When the eldest princess, who had bullied my husband, was getting married, my elegant and noble prime – minister husband committed suicide in the study.
I endured the grief and sorted out his belongings, only to find countless portraits of the eldest princess hidden in the secret compartment.
Under each portrait, there was a line of small characters: “My love, Wanwan.”
So he had loved her so deeply for a long time.
When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn on the day the eldest princess took him into the mansion.
This time, instead of spending ten thousand taels of gold to save him, I just faintly congratulated.
“I see this man has a handsome and refined appearance. Congratulations, princess, on finding a new plaything.”
1
“Recently, I’ve got a batch of new playthings. Let’s see how good – looking they are.”
The eldest princess, Li Wan, had a beautiful and glamorous face, with a smile on her lips as she sat at the top.
After saying that, she clapped her hands.
The servants of the princess’s mansion pulled a cage covered with a red cloth to the center of the banquet.
The eyes of the crowd, either curious or expectant, shifted to the luxurious cage made of gold wire in the center of the stage.
I looked indifferently and coldly.
My mind was in a turmoil. It seemed that I could see through the red cloth to the elegant and noble prime – minister, Pei Xiuyan, from my previous life.
2
The eldest princess, Li Wan, lived a life of extravagance and had many male concubines. She especially loved to search for handsome men among the common people and keep them in captivity like pets.
Most of the men she fancied were taken back to the princess’s mansion and tortured to death.
As a royal merchant, I was also invited to the spring banquet she held at the same time in my previous life.
At that banquet, I fell in love at first sight with Pei Xiuyan, who was thin and handsome but still stood as straight as a cold pine.
I liked his calm eyes in the face of difficulties and his unyielding backbone even when he was in a difficult situation.
I judged that this man was not an ordinary person and would surely achieve great things in the future.
Although my family had been merchants for generations, my father taught me a saying since I was a child.
“One may miss a good horse because of its thinness, and miss a talented person because of his poverty.”
So I spent ten thousand taels of gold to ask the eldest princess to give him up.
Although Li Wan was not very happy, she still gave Pei Xiuyan to me considering that I was willing to spend so much money.
I pulled him out of the quagmire, and Pei Xiuyan lived up to my expectations. He passed the imperial examinations at a young age and became the youngest number – one scholar in nearly a hundred years.
The business of my family also grew bigger and bigger because of Pei Xiuyan’s position in the officialdom.
When we got engaged, although he was a bit hesitant, his mother liked me very much, so he agreed. At that time, I just thought he wasn’t ready for marriage.
After years of getting along day and night, and with my kindness to him.
Although he was usually taciturn, I was very confident that he was deeply in love with me.
The only time he touched me was on our wedding day.
Pei Xiuyan drank a lot of wine and stumbled into my arms, breathing warmly in my ear.
That night, he was extremely passionate and called my name softly in my ear again and again: “Wanwan.”
I blushed and responded softly, feeling extremely sweet in my heart.
Until the day of the eldest princess’s wedding, when he committed suicide in despair, and I was tidying up his belongings.
I accidentally found many portraits of Li Wan hidden in the secret compartment of his study and suddenly realized.
The “Wan” he called was not the “Wan” of my name, Lin Wan, but the “Wan” of Li Wan.
No wonder on the wedding day, he, who usually didn’t drink, seemed to want to drink himself to death. Presumably, he could regard me as Li Wan after drinking too much.
A sense of humiliation and anger at being deceived intertwined in my heart. When I opened my eyes again, I actually returned to the day of the spring banquet held by the eldest princess.
3
The eunuch picked up a corner of the red cloth of the cage with a golden rod. Everyone held their breath, and their eyes unconsciously followed the eunuch’s movements.
The beautiful scenery in the cage was slowly revealed. Everyone’s breath caught in their throats as five young men in light clothes gradually came into view.
My eyes unconsciously glanced at Pei Xiuyan.
Pei Xiuyan had no expression on his face. He was sitting against the wall of the cage, and his hanging hand seemed to tremble slightly. His hair slightly covered his eyes, and the outline of his jaw was soft.
He was really elegant and noble, as cold as the bright moon.
Hearing the exclamations of the crowd, he slowly raised his amber eyes, his handsome eyebrows slightly furrowed. Before he could get used to the sunlight, he looked around as if looking for something.
I slightly frowned. Why was Pei Xiuyan in this life so much less steady than in the previous life?
At this time, Pei Xiuyan also seemed to sense something and slowly turned his head to look at me.
Before our eyes met, I coldly withdrew my gaze.
“What do you all think of this batch of goods?”
The eldest princess slightly raised her phoenix – like eyebrows and asked lazily while lying on the couch at the top.
The eldest daughter of the Zhang Ge – lao’s family quickly and obsequiously replied: “They are extremely beautiful, Your Highness. They are more than a hundred times better than those in your backyard now.”
The crowd started to discuss noisily. Li Wan’s eyes flickered, and she looked at me, who was silently drinking fruit wine.
“What does Miss Lin think?”
I raised my head while holding the wine cup. Before I could speak, I felt a burning gaze from the corner of my eye.
Pei Xiuyan was holding the railing of the cage, staring intently at me.
Naturally, his actions attracted the attention of others.
Li Wan looked displeased and coldly said: “Do you know each other?”
My face remained calm as usual, but I was shocked in my heart. Ten thousand guesses flashed through my mind.
Pei Xiuyan’s actions in this life were really too abnormal. Could it be that he was also reborn?
I was silent for a long time and then replied: “I don’t know him.”
Li Wan curled her lips, her tone magnanimous, but her eyes were full of sinister probing: “This thing seems to like Miss Lin very much. If you like it too, I can give it to you. How about that?”
I calmly replied: “This man has a handsome and refined appearance. How could I, a commoner girl, take away what the princess loves? I, Lin, would like to congratulate the princess on finding a new plaything here.”
Li Wan’s phoenix – like eyes slightly narrowed, and she smiled with satisfaction.
In the cage, Pei Xiuyan, after hearing my words, suddenly grasped the pole of the cage with both hands.
The strength was so great that it startled the little eunuch next to him.
The light clothes swayed gently with his movements, revealing the whip marks and burn scars on his body.
The white skin and red scars formed a strange and beautiful contrast.
In my previous life, I was afraid that he would have a psychological shadow when he saw these scars, so I searched for famous doctors everywhere to cure the scars on his body.
But now I think I was really meddling. Maybe he liked these scars of love.
I took another look at Pei Xiuyan.
He was still looking at me steadily with his weak body. I was even more puzzled. Now he seemed like a pet at a loss after being abandoned by its owner.
4
Suppressing the doubts in my heart, I glanced at the young man behind him whose eyes were like a wild wolf.
The future General of Zhenbei, Fu Zeyan.
In my previous life, I heard that he was wild and unruly. Once, he almost killed Li Wan, but Li Wan favored his character and doted on him.
Later, when Li Wan took him on an outing, he took the opportunity to fall off a cliff. Li Wan turned the imperial city upside down but couldn’t find any trace of him.
He reappeared five years later. He had outstanding military achievements in the northern border and was conferred the title of General of Zhenbei by the old emperor.
The old emperor’s health was failing because of his addiction to alchemy. He was sometimes confused and sometimes sober.
The third prince, who had always pretended to be sick and weak, finally showed his ability at this critical moment. And Fu Zeyan was the sharpest sword in the hands of the third prince.
The crown prince and the eldest princess were siblings of the same mother. I advised Pei Xiuyan many times to remain neutral, but regardless of my obstruction, he still stood on the side of the crown prince’s party.
After his death, I understood why he stood on the side of the crown prince’s party without hesitation. I’m afraid it was also because of Li Wan.
Fu Zeyan and Pei Xiuyan were at odds with each other in the court. The eldest princess’s marriage seemed to be promoted by the third prince’s party.
Thinking of this, a mischievous thought couldn’t be suppressed in my heart.
I looked at Li Wan, pointed at Fu Zeyan, and said clearly: “Princess, can I exchange this young man with ten thousand taels of gold?”
Pei Xiuyan looked straight at me, and the cold corners of his eyes were now full of broken red. The veins on his well – defined palm bulged, as if he wanted to break the pole.
