Young widow in her boudoir

Pei's mother's gaze fell on her.

She had attended Xie Rutang's wedding banquet and was surprised that Shen Yuan had married such a beautiful woman. In contrast, her own son was as heartless and clueless as a cold stone.

Pei's mother was a kind person. She noticed that Xie Rutang was deliberately wearing a worn-out skirt to keep a low profile. She was already very beautiful, but she looked frail and pitiful.

Madam Pei nodded and continued, following Madam Shen's words: "Your eldest daughter-in-law is a good one. Back then, when she stood beside Yuan Cheng, the two of them were a perfect match, and everyone praised you, as her mother, for being so lucky."

The old lady was still leaning against the soft pillows, feeling sad. Pei's mother patted her shoulder to comfort her: "From now on, Yuanzhi will be your son, and you will be his mother. The two families will be one. Whenever you miss Yuancheng, just send a message to the Pei family, and Yuanzhi will come to take care of you anytime."

Xie Rutang, the daughter-in-law below, was stunned for a moment, and dared not look at the outstanding figure in the room. He was a man of great stature, the future head of the Pei family.

If her mother-in-law really acknowledges the Second Master as her son, then what about her affair with him? She would have to call Pei Zhiheng her uncle, wouldn't that just further cement her reputation as a disgraced person?

Inside the room, a group of servants tried to persuade and coax Madam Shen, serving her tea and snacks, and finally managed to calm her down.

After hearing that Pei's mother had come to the Shen family.

Shen Xiaoxiao carefully dressed herself in her boudoir before arriving late. She wore a gold-embroidered satin dress with rose flowers. Upon entering the room, she bowed to Madam Pei and then hugged Madam Pei's arm affectionately, saying, "Aunt Pei, you've finally come to see Xiaoxiao."

She is young and knows how to act cute and affectionate towards her elders.

Pei's mother had raised her like her own daughter since she was a child, and upon hearing this, she hugged her, radiating maternal warmth.

Xie Rutang, watching from the side, couldn't help but feel envious. Her mother had passed away early, and after her father remarried, her stepmother often sought opportunities to prevent her from being close to her father. Over time, a rift developed between her and Xie Chengen.

But Shen Xiaoxiao is not only doted on by her mother, but also loved by her mother, Pei.

After Shen Xiaoxiao came over, her eyes kept looking at Pei Zhiheng. The sixteen-year-old girl was not good at hiding her emotions, and her eyes were full of admiration and love.

Seeing this, Pei's mother told Shen Xiaoxiao to go out of the house and find her sisters-in-law first.

Shen Xiaoxiao thought she and Pei Zhiheng were getting along, her cheeks flushed red, and she curtsied before leaving.

As Pei's mother sipped her tea, she said, "Jingyi, you see, Shen Xiaoxiao seems very attached to Yuanzhi..."

Jingyi was the maiden name of Madam Shen.

Madam Shen felt uneasy, knowing that she had acted unfairly, but what was done was done and the matter had come to pass, so she could only continue to keep it a secret.

Her daughter-in-law and Pei Zhiheng were already having an affair, so she would never allow her daughter to marry Pei Zhiheng. Xie Rutang was Xiaoxiao's sister-in-law!

So, with her eyes half-closed, Madam Shen said, "Xiaoxiao is a mischievous and spoiled child, unlike Miss Su, who is a well-bred and virtuous young lady. I will make arrangements for her marriage. You don't need to worry about her; I will handle things with Xiaoxiao..."

Pei's mother also thought she made sense. Although she liked Shen Xiaoxiao, she would look down on her if Shen Xiaoxiao really became her daughter-in-law.

Although that's what she thought in her heart, Madam Pei still smiled insincerely, "I think Xiaoxiao is a good girl. If she were to choose a husband, wouldn't all the noble young men in the capital be at her disposal?"

Then the two started talking about Pei Zhiheng's marriage.

Pei's mother was very worried. Pei Zhiheng had been handsome and talented since childhood and had become a second-rank official at a young age. He was not the kind of person whose marriage would be controlled by his parents. As for whether he and Su Yao could get along, it was hard to say. However, he had not refused the two families' discussion of engagement, which meant that he had tacitly agreed in his heart.

Su Yao is beautiful and comes from a respectable family. Pei Zhiheng only needs a virtuous wife and loving mother who can manage his household, and Su Yao's qualities perfectly match his needs.

A maidservant hurried over to announce that Shen Wen had also arrived.

Shen Wen, dressed in a long satin robe, moved with a brisk pace. He was handsome and refined, the kind of man women would like.

