like face instantly changed color.

He has always been a man of integrity, and Su Yao is worried that if she doesn't win him over soon, the marriage might be in jeopardy. She felt she was not good enough for him, which made her feel increasingly insecure, especially since Pei Zhiheng had always treated her coldly.

Moreover, this marriage wasn't arranged because Pei Zhiheng was satisfied with her, but because Pei's mother took a liking to her and wanted to bring it together. Pei Zhiheng didn't care at all about who would be the wife of Pei, which is how Su Yao got her way.

Su Yao always suspected that he had other women outside, perhaps even keeping a mistress! What if that mistress got pregnant and wanted to use the child to climb the social ladder?

Where does she put her dignity as the legal wife?

Su Yao felt incredibly wronged, so after the man finished speaking, she feigned weakness, glanced pitifully at Madam Pei beside her, and clung to the old woman's arm, acting cute and coquettish: "Madam..."

Mother Pei was already displeased, and now she was even angrier. "How long have you been putting this off? You're over twenty now, how long are you going to wait before you get married? Other men your age already have children around them."

Looking at her son's stubbornness, she was both anxious and sighed, "Your father and I are getting older, and we look forward to the addition of a new member to the family, hoping to hold our grandchildren soon. You must keep this in mind and not keep making excuses."

"Jingyi, you talk to him!"

Already feeling guilty, Madam Shen could only awkwardly reply when she was called out: "Yes, Yuanzhi, listen to your mother and settle down and start a family as soon as possible, so that someone can help you manage the household."

At that moment, a noise came from the next room, and someone entered. Even through the screen, a slender figure could be vaguely seen.

Madam Shen then asked, "Who has come over?"

Rong Mama then said, "The First Madam just finished preparing the medicine for the Master and brought it over. Hearing that there were guests in the Old Madam's room, she was afraid of disturbing them by coming in, so she decided not to come in to pay her respects and instead took a detour."

Madam Shen's fingertips trembled, signaling her to quickly tell Xie Rutang to leave.

What else could it be?

They're just feeling guilty!

Moreover, Pei Zhiheng had only been staying at the Shen family's house for a month when news spread that Xie was pregnant. No one would have thought of this, but because of her guilty conscience, Old Madam Shen became suspicious.

Unexpectedly, Madam Pei overheard their conversation, and her kind face softened. "Granny Rong, go and fetch Yuan Cheng's wife for me."

Granny Rong was so shocked that she clenched her fists. She glanced at her mistress's face and had no choice but to go to the warm pavilion to invite Xie Rutang over.

When Xie Rutang heard that Pei Zhiheng and Su Yao were both inside, she sensed something was wrong.

If she had known this would happen, she shouldn't have chosen this particular time to deliver the medicine!

But her father-in-law always takes his medicine at this time, and if he takes it a quarter of an hour earlier or later, she, his daughter-in-law, will be scolded by him.

Xie Rutang loosened her grip on the hem of her skirt and had no choice but to go inside. She had taken a bath tonight and changed into a light blue, thin gauze jacket with a white silver bracelet on her wrist. She had no makeup on, but her clear eyes were bright and her fair cheeks were rosy and white, giving her a hazy, misty look.

She bowed to the two elderly ladies with grace and poise, displaying the gentle demeanor of a daughter-in-law. She had shed her girlish charm and was like a peony in full bloom, now at the perfect time to admire her beauty.

Her outfit today was exactly the same as the one he had worn in his dream the night before.

Pei Zhiheng looked at her for a moment.

Mother Pei took her hand and glanced at Pei Zhiheng sitting on the mahogany chair opposite her. "Rutang, you're his sister-in-law. Please help me persuade him to get married as soon as possible!"

Xie Rutang's fingers, which were being held by her, stiffened slightly.

Should she be sent to persuade Pei Zhiheng?

Does she dare?

But since her mother had said those words, she couldn't refuse.

The man sat in the chair, and in the candlelight, his nose and eyebrows appeared even more defined and prominent, but his face was obscured, like a jade statue. He was a noble gentleman, as serene as the moon and the breeze.

Since discovering her pregnancy, she and he have never spoken to each other again. It's as if whenever she opens her mouth to him, those memories from the Cuiwu Courtyard will resurface in her mind, causing unnecessary embarrassment.

Although she was docile, she still didn't want to have anything to do with him. She wished he would leave the Shen family as soon as possible. If the truth came out and everyone knew that she had changed her mind, she would be completely ashamed to face anyone.

Xie Rutang pondered for a moment. She had originally turned her back to him, but she turned around and said in the manner of an elder, "Yuanzhi, you should listen to Madam Pei's words and settle down and start a family as soon as possible. The Great Learning says, 'Cultivate yourself first, then regulate your family; regulate your family, then govern the state.' If you can get a virtuous wife to manage your household affairs and take care of your parents, you can concentrate on important matters of the court."

"When Yuan Cheng was alive, he mentioned to me that he hoped you would find a good match and get married soon, which shows that he also cared about you a lot."

Xie Rutang gently stirred the embroidered gardenia handkerchief in her hand, speaking in the tone of an elder, like a graceful lotus flower.

She didn't look at his handsome face when she spoke, but instead looked down at the hem of his clothes hanging on the ground, as if that could ease her unease.

Xie Rutang finally finished speaking, her neck stiff with embarrassment; she had been forced into this situation.

Pei Zhiheng remained silent.

But when Xie Rutang raised her eyes, she was caught off guard and met his dark and mysterious eyes.

He seemed to give a cold laugh, a very cold laugh.

Xie Rutang: ...

But when she looked over again, the man's face was calm and his expression was undisturbed.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that she saw things wrong, or it was just an illusion?

Pei Zhiheng's sinister gaze just now made it seem as if he wanted to pin her down on the bed and have sex with her for a whole day and night, which frightened her so much that she quickly turned her face away.

Xie Rutang was simply Pei's mouthpiece. Pei's mother softened her expression and said, "Yuan Cheng was very close to you back then and knew that you were strong-willed and devoted to your official duties. I'm just afraid that you might waste your life."

This time it turned into moral blackmail, forcing him to get engaged.

Pei Zhiheng listened attentively with his eyes lowered, then suddenly smiled, "Mother, aren't you afraid I'll hold Miss Su back?"

Madam Pei, however, had a dark expression. She gently patted Su Yao's hand to comfort her, then turned back to glare helplessly at her son. "What do you mean by 'delaying'? You're inherently cold-hearted and lack emotional sensitivity. Yao Niang's heart is steadfast, she's willing, and she's waited for you all these years. Such a rare person—you won't find another like her even if you search high and low. Are you just going to watch Yao Niang's youth go to waste?"

"Are you still thinking about the Crown Princess? She's now a member of the royal family and a potential future Empress!"

Pei Zhiheng didn't respond to that, and said coldly, "I'm currently buried in criminal cases all day long, with irregular hours, and I don't even have time to take care of myself. How can I shoulder the responsibilities of a husband? Mother, you shouldn't worry about this."

As he spoke, his gaze fell intently on the woman in the distance, but she showed no reaction whatsoever, as if she were detached from the situation.

Ever since Xie Rutang entered the room, she kept her head down, staring straight ahead at her pearl-embroidered shoes, as if afraid that others would find out that she was the lover she was having an affair with in the room.

Not only that, she also wished she could act as a matchmaker and arrange his marriage with Su Yao.