The little wolf cub, however, stared at me with wide eyes, and his handsome and ruffian face was now dull.
5
Just like in the previous life, although Li Wan was not very willing, she still gave Fu Zeyan to me considering the gold.
I was not interested in the second half of the banquet and didn’t look at Pei Xiuyan in the cage again.
After the banquet ended, my two servants, Zhaocai and Jinbao, carried the tied – up Fu Zeyan onto the carriage of my Lin Mansion.
I sat upright in the carriage and sized up Fu Zeyan in front of me.
The people in the princess’s mansion were afraid that Fu Zeyan would escape, so they gave him dumb – medicine and soft – bone powder in advance.
But now, even though he was very weak, his eyes were still full of ferocity and hostility.
Thinking that he should not have eaten for a long time, I took out a piece of peach – blossom pastry from the food box and tentatively fed it to the edge of Fu Zeyan’s mouth.
I held it for a long time, but Fu Zeyan still didn’t respond. He stared at me firmly. Just as I lost interest and was about to put my hand down, Fu Zeyan suddenly lunged at my hand and bit it.
This scene scared my heart to a stop. I instinctively withdrew my hand and cursed: “Sure enough, he’s a wolf cub.”
Then I threw the peach – blossom pastry back into the food box, closed my eyes, and rested, ignoring him.
After returning to the mansion, I asked someone to untie Fu Zeyan and locked him in the courtyard next to mine.
I went to the study to deal with some affairs. In the evening, estimating that the effect of the medicine on Fu Zeyan was almost over, I sent someone to cook some light porridge and side dishes for him.
After Zhaocai delivered the food, he came to my study with a worried face to report.
“Master, I really couldn’t control him, so I asked the guards in the mansion to tie him to the bedside and feed him. But as soon as we fed him, he vomited it out again.”
I thoughtfully rubbed the account book in my hand. At this time, Jinbao, who had gone to inquire about Fu Zeyan’s background, came back.
“Master, I’ve found out everything. Take a look.”
It turned out that Fu Zeyan was an orphan. His father was forcibly conscripted by the court and later died on the battlefield.
His mother remarried, and he had no one to rely on since he was a child. Thanks to the kindness of the neighbors nearby, he grew up with a bite of food from each family.
Li Wan went to the outskirts for an outing with her guards and accidentally found Fu Zeyan hunting. She immediately wanted to take him into the princess’s mansion.
Fu Zeyan fled into the mountains all the way. The eldest princess was furious and threatened Fu Zeyan with the lives of all the old and weak in the village.
Two fists couldn’t defeat imperial power. For the sake of the people in the village, Fu Zeyan followed Li Wan back to the princess’s mansion.
This was undoubtedly good news. It was much easier to handle someone with a weakness.
“Let’s go. Let’s go and see him.”
I stood up and went to the next courtyard with Zhaocai and Jinbao.
6
As soon as I stepped into the room, I saw Fu Zeyan tied to the big bed made of golden sandalwood. His clothes were messy, and a few strands of his hair stood up because of his struggle, making his originally wild and ruffian face look a bit cute.
When Fu Zeyan saw me come in, his eyes immediately became hostile and vigilant.
I calmly stared back at the little wolf cub.
Zhaocai brought a stool, and I sat down leisurely. Then I waved my hand, asking the two of them to go out and wait.
“Speak. What’s your purpose for buying me?” Fu Zeyan said coolly, his voice hoarse like it contained gravel.
I sneered, poured myself a cup of tea, and said lightly: “Don’t worry. I’m not interested in your body.”
“A few years ago, when I was chatting with someone while doing business, I heard that there was a village bully in Linshui Village. He was fierce and perverse, but he never bullied the villagers. On the contrary, if there were bandits and robbers coming to Linshui Village to burn, kill, and loot, this village bully would step forward and never lose.”
I recalled the information Jinbao had found out and observed Fu Zeyan’s reaction as I spoke.
Sure enough, Fu Zeyan’s expression gradually relaxed.
I continued: “Although you’ve lived in the mountains for a long time, you’re kind – hearted and value loyalty and righteousness. I really can’t bear to see someone with such good character being tortured in the princess’s mansion.”
“Besides, I’m a merchant, Mr. Fu. I won’t do business at a loss.”
Hearing the last sentence, Fu Zeyan snorted disdainfully: “If you have any purpose, just say it quickly. Don’t beat around the bush.”
“You have a kind character and are brave and good at fighting. I have a big family business. In today’s world, there are countless thieves eyeing me from behind. If you want to stay in the Lin Mansion, you need to protect the property and safety of the Lin Mansion. Outside, you can claim to be a guard of the Lin Mansion. You have absolute freedom and human rights.”
“If you have ambitions and are not willing to live a life of being controlled now, and you want to rise to prominence in the future, I will also invite a teacher to teach you reading and martial arts.”
“I will properly arrange for the villagers in your village to ensure that they live and work in peace and contentment and are not threatened by the eldest princess.”
I smiled slightly and continued: “Of course, if you don’t agree to my conditions, I’ll just consider the ten thousand taels of gold as making a friend. You can leave now, and I will give you some travel expenses. I just hope that if you have the opportunity to rise in the future, you won’t forget to take care of the Lin family.”
Fu Zeyan looked at me appraisingly, as if trying to determine the credibility of my words.
“But I need to remind you that if you leave the Lin family, I can guarantee that you will be caught back by the eldest princess within three days. Before you’ve grown your wings, only I can protect you, Mr. Fu.”
Fu Zeyan looked straight at me. His long eyelashes and his somewhat frustrated and dim expression now didn’t detract from his handsome appearance.
No wonder Li Wan loved and doted on him for so many years.
“You think it over and give me your answer tomorrow.”
After saying that, I got up and went out. Zhaocai and Jinbao came in to untie Fu Zeyan. His wrists were red from being tied, but he still bowed his head in thought as if he didn’t feel the pain.
7
At noon the next day, Zhaocai came to report that Fu Zeyan wanted to see me.
I asked him to bring the person to the study.
When Fu Zeyan came to the study, he stood silently for a moment. I didn’t urge him.
“I agree to your conditions. Please also properly arrange for the people in the village.” Fu Zeyan said in a hoarse voice, speaking in a low voice.
I raised the corners of my lips: “Naturally. Take a good rest these few days. The teacher who will teach you will come in a few days.”
The teachers arranged for Fu Zeyan were the same as those for Pei Xiuyan in my previous life.
The teachers came to the mansion to teach during the day. When I had nothing to do, I strolled to the school hall.
Looking in through the back window, I saw Fu Zeyan sitting on a futon with his back to me, wearing a white robe.
I was stunned for a few seconds. It was Zhaocai who reminded me that I came back to my senses.
Even though the back view was very similar, the person in front of me wasn’t Pei Xiuyan, and I wasn’t Lin Wan from the previous life either.
Perhaps because he was so eager to change his fate, Fu Zeyan studied very hard every day. His body was originally weak, and now he was constantly expending mental and physical energy. So I asked the kitchen to make him nourishing food in different ways every day.
In a flash, nearly a month passed. From the initial guard and distrust, he could now calmly sit down and talk with me. I was afraid that if he studied like this every day, he might become dull, so I called him to the study.
“The weather is nice today. How about going out for a walk?”
8
It was the middle of spring, and the plants were turning green.
The carriage with fragrant curtains rumbled along the bustling streets of Chang’an City. The play being performed at the theater today was about loyalty to the country. I thought that in the previous life, Fu Zeyan became a general, and this play about loyalty to the country would suit his taste.
Getting off the carriage, what greeted my eyes was a small bridge over flowing water. The theater was next to a lotus lake. On the carved attic, the sound of the zither was ringing, in a harmonious and melodious rhythm, accompanied by a singer’s soft chant.
Under the attic, princes and nobles were rowing small painted boats to enjoy the lotus flowers in the lake. Such an elegant place was naturally one of my properties.
I took Fu Zeyan to the top floor, where the view was the best.
Coincidentally, as soon as we went upstairs, we ran into Li Wan in the private box.
Li Wan was lying on a white fur beauty couch, looking noble and lazy.