Ye Wanyu couldn't help but feel affection when she saw him. Now Shen Wen listened to everything she said. The eldest son of the Shen family, Shen Yuan, had passed away. She could finally hold her head high. Judging from the current situation, the vast Shen family's property and land would all belong to Shen Wen in the future.

However, the eldest branch still has Xie Rutang, a widow. As long as Xie Rutang is still alive, the Shen family line will continue. She must do everything she can to make Xie Rutang's line end.

Shen Wen wanted to talk to Ye Wanyu and have some intimate time with the couple, but since Master Pei was inside, he could only go inside first to pay his respects to Pei Zhiheng.

The men were discussing matters of the court, so the women could only sit in the adjacent corridor.

Then Pei's wife came to chat with Xie Rutang and Ye Wanyu about everyday matters, nothing more than family gossip. The group sat in the room doing needlework together.

Xie Rutang couldn't get a word in edgewise. They were all complaining about which concubine in their husbands' rooms had received special favor, or talking about how their children had changed wet nurses. Xie Rutang listened silently, her eyes lowered, embroidering diligently.

The wives of the two families were chatting about everyday matters when they suddenly started talking about Master Pei, who was a true man among men, a man of the highest nobility.

Even the wives of both families would talk about Pei Zhiheng in private.

Gu, Pei Zhiheng's cousin-in-law, wore a red-gold and jade hairpin in her hair and had a rich and beautiful face. She was always talkative, so she couldn't help but ask, "Second Master hasn't married yet. I wonder if he's still waiting for the one in the Crown Prince's Palace..."

"Keep your voice down! His affair with the Crown Princess is a taboo subject in the Pei family; no one is allowed to mention it!"

"Second Master is indeed a germaphobe. The Old Madam has sent wave after wave of concubines to his room, but he hasn't kept a single one. Such a clean and upright gentleman is hard to find even with a lantern!"

"I think he may not truly like that Miss Su; he's just trying to appease the pressure to get married."

"I have to say, our Second Master has really discerning eyes. Over the years, only the Crown Princess has ever caught his eye."

After listening to the conversation between Madam Gu and Ye Wanyu, Xie Rutang learned more about Second Master Pei. It turned out that he and Yin Qinrong had grown up together since childhood. He was two years older than Yin Qinrong, and he was the one who taught Yin Qinrong how to ride a horse.

If her mother-in-law hadn't given her an aphrodisiac, a widow like her would never have had any contact with such a person in her entire life.

Both families' wives praised Pei Zhiheng highly, wishing they could introduce their own sisters and cousins ​​to him.

If they knew that Pei Zhiheng had given his first night to her, and that he had spent the night before in her Cuiwu Courtyard... Xie Rutang lowered her head even further, and inexplicably shivered.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on the embroidery needle, and Xie Rutang could vaguely glimpse the white-clad figure in the main house through the octagonal floor screen.

Pei Zhiheng's profile was sculpted like a knife's edge, making him very pleasing to the eye. Even Shen Wen, with his handsome features, appeared like an ordinary person next to him.

The man glanced at the adjacent side hall and saw a group of wives sitting by the sunlit east window.

Outside the window, the courtyard was a riot of flowers, but Xie Rutang's beauty was the most striking. Her delicate face was flushed with spring, and her figure was voluptuous, making her the most attractive woman to men. In the past, he could only occasionally see her display a hint of spring-like charm when she was by Shen Yuan's side; women were reluctant to show such affection to other men.

But he had experienced it firsthand the night before, on his bed in Cuiwu Courtyard.

Xie Rutang felt the man's gaze fixed on her face.

However, he only glanced at the group of wives before looking away, as if it were an unintentional glance, and she was no different from the other women.

He was surrounded by noble ladies from prominent families, and even Su Yao was outstanding in every way. Xie Rutang, on the other hand, came from a humble background. Her father was a businessman who had always been looked down upon by high-ranking families. Among the wives of the Shen and Pei families, she was the one who had the least say in anything.

Perhaps he agreed to borrow sperm a few days ago only because he was forced by circumstances, since his outer robe was found in her Cuiwu Courtyard, and if he didn't agree, it would be difficult to end the situation.

Although Pei Zhiheng appeared calm and had cooperated well the previous night, given his obsessive-compulsive nature, he was probably already feeling uncomfortable about her being a widow.

After all, after the previous night ended, he didn't come over to hold her as she fell asleep after lying in bed, and he didn't even say a few tender and considerate words. As a woman of the Shen family, Xie Rutang really didn't feel very safe.

But then she realized she was overthinking things; he was going to marry another woman eventually.