Beside her, several young men in light clothes were pouring wine and waiting on her. And Pei Xiuyan was sitting in front of a guzheng in a light – colored white robe.
My steps stopped in place. Fu Zeyan looked at me in confusion. Following my gaze, he saw the scene in the box, and the light in his eyes turned cold like frost.
“Miss Lin, how come you have time to listen to the play today, and it’s so rare that you bring a beauty with you?” Li Wan pushed aside the attentive young man in front of her, adjusted the light clothes that had slipped to her arm, and looked at me and Fu Zeyan with a teasing tone.
My face was calm. I avoided Pei Xiuyan’s vague gaze and smiled gently: “I was afraid he would be too bored in the mansion, so I brought him out for a walk.”
Li Wan smiled. She glanced at the little wolf cub beside me, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.
No one noticed that Pei Xiuyan’s hand, which was playing the zither, trembled slightly when he heard what I said.
9
“Come here and pour wine for Miss Lin.”
I sat beside Li Wan. I saw Li Wan’s slender hand gently point at Pei Xiuyan beside her.
Pei Xiuyan lowered his eyes, got up, and walked over. The new scars on his fair chest were faintly visible as he moved.
I took a few glances and then looked away. What did it matter to me if he was covered in scars?
His well – defined palm picked up the white jade wine pot. My eyes were fixed on the white jade wine pot.
Pei Xiuyan’s hand trembled slightly. He didn’t hold it steady, and the lid of the wine pot rolled down along the edge of the jade table and landed on me.
I didn’t say anything. I calmly took out a handkerchief and wiped my wet clothes.
It was Li Wan whose beautiful face still had a smile, but her eyes became a bit gloomy.
“Xiuyan, you seem a bit distracted these two days.”
“Kneel down.”
Pei Xiuyan knelt on the ground.
Li Wan’s slender and white hand gently pinched Pei Xiuyan’s chin, and with the other hand, she picked up the white jade wine pot and poured it down forcefully with the mouth of the pot facing down.
Pei Xiuyan was choked until the corners of his eyes turned red. He coughed while enduring the pain. The wine flowed down from the corner of his mouth, soaking his already light clothes.
The fist that Fu Zeyan was holding under the table had bulging veins. He gritted his teeth and watched the scene in front of him.
I kept my face unchanged and pressed his fist under the table.
No one would feel more heartbroken for Pei Xiuyan than me, at least in the previous life.
Now thinking about it, I thought that my kindness to him was just meddling. Maybe this was the affection between Li Wan and him.
After drinking a pot of wine, Pei Xiuyan gasped for breath. Sensing my gaze, he also looked over.
Our eyes met. His eyes moved down. When he saw the hands of me and Fu Zeyan touching under the table, his eyes slightly changed.
It seemed that compared to the suffering in front of him, he cared more about Fu Zeyan beside me.
After the abuse, Li Wan was in a very good mood and asked Pei Xiuyan to play the zither again.
Pei Xiuyan sat expressionlessly in front of the guzheng. He started to play but stopped for some reason. Then he played “Autumn Night Thoughts”, which I loved the most in my previous life.
My breath caught. The scenes in front of me kept overlapping, as if in a previous life.
I was the one who taught him this “Autumn Night Thoughts”.
Now listening to this “Autumn Night Thoughts” again, I no longer had those tender feelings in my heart. I just felt disgusted.
And the previous guess was directly confirmed. He was indeed reborn.
He deliberately played this “Autumn Night Thoughts”. Could it be that because my behavior was different from that in the previous life, he was testing whether I was also reborn?
Don’t blame me for being too suspicious.
He, who committed suicide for the eldest princess in the previous life, had changed so much in this life. It was really abnormal.
I couldn’t help but maliciously speculate: Could it be that our noble Prime Minister Pei, after living a life worse than a pig or a dog in the princess’s mansion for a few days, suddenly remembered my kindness in the previous life?
Thinking of this, I felt a bit of the anger in my heart dissipate.
Rotten mud is rotten mud. Even if I helped him rise to a high position, he couldn’t change his filthy nature.
10
Li Wan looked at Pei Xiuyan’s profile, narrowed her affectionate phoenix – like eyes, and leaned back gently: “Among these people in the backyard, I like him the most now. Although he’s a bit dull, this face is really the most beautiful in our dynasty.”
I replied lightly: “I heard that the empress has recently introduced some noble sons to you. He’s just a low – class plaything. Princess, don’t take him too seriously.”
Pei Xiuyan played a wrong note.
Li Wan let out a muffled laugh from her chest, looking arrogant and frivolous: “So what if I have a consort? Don’t forget, this is the world of our Li family.”
“What the princess said is very true.”
“Moreover, Xiuyan is extremely capable. Crown Prince brother also likes him very much. Although his background is humble, it’s not a bad thing for him to follow me.”
My eyes flickered.
A servant brought a new wine pot and filled my glass.
I picked up the glass of wine, sniffed it slightly, and narrowed my eyes.
Li Wan turned her head and looked at me with a smile. I smiled slightly and drank it with my sleeve covering my mouth.
After a while, I stroked my forehead, pretending to be dizzy.
Seeing this, Li Wan’s smile became even wider. I looked apologetic and said to Li Wan: “Princess, I can’t hold my liquor. I’m afraid I’ll make a fool of myself in front of others. I’ll take my leave now.”
Li Wan looked at the inner room of the box and said in an irresistible tone: “There is a place to rest here. Miss Lin, you can rest for a while first.”
Then two young men came over to support me.
Anger gradually rose in my heart, but I still had an apologetic look on my face.
Li Wan told the two young men to take good care of me. I threw off the hands of the young men, grabbed Fu Zeyan, and said: “It’s okay. Ayan can take care of me. I’m sorry to bother you.”
Before Fu Zeyan could react, I pulled him into the inner room, closed the door with a loud bang, and directly pressed him onto the bed.
Fu Zeyan looked at me lying on him. His mind went blank for a moment. He only smelled an elegant fragrance coming with my breath.
Fu Zeyan trembled slightly, as if a snowflake suddenly fell on his neck in winter.
My hair was slightly disheveled, and my face was as pink as a rosy cloud, completely different from the usual Lin Wan who was always calm, calculating, and indifferent with an account book in her hand.
He nervously pushed my shoulders, but I pressed his shoulders and firmly pressed him onto the bed.
His face, which should have been ruffian and cold – hearted, now showed an expression of innocence that didn’t match his temperament. His black eyes were wide open, and he said: “What are you doing, Lin Wan!”
My originally blurred and turbid eyes now regained clarity.
I lay on him, leaned close to his ear, and whispered: “Don’t move. There was medicine in the wine just now.”
My warm lips accidentally brushed against Fu Zeyan’s ear. His body stiffened, his breathing lost its rhythm, and he didn’t know where to put his hands.
I didn’t notice his abnormality and continued: “I poured all the wine into my sleeve. I’ve seen this trick since I was a child. How dare she play dirty on my territory.”
The little wolf cub wasn’t ungrateful. Hearing this, his handsome eyebrows frowned: “Why did she drug you?”
I sneered: “She’s always been arrogant and unreasonable. Maybe it’s because I bought you, or… it’s also because of Pei Xiuyan.”
As I groped towards the hidden compartment under the bed, I asked: “Can you moan?”
“Moan?”
“Yes. Have you seen men and women having sex? I don’t need to teach you, do I?”
“You call out first and let me hear.”
Seeing Fu Zeyan looking at me stupidly, I urged him again. Fu Zeyan came to his senses and casually “ah”ed.
I squinted my eyes speechlessly and said: “Excuse me, was that the sound of a wild donkey?”
My hand finally touched the protrusion. With a click, a tunnel appeared under the bed.
I bent down and entered. Looking at Fu Zeyan, who still couldn’t bring himself to do it, I said: “You keep moaning, moan well, don’t let the people outside suspect. I’ll send someone else over.”
After saying that, I quietly slipped into the tunnel.
Fu Zeyan watched me disappear into the tunnel.
After a long time, he finally blushed, glanced at the door, and cursed a few words.
11
After Fu Zeyan’s body had been recuperated for a while, I arranged martial arts training lessons for him.
He hadn’t attended for more than two days when he suddenly fainted on the martial arts field.
When I heard the news, I immediately rushed back to the mansion from my business trip.
Zhaocai had already invited Doctor Du to diagnose and treat Fu Zeyan. The reason for his fainting was that he had been practicing martial arts desperately these two days. Even though he had a fever, he didn’t rest.
I looked at Fu Zeyan, who was lying on the bed with a pale face and unconscious, and felt helpless.
“It’s nothing serious. He’ll recover after taking the medicine for two days.” Doctor Du comforted me.
I nodded and thanked Doctor Du, and asked Zhaocai to decoct the medicine. I stayed by the bedside, wiping the cold sweat off Fu Zeyan.
As I wiped, I murmured to myself: “You must not have an accident. In the future, the third prince, Pei Xiuyan, and the prosperity of my Lin family all depend on you.”
Fu Zeyan’s brows slightly wrinkled. I stopped my movement, looked at him, and seeing that he still didn’t show signs of waking up, I could only resign myself to staying by the bedside.
12
After staying by Fu Zeyan’s side all night, Zhaocai said that the shopkeeper of Suiyu Xuan came to visit.
I was puzzled. Suiyu Xuan was the business of the empress’s mother’s family. Usually, we had no business dealings. What was the matter?
I asked someone to invite the shopkeeper of Suiyu Xuan to rest in the hall for a while, and I would come after changing my clothes.
When I arrived at the hall and saw the person, my expression froze.
It was none other than Pei Xiuyan.
“Wanwan…” Pei Xiuyan murmured affectionately.
My eyebrows turned cold: “Mr. Pei, you’re overstepping. My name is Lin Wan.”
Everyone else withdrew from the hall, leaving only me and Pei Xiuyan.
“You’re back too.” Pei Xiuyan stared at me closely and said softly.
It was an affirmative tone. Presumably, my different actions in this life had aroused his suspicion. There was no point in pretending anymore, so I simply said: “Yes. So what?”
“Business is business. Since you come here as the shopkeeper of Suiyu Xuan today, what exactly is the matter? If you want to reminisce, I think you should have more to talk about with the princess.”
Pei Xiuyan’s face turned pale when he heard this.
I had never seen the most noble and upright Prime Minister Pei in our dynasty in such a disheveled state.
I sneered, feeling extremely happy to see his pained expression being exposed.
“You saw it,” Pei Xiuyan said in a hoarse tone.
“There were a total of 110 portraits. You’re so affectionate that it makes me sick.”
Pei Xiuyan seemed to be burned by the disgust in my eyes. He couldn’t support himself and staggered back two steps.
I continued to say with hatred: “I don’t know what you’re trying to do with this disgusting act in this life. Li Wan is not someone who can tolerate you having someone else in your heart.”
“Wanwan…” His eyes were red at the corners, and his voice was broken. He called me with a guilty tone.
“Don’t call me Wanwan!” When I heard this word, the veins on my forehead throbbed. I finally couldn’t maintain my superficial composure.
“Everyone in the world says that I, Lin Wan, am a profit – seeking merchant. But Pei Xiuyan, you should know how I treated you. Is this the return I get for my sincerity? Years of deception?”
Pei Xiuyan’s voice was bitter. His eloquence that could argue with a group of officials in the court seemed to have failed now. He could only repeat the words “I’m sorry”.
I impatiently interrupted his belated apology.
“There’s no business to do between my Lin family and your Suiyu Xuan. Mr. Pei, please leave.”
Pei Xiuyan stared blankly at the hatred in my eyes. His cold and aloof features were as desolate as withered wood.
13
When I returned to the study, Jinbao said that Fu Zeyan had woken up.
I pushed the door and entered Fu Zeyan’s room, but I didn’t see him.
I called out “Fu Zeyan” softly a few times, but there was no response. Instead, the sound of water came from the inner room.
I lifted the curtain of the inner room and entered. What came into view was the young man faintly visible in the curling water vapor.
I quickly retreated to the outer room and said awkwardly: “Sorry.”
Fu Zeyan in the room apparently didn’t react either. He didn’t make a sound for a long time.
“Come to the study to find me after you finish washing.”
After saying that, I quickly walked out of the courtyard.
Although the atmosphere in our dynasty was open – minded and there was no strict gender segregation, I was still relatively conservative in my heart.
The window was lit with a bright lamp, and the lamp flame flickered.
When Fu Zeyan came to find me, I tried to act as if nothing had happened. He also pursed his lips and pretended to be serious, with his ears turning pink.
“You were looking for me?”
Fu Zeyan secretly glanced at me and asked uneasily.
I coughed and said seriously: “Achieving success is not something that can be done overnight. You need to have a good body to grow faster. I hope you understand this truth.”
Fu Zeyan looked at me, his eyes slightly flickering. He let out a muffled “hmm” from his chest.
“If you’re interested in this aspect, after you recover in a few days, I’ll take you to the military camp to have a look.”
The little wolf cub’s eyes immediately brightened.
14
Fu Zeyan went out of the mansion at noon and didn’t come back until evening.
My eyelids kept twitching. I had an intuition that something had happened. I asked Zhaocai to go and find out. The servant who came back said that Fu Zeyan was in a gambling house with a woman.
The gambling house, others might not know, but I, with the memories of the previous life, knew that it was Wang Yusheng’s business for making money. And Wang Yusheng was Pei Xiuyan’s classmate before Li Wan took Pei Xiuyan back to the mansion in the previous life.
Without thinking much, I took Zhaocai, Jinbao, and a group of guards, and drove a carriage to the gambling house.
On the way, Zhaocai told me the story.
Fu Zeyan had a childhood sweetheart named Lianyi. Lianyi had a gambling – addicted brother. Because he couldn’t pay off his gambling debts, he was detained by the gambling house and had one of his legs broken today.
The gambling – addicted brother, in order to save his life, wanted to sell his sister to pay off the debt.
Wang Yusheng gave Lianyi a chance to raise enough money at once. Lianyi had no choice but to ask Fu Zeyan for help. But Fu Zeyan had no money. As a result, several people were all detained in the gambling house, and Wang Yusheng asked the thugs to disable Fu Zeyan.
As soon as we arrived at the door of the gambling house, we heard the sounds of shouting and fighting inside.
I slightly raised my eyebrows, waved my hand, and a group of people marched into the gambling house in a mighty manner.
The inside of the gambling house was in a mess. Dozens of thugs were lying on the ground. Fu Zeyan had blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, his eyes were cold, and his killing intent was obvious.
He was holding a blood – stained stool and standing in front of Lianyi, who had a tear – stained face but looked even more beautiful. Lianyi’s gambling – addicted brother had one hand and one leg broken and was lying on the ground, wailing miserably.
Wang Yusheng was sitting on a grand master’s chair with his legs crossed, and there were more than thirty thugs standing behind him.
Everyone inside heard the commotion at the door and looked towards me in unison.
Wang Yusheng spat out a mouthful of phlegm, sized me up and down, and chuckled, “Boss Lin, what wind has blown you to my humble place today?”
I smiled faintly and said in an unhurried tone, “My man was ignorant and disturbed Boss Wang’s business. I’m here to take him home.”
Wang Yusheng snorted coldly and pointed at Fu Zeyan, “Your man? Are you talking about this reckless guy who tries to be a hero?”
Fu Zeyan stared at me intently without blinking.
“Exactly.”
Wang Yusheng looked at me coldly, “What if I don’t let you take him away?”
Zhaocai brought a stool, covered it with a cape, and I sat down with a calm expression.
“You can give it a try. If you don’t release him now, evidence of your tax evasion will appear on the desk of the government office tomorrow morning.”
“I’m not that capable, but I do have some friendly officials in the government. They can probably make you rot in jail.”
Wang Yusheng was so ruthless in his business, always making ill – gotten money, so the businessmen in the capital called him Wang Gouzi.
Wang Yusheng’s eyes were wide with anger, looking at me viciously.
After a long while, he let out a breath of frustration and said to Fu Zeyan with a sinister look, “Kid, you’re lucky today. Get out of here!”
Fu Zeyan hesitated and looked at Lianyi, who was timidly pulling at the corner of his clothes behind him. I said coolly, “I’m taking that girl away too.”
“Lin Wan, don’t go too far! Her brother still owes me money. If she leaves, who am I going to ask for it?”
I casually threw a money bag on the ground and said coldly, “Tell Pei Xiuyan that I’ll get even with him for what happened today, one by one.”
I got up and left. The guards of the Lin Mansion escorted Fu Zeyan and Lianyi out of the door.
15
After returning to the mansion, Fu Zeyan stood silently in place. His eyes glanced at me for a moment, and he said, carefully choosing his words, “Thank you for today.”
I suppressed the anger in my heart, my eyes as cold as frost, and looked at Fu Zeyan coldly, “I think we need to settle the score for what happened today.”
“First, you act without thinking. You go out in the name of my Lin family. When you encounter something, you lose your composure. You’re impulsive and reckless. No matter what Wang Yusheng’s purpose was, if I hadn’t come today, his power in Chang’an City would have been enough to disable you ten times.”
“Second, you neglect your duties. As a guard of the Lin Mansion, not to mention the ten thousand taels of gold, calculate how much money I spend on your monthly salary and the energy I invest in you. It was your shift today, but you left the mansion without a word. Did I invite you here to eat for free?”
“Third, you’re insubordinate. Don’t think that just because I’ve been nice to you these days, our identities are equal. I’m the master, and you’re the servant. I have the right to deal with you as I please. Just because of your show – off today and the trouble you caused me, I could beat you half to death, and who could say anything about it?”
“You’re extremely stupid!”
Fu Zeyan lowered his head and listened to my scolding. The fist by his side tightened and loosened, loosened and tightened again. In the end, he didn’t refute a single word.
“Go to Zhaocai to receive your punishment by yourself.”
After Fu Zeyan went out, I finally let out a breath of irritation.
I didn’t believe that what happened today had nothing to do with Pei Xiuyan.
After all, I had never heard of such a thing happening in the previous life.
I just didn’t know what his purpose was. Was it to eliminate potential threats for himself in advance, or because I bought Fu Zeyan?
But it didn’t matter. Since he touched my people, he should pay the price. What’s more, he deceived me for so many years in the previous life. Since he was unkind, don’t blame me for being unjust.
I wrote a diagram of the relationships within the Crown Prince’s Party in the previous life, along with the hidden lines of Pei Xiuyan, and asked my secret guards to secretly place it in the carriage of the Third Prince.
Since Fu Zeyan cared so much about Lianyi, I asked Zhaocai to ask Lianyi if she was willing to give up her good – for – nothing brother.
After getting an affirmative answer, I sent someone to throw Lianyi’s brother out of Chang’an City to fend for himself.
15
In the afternoon, I was leisurely lying on the swing, reading the recently popular wild book in Chang’an City, “The Poisonous Doctor Mother with 108 Babies Runs Away with the Ball”.
I was grinning, right at the crucial part where the male lead forcefully kisses the female lead because of jealousy and misunderstanding.
As I was reading, I suddenly felt the sunlight in front of me dim.
I looked up and saw Fu Zeyan standing in front of me, holding a food plate, his eyes dodging uneasily.
I put away my unseemly expression and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I heard from Jinbao that you like peach – blossom pastries. I, I made some today. Jinbao said they taste good. Would you like to try them?”
There was an unconscious look of flattery on the handsome and ruffian face of the little wolf cub. He held the food plate with both hands and stretched it towards me, his mouth pursed tightly in tension.
I picked up a piece of peach – blossom pastry, glanced at Fu Zeyan, and he looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.
I chuckled inwardly. This guy couldn’t even hide his expression. Forget it, I’ll give him a step down.
I took a small bite and said casually, “Not bad.”
Fu Zeyan secretly curved the corners of his mouth, and his usually cold eyes softened.
“I want to apologize to you. I was impulsive yesterday and didn’t think things through. It won’t happen again.”
“And… thank you for what happened to Lianyi.”
I waved my hand, “I know you were in a hurry because of your sweetheart, but I helped her because she has the ability herself. It’s a win – win situation. There’s no need to thank me.”
“What sweetheart?” Fu Zeyan was stunned, and the smile froze on his lips.
I took a bite of the peach – blossom pastry and mumbled, “Isn’t Lianyi your sweetheart?”
“She’s not. Don’t talk nonsense!” Fu Zeyan stuck his neck out, his body straightening slightly as he retorted eagerly.
I just thought the little boy was shy. Looking at the wild book in my hand, I casually perfunctorily said, “Okay, okay, she’s not.”
“I really don’t like Lianyi. I only regard her as a younger sister. I…”
I just kept saying “mm – hmm” and “yes – yes” while looking at the wild book. The classic Lin Wan – style perfunctory.
Fu Zeyan’s expression changed several times. He stared at me for a long time. I was immersed in the world of the prince and the poisonous doctor and didn’t pay attention.
After a long time, I only heard him sigh. He picked up the cattail fan on the table and gently fanned me.
Lianyi opened a wonton shop in the north of the city.
When I was out of the city and happened to pass by, Lianyi brought me a bowl of wontons.
I saw that her fair face had a much better complexion, so I knew she had been living a comfortable life recently.
She rubbed her hands, looking a bit embarrassed, and said, “Miss Lin, I’ve always wanted to thank you but never had the chance.”
“After that incident, I was afraid you would get angry with Brother Yan because of me. But not only were you not angry, you even helped me open this wonton shop.”
“I’ll never forget your great kindness, Miss Lin.”
“Brother Yan is a good person. When we were young, my grandma often sent him food, so he still remembers my family’s kindness. His feelings for me…”
Lianyi paused, and her eyes dimmed.
I remained silent and continued to listen to her.
“He only regards me as a family member. Miss Lin, I can feel Brother Yan’s concern for you.”
“Miss Lin, I don’t mean anything else by saying this. I just hope you two won’t have a rift because of me.”
Lianyi smiled, and I felt my mind in a mess. I replied, “Okay.”
Suddenly, I remembered the lantern festival in Chang’an City last time. I won a little pig lantern and said with a big smile that it suited him very well.
He looked up, with thousands of lights and stars behind him. He stared at me with his bright and clear eyes, lost in thought.
At that moment, he had a strange kind of innocence and childishness.
In the following days, he deliberately avoided my gaze. When I wasn’t looking at him, he unconsciously followed my every move.
So that’s how it was.
16
Spring came and summer passed, and the swallows flew south in autumn.
In a blink of an eye, it was time for the annual royal hunting again.
Fu Zeyan had mastered the basic skills pretty well, so I took him to participate in this hunting to broaden his horizons.
The carriage traveled for a day before reaching the outskirts of the royal hunting ground.
It was also rare to see Li Wan and Pei Xiuyan, whom I hadn’t seen for a long time.
Li Wan was sitting in a precious and fragrant carriage, with a new male concubine beside her, and followed by many maids and servants, looking like fairies descending to the mortal world.
And Pei Xiuyan was in the last carriage. After I sent a secret letter to the Third Prince, the power of the Crown Prince’s Party was gradually weakened. Pei Xiuyan probably came up with some more strategies and won Li Wan’s favor, so he was able to come to the royal hunting this time.
In this life, without my intervention, his fate finally followed its own path.
“This wine is too strong. Drink less.” Fu Zeyan’s words brought my attention back. He replaced the fruit wine in front of me with warm water.
“Fu Zeyan, why are you being so naggy now?” I mumbled discontentedly.
“Doctor Du said last time that you should drink less alcohol. If you don’t listen, I’ll tell Doctor Du.”
“Okay, okay, I know. You’re so nagging,” I turned my head and happened to meet Pei Xiuyan’s deep gaze.
I didn’t know how long he had been looking at me like this. I composed myself and moved my eyes away.
Fu Zeyan glanced at Pei Xiuyan, who was still staring at me not far away, and coldly curled the corners of his mouth.
The Crown Prince proposed that everyone go to the shooting range for a competition. The prize was a night – shining pearl from the East China Sea.
I remembered that the first – place winner in the previous life was the new martial arts champion.
In this life, the participants were slightly different. Both Pei Xiuyan and Fu Zeyan signed up.
The two of them were so outstanding in appearance that they stood out from the people around them on the field, forming their own style.
The eyes of the audience on the stage were unconsciously attracted by the two of them. One was as cold as a pine, and the other was as unruly as the sun.
In my ears, I could hear the unmarried girls’ curiosity about Fu Zeyan.
Pei Xiuyan had the memories of two lives, so it was certain that he would win against Fu Zeyan.
But I still agreed to let Fu Zeyan sign up. It would be good to temper Fu Zeyan’s temperament through this opportunity.
However, Fu Zeyan’s performance exceeded my expectations. He had only trained for a year, but he was faintly showing the momentum to surpass Pei Xiuyan.
The young man’s figure had just matured. The muscles hidden under his robe were not overly strong but not weak either.
He was dressed in a blue robe with black hair, an arrow quiver hanging from his waist, his dark eyebrows slanting into his temples, and his eyes sharp, showing a determined look.
The young general on horseback in the previous life, who was dashing and unruly, seemed to appear in front of my eyes again.
The competition on the field was in full swing, and the three of them were evenly matched.
The Crown Prince said with great interest, “The younger generation is formidable.”
Then he increased the prize, and the three of them entered the final competition.
The way of the competition was that the three of them stood facing each other, with an apple on their heads. The one who shot the apple could win. They took turns to compete, and life – and – death was not considered. If they were afraid, they could admit defeat.
Li Wan had a smile on her face, and her eyes were firmly fixed on Fu Zeyan. It was the look of a poisonous snake staring at its prey.
The martial arts champion’s face turned ugly, and he was the first to back out, “Such a life – and – death competition should be held on the battlefield. I quit.”
17
Fu Zeyan sneered disdainfully. Before he could speak, I stood up and shouted, “Ayan!”
Everyone looked at me in unison.
I showed a pained expression and said softly, “I’m not feeling well, Ayan.”
Fu Zeyan’s face showed anxiety. He threw down the arrow quiver, ignoring Pei Xiuyan, who was waiting for the competition behind him, and the people in the audience.
He gently supported himself on the railing with one hand and leaped over, coming to me. He held my hand and carefully stared at my face, saying, “What’s wrong? You were fine just now. I’ll take you to find the imperial doctor.”
Then he said to the Crown Prince, “Sorry, Your Highness. I withdraw.”
Pei Xiuyan silently watched my disappearing back. It was a long time before he slowly lowered the hand holding the bow and arrow.
After returning to the tent, the imperial doctor came to feel my pulse. After feeling it for a long time, he said that I was fine and just needed to rest more.
After the imperial doctor left, Fu Zeyan lowered his eyes and asked softly, “You didn’t want me to compete with him, did you?”
“I was 100% sure I could win. And that night – shining pearl is very beautiful. I wanted to win it to make a set of jewelry for you.”
Fu Zeyan said with a wronged look. Seeing his expression, the words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat.
I’m not stupid. Coupled with Lianyi’s words, I became more cautious. In this year, I could naturally feel his hidden affection for me.
18
But what happened in the previous life made me no longer interested in love.
Moreover, could Fu Zeyan tell whether his feelings for me were the admiration for a bole or love?
He had never shown it very obviously, so I never knew how to bring it up.
Now that things had come to this point, I couldn’t let it go on any longer. I had to make things clear to him.
I put on a cold face and said indifferently, “Thank you for your kindness, but there’s no need. I have nothing but money. If I want it, I can buy it myself.”
“That’s not the same. This is my heartfelt gift!”
I leaned against the bed, and Fu Zeyan half – squatted down. He raised his handsome face, looking like a devout believer.
There was undisguised hurt in his eyes.
“If you want to talk to me about some bullshit love, you’ve probably come to the wrong person.”
“My time is limited. My biggest worry every day is how to use my time to bring me the greatest return.”
“Ayan, this is the first and last time I’m telling you. Don’t waste your energy on me. There are so many things more important than love.”
“Even if I were to like someone, I should like a man who can stand on his own feet, not someone who clings to me. If that’s the case, what’s the difference between you and Li Wan’s playthings?”
I said these words very resolutely, leaving him no hope.
19
Fu Zeyan didn’t speak for a long time.
After a long while, he slowly raised his blood – red eyes and said word by word, “I understand, master.”
Just as Fu Zeyan left, an unexpected guest came.
I coldly looked at Pei Xiuyan, who was holding the prize of the day.
“What’s the matter, Mr. Pei?”
Pei Xiuyan was stunned for two seconds. He, who usually didn’t show his emotions, seemed a bit at a loss at this moment.
He took out the night – shining pearl, today’s prize, and said, “I remember that in the previous life, you liked night – shining pearls very much…”
“In the previous life? Heh, pearls like this, my father gave me a whole box on my fifth birthday. I liked the one in the previous life because it was given to me by you.”
“And you didn’t win this night – shining pearl honorably. If it came to the end, you couldn’t win against Fu Zeyan.”
Pei Xiuyan’s voice was hoarse, and it was so heavy that it seemed it could crush me.
“So what if I can’t win? As long as you still love me, that’s enough.”
Pei Xiuyan grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer.
“I know you bought him to make me angry. I can do anything to beg for your forgiveness. Don’t use this method, okay?”
“Where do you get the confidence that I still love you?” I forcefully shook off his hand, feeling nauseous all the way to my chest.
“The teachers you invited for him, the courtyard he lives in, were all mine in the previous life.”
I shouted angrily, “Even if my initial motive for buying him was impure, so what?”
“To tell you the truth, do you know why I bought Fu Zeyan in this life?”
“Because he’s your nemesis. Just like I supported you in the previous life, I’ll support him to a high position. As long as you’re not happy, I’ll be happy.”
“Most importantly, he’s not as dirty as you!”
I fell backward, breaking free from Pei Xiuyan’s restraint in a self – damaging way.
I was extremely annoyed, not wanting to be in the same room with him, not wanting to see his face for another second. I pulled open the tent curtain to go out.
But I bumped into Fu Zeyan, who was carrying a wine pot and reeking of alcohol.
My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t know how long he had been there or how much he had heard.
I stood there silently, and he looked at me calmly, with the same coldness and distance as when we first met.
I opened my mouth but had nothing to say.
Although I felt a bit guilty, even if he heard it, so what? No matter what my purpose was, the fact that I pulled him out was real.
Thinking of this, I also coldly lowered my eyebrows and walked away from this place of trouble.
22
Li Wan sent an invitation, inviting me and Fu Zeyan to have a small gathering at the princess mansion.
I held the invitation and was in a dilemma. First, since we returned to the mansion from the hunting last time, Fu Zeyan had been ignoring me. He treated me like a stranger. Even if there was something, he was all business – like, and he was even warmer to Jinbao’s dog than to me. Second, after the last hunting, I felt that Li Wan seemed to be interested in Fu Zeyan again. She would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.
Now there were wars everywhere, and the court needed money. My Lin family’s business was huge and complex. If she touched me, the national economy would be greatly affected. So at this moment, she probably wouldn’t make things too difficult for me. But Fu Zeyan might encounter some accidents.
After careful consideration, I asked Jinbao to invite General Li to have a gathering at a restaurant. It was time to send Fu Zeyan on his destined path.
After greeting General Li, I called Fu Zeyan to the study.
His eyes were cold and indifferent, and his already stern eyes seemed even more unapproachable.
Seeing him like this, I was furious. I said irritably that he would set off to join the army at the end of the month.
Fu Zeyan coldly curled the corners of his mouth and said, “After joining the army, what? Like in that damn previous life, help you deal with Pei Xiuyan?”
The veins on my forehead were throbbing, and my anger flared up. “Fu Zeyan, don’t talk to me in such a sarcastic way. Even if you don’t want to, I won’t say a single word about you.”
“So what if Pei Xiuyan is in the Crown Prince’s Party? Now, which of the forces in the court doesn’t need money? It’s easy for me to get rid of Pei Xiuyan.”
“I’m worried that you’ll fall into Li Wan’s hands again. Do you understand?”
I looked at him, who was silent, and felt even more disappointed. The wolf cub was still a wolf cub. After raising him for so long, he still couldn’t be tamed.
“Get out. I’ll give you some travel expenses. Do whatever you want and go whatever way you want. The Lin family has nothing to do with you from now on. Get out. I don’t want to see you.”
I picked up the account book in my hand and stopped looking at him. Fu Zeyan stood there for a long time without moving.
After a long time, I heard him say in a hoarse voice, “I’ll go. Consider it as repaying your kindness.”
After saying that, he left the study.
I rubbed my forehead in annoyance.
23
I didn’t go to see him off on the day he set off. Jinbao came back and told me that he had been absent – minded and kept looking towards the door. I thought this was a bit exaggerated.
In a flash, three years passed. In this life, with my support, Fu Zeyan grew up even faster than in the previous life.
And Pei Xiuyan wasn’t as smooth as in the previous life. He was struggling to work under the Crown Prince, and Li Wan seemed to have lost some interest in him.
While causing trouble for Pei Xiuyan, I also got in touch with the Third Prince and said, “I, a commoner woman, am willing to contribute to your founding of the country and help you.”
Moreover, in the previous life, the Third Prince’s Party won the battle for the throne, so I had no concerns.
After getting in touch with the Third Prince, I couldn’t say for sure if he would be a wise emperor, but he would definitely be a benevolent one.
Recently, I planned to go to the south of the Yangtze River with Lianyi to introduce some special snacks to the restaurant.
On the way, we encountered a group of robbers.
There were about ten robbers, with fleshy faces and fierce looks, blocking the middle of the path.
The guards of the Lin family and Jinbao surrounded me and Lianyi to protect us.
The fat man in the lead, with a pock – marked face, had two small eyes leering at me and Lianyi. Lianyi stepped forward and stood in front of me.
The fat man smiled and said, “Little lady, tell these lackeys beside you to get out of the way obediently and hand over all your valuables. You’ll suffer less pain later.”
Several robbers laughed together. The sound was harsh and unpleasant, like a bald – feathered turtledove.
A lackey next to the fat man whistled and said, “Boss, can you spare one of these two women for the brothers? We haven’t had any fun for days.”
The fat man laughed. Before he could open his mouth to speak, we heard a “whoosh” sound. A sharp arrow, as powerful as a breaking bamboo, shot through the air and hit the fat man right between the eyebrows.
The next second, the fat man’s smile froze on his face, and he fell to the ground.
Everyone was still in shock. The group of robbers panicked and were in a mess.
Jinbao looked around and saw that not far behind us, three men were riding tall horses. They were handsome and heroic, like gods coming down to earth.
The man in the lead, holding a bow and arrow, had a high nose and thin lips. His eyelids were very thin, and the tips of his drooping eyelashes were extremely dark and cold.
In the whistling cold wind, his military robe fluttered slightly, and his eyebrows and eyes were so handsome that they were hard to describe.
Jinbao recognized him after looking carefully for a long time and shouted with wide eyes, “Brother Yan!”
24
In the inn, we took a rest and then went downstairs to order some simple dishes.
After ordering, Jinbao went to call Fu Zeyan and his two subordinates.
We hadn’t seen each other for three years. Jinbao chattered non – stop, asking Fu Zeyan questions.
I looked straight ahead, chatting with Lianyi. After not seeing Fu Zeyan for so long, when I saw him again, my uneasiness was greater than the joy of reunion.
Unexpectedly, Fu Zeyan walked straight over and sat next to me.
My heart skipped a beat. Lianyi was talking to me, and I nodded on the surface, but my mind was attracted by Fu Zeyan.
He had grown taller, darker, and his features were more angular. He was no longer the boy who used to act coquettishly. Every move of his exuded the oppressive aura of a superior.
My mind was in a mess, but on the surface, I still maintained the demeanor of a merchant and calmly ate my meal.
“So you’re Miss Lin. I’ve heard so much about you.” One of Fu Zeyan’s subordinates, named Zhang Baoguo, grinned and greeted me.
My hand, which was picking up food, froze. Fu Zeyan’s expression remained unchanged, and he said indifferently, “Eat your food.”
At this time, Jinbao curiously asked them, “How come you’re here? What a coincidence.”
Zhang Baoguo smiled and replied, “We heard from the government that Miss Lin was here. Brother Fu wanted to take a look, and the two of us insisted on following him…”
Fu Zeyan glanced at Zhang Baoguo with indifferent eyes. Zhang Baoguo forced a smile, shrank his neck, and buried his head in his food, no longer speaking.
Lianyi smiled, and she and Jinbao exchanged a look.
After taking a few bites, I put down my chopsticks and went upstairs.
The moonlight was like a white silk. It was already midnight.
I couldn’t sleep, so I put on my clothes and planned to take a walk in the small pavilion in the backyard of the inn.
I met Fu Zeyan, who was looking at the moon in the pavilion.
I stood still. Fu Zeyan heard the movement and turned his head to look. Our eyes met in the air. This time, I didn’t avoid his gaze.
25
“I almost died in Sanniu Bay. The terrain there is rugged. We were ambushed. Later, it was Baoguo who risked his life to save me…”
We sat on the stone benches.
I looked at Fu Zeyan’s tough side – face. He was telling me about the three years in the northern border with a very calm expression.
“I wrote you more than two hundred letters in these three years, but I didn’t send out a single one.” Fu Zeyan turned to look at me, and his eyes were like a clear spring under the moon.
“When I first went to the northern border, I was angry with you. But when I was almost dead in Sanniu Bay, the only thing I thought about was that if I could see you again, that would be great.”
“All my resentment towards you vanished at that moment. I just wanted to live and see you again.”
My heart felt sour, and I lowered my head so that he couldn’t see my expression.
“It was this thought that made me survive every time.”
“Until this year, we were transferred back. The Third Prince’s Party promoted me to the General of Zhenbei. Once I was Li Wan’s plaything, but now I’m a thorn in the side of the Crown Prince’s Party.”
“The struggle for power in the court and the hardships in the military.”
“They all praise me as a young general, brave and resourceful, famous throughout the capital. They say that women, fame, and wealth are all within my reach now.”
Fu Zeyan paused, then laughed self – deprecatingly.
“But I don’t want any of these. I just want to ask you, am I a man who can stand on his own feet now?”
“Wanwan, I’ve liked you for a long, long time.”
Fu Zeyan’s voice was faint, as if he was afraid of scaring me.
The moonlight was melting, shining on his side – face, making it look deep and gentle.
26
After returning to Chang’an City, Fu Zeyan was conferred a title and moved to live in his own general’s mansion.
Pei Xiuyan, on the other hand, lacked ability. Besides constantly suppressing Fu Zeyan, he couldn’t do anything to the Third Prince’s Party.
Without the connections and resources I helped him with in the previous life, he couldn’t replicate the glory of the previous life.
But I was kidnapped.
On the streets of Chang’an City, with guards around me, I was taken away.
Lianyi even got her arm injured while protecting me.
I thought it would be Li Wan or the Crown Prince’s Party who kidnapped me, but it was actually Pei Xiuyan.
Most of the secret guards that Fu Zeyan arranged for me were killed.
I was tied to a bed, with my eyes blindfolded.
Pei Xiuyan’s slender fingers gently took off the silk cloth that covered my eyes, as if it was a precious thing.
I closed my eyes and slowly adapted to the dazzling sunlight.
Pei Xiuyan looked at me with a gentle smile, and there was a strange obsession and enthusiasm in his eyes.
I looked at him coldly and said, “What? Did you kidnap me to avenge your princess?”
Some time ago, envoys from the Western Regions came to pay a visit. One purpose was to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries, and the other was to discuss the marriage of the eldest princess, Li Wan, and the prince of the Western Regions.
Li Wan had a notorious reputation, and the envoys from the Western Regions naturally heard about it. But this marriage was related to the relations between the two countries, and it couldn’t be called off easily.
So I added fuel to the fire. When the old emperor, the Crown Prince, and others were strolling in the imperial garden with the envoys from the Western Regions, they happened to run into Li Wan, who was brutally torturing the unfavored seventeenth prince.
The Western Regions then had a legitimate reason to call off the marriage, and I also avenged the drugging incident she did to me back then.
The old emperor lost a lot of face. The common people were full of complaints and even beat the drum of grievances. The ministers’ memorials flew towards the old emperor without hesitation. The loyal old prime minister even remonstrated to death. Li Wan was indefinitely confined to the princess mansion.
Now I had enough chess pieces in the palace. There were so many ways to make Li Wan lose face. Finally, I didn’t lose my conscience and do something like drugging, just like her.
Pei Xiuyan let out a bitter laugh when he heard my words, “Wanwan, does this place look familiar to you?”
I looked around. The familiar bed, the familiar screen, and the familiar layout.
This place was exactly the same as the room of the two of us in the previous life.
“I spent three years restoring our Lin Mansion from the previous life. From now on, this will be our home.”
I looked at the stubbornness in Pei Xiuyan’s eyes and felt my hair stand on end.
“You’ve been planning this for three years?”
“Pei Xiuyan, I’ve had no home with you for a long time. Wake up!”
Pei Xiuyan lowered his cold eyebrows, curled the corners of his mouth, looking like a bodhisattva bowing his head, or like a goblin luring someone.
“Then whose home do you have? Fu Zeyan’s?”
“I know you’re waiting for him to save you. The fluorescent powder you poked on your clothes and those secret guards have all been dealt with by me. No one will find this place.”
“Are you crazy?”
27
Pei Xiuyan reached out to touch my face, and I quickly dodged. His eyes flickered, and his face turned ashen.
He restrained himself and straightened the wrinkles of my clothes.
“Whether you call me crazy or a despicable person doesn’t matter. As long as I can keep you by my side, this method is a clever strategy that can break the deadlock.”
“Do you know, Wanwan? This is actually our third life. Once an immortal appeared in my dream and said that this is our last life.”
Pei Xiuyan seemed to be immersed in his own world. He looked at me, but it seemed that he was looking at something else through me as he talked to himself.
“The first life was the one when I committed suicide.”
“In that life, all my integrity and backbone were broken by Li Wan. The more you were good to me, the more the memories hurt me. The happier I was, the more shame and indignation I felt about the past.”
“Even though you bought me out of the mansion, I was still the plaything Pei Xiuyan. I had to love her so that I could still be the innocent Pei Xiuyan who walked in the world.”
“I’m sorry, Wanwan. I didn’t say goodbye to you properly in that life.”
“In the second life, I was reborn before our engagement. This time, I decided not to drag you down anymore, so I refused the engagement. You didn’t say anything and calmly accepted my withdrawal. At that moment, I actually felt a bit disappointed. After that, Li Wan targeted me again. You can surely guess the ending. I was just a low – class plaything. You got engaged to Feng Yang, and I attended your engagement banquet with Li Wan. You were still so bright and beautiful. Without me, your life was more smooth. When I saw Feng Yang beside you, I even had the impulse to kill him at all costs.”
“You should have been mine. In the second life, the immortal made me see my own heart clearly. So I committed suicide again and started our third life.”
Pei Xiuyan smiled, but I seemed to see a tear in his eye, “Our life this time should be happy and fulfilling. It should be like this.”
“Maybe the meaning of this life is that the immortal wanted me to see you clearly and not repeat the mistakes of the past.” I said indifferently, not moved by his story at all.
“Fortunately, it’s the last life. What kind of sin did I commit in my previous life to have to endure such torment from you again and again?”
Pei Xiuyan’s face turned pale at my words. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Just then, we heard the sound of fighting outside. Pei Xiuyan’s expression changed. He quickly got up and went out.
I struggled desperately, trying to break free from the ropes. But they were tied too tightly.
Suddenly, the door was kicked open. It was Fu Zeyan. His eyes were blood – red, filled with a terrifying killing intent. When he saw me tied up on the bed, his eyes became even more ferocious.
He rushed over and gently untied the ropes on me. His voice was hoarse, “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
I shook my head. Looking at his anxious and angry appearance, my heart felt a warm current.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.” Fu Zeyan picked me up in his arms as if I was the most precious thing in the world.
As we walked out, we saw Pei Xiuyan lying in a pool of blood. His eyes were filled with despair as he looked at us.
I didn’t feel any pity for him. After all the pain he had caused me, this was his deserved end.
28
After this incident, Fu Zeyan became even more protective of me. He was afraid that something would happen to me again.
The Third Prince’s power was growing stronger and stronger. The Crown Prince’s Party was in a state of disarray. Pei Xiuyan’s death dealt a heavy blow to the Crown Prince.
The old emperor’s health was getting worse day by day. The struggle for the throne became more intense.
One day, Fu Zeyan came to me with a serious expression. He said that the Third Prince wanted to see me.
I knew that this was an important moment. I tidied up my clothes and followed Fu Zeyan to the Third Prince’s mansion.
The Third Prince was a gentle and kind – looking person. He received me with great courtesy.
“Miss Lin, I’ve heard a lot about your wisdom and resourcefulness. In this troubled time, I hope you can help me. If I ascend the throne in the future, I will definitely not treat you badly.”
I thought for a moment and then said, “Your Highness, I’m just a commoner woman. But I am willing to do my part for the stability of the country. However, I have a few conditions.”
The Third Prince smiled and said, “Miss Lin, please speak. As long as it is within my power, I will definitely agree.”
I took a deep breath and said, “First, after you ascend the throne, you must reduce taxes and corvée, and let the common people live a good life. Second, you must severely punish corrupt officials and maintain the purity of the officialdom. Third, you must respect the opinions of the ministers and not act arbitrarily.”
The Third Prince nodded and said, “Miss Lin, these are exactly what I have in mind. I will definitely do as you say.”
After that, I began to use my business network and intelligence network to help the Third Prince. With my help and Fu Zeyan’s military support, the Third Prince finally ascended the throne smoothly.
29
Without Pei Xiuyan’s assistance, the Crown Prince’s faction in this life disintegrated rapidly.
The Third Prince advanced like a hot knife through butter. On the day the old emperor suddenly died from taking elixirs, the Third Prince led his troops to directly surround the Crown Prince and others and tore up the imperial edict passing the throne to the Crown Prince right in front of them.
After the Third Prince achieved his goal, the Crown Prince and the Empress were imprisoned in the imperial mausoleum. It was also at this time that Fu Zeyan told me about how the Empress had killed the Third Prince’s mother concubine.
Li Wan hadn’t left her mansion since the incident with the envoys from the Western Regions, so she didn’t know about the struggle for the throne.
The Third Prince ordered that the male concubines in the Princess Mansion could decide whether to stay or leave on their own.
After I recovered, I had Pei Xiuyan thrown into the Princess Mansion.
Li Wan had long lost the dignity of a eldest princess. Her body was covered with scars from the revenge of the male concubines in her backyard.
With her hair disheveled and her face pale, she looked gloomy. When she saw me, she was still trying to show her princess’s might.
She waved her hand violently, knocking all the food on the table to the ground, startling the wet nurse beside her.
She shouted at me, “I’m Li Wan, the eldest princess! Lin Wan! I’ll kill you both!”
I glanced at Pei Xiuyan, who was being held by the hidden guards, and said,
“Perhaps in the three lives you mentioned, in this life, we’ve finally achieved our own kind of completeness. Li Wan will always belong to you now.”
“Oh, and I haven’t settled the score with you for Lianyi’s injury yet.”
The guards left to me by Fu Zeyan entered. I drew out the long sword at the side of one of the guards. The next second, blood gushed out from Pei Xiuyan’s arm.
Pei Xiuyan blinked his blood – stained eyelashes. The blood smeared all over his arm. At first, it was warm, but soon it turned cold. It flowed to the ground and congealed into dark red stains.
He struggled and called out “Wanwan”, trying hard to break free from the hidden guards’ restraint and tremblingly reaching for the hem of my dress.
The bloody crack opened, like an invisible and inescapable trap.
With a cold expression, I took a step back, turned around, and stopped looking at the two people behind me.
When I left the Princess Mansion, it was just getting light at the fifth watch. There were still a few stars twinkling dimly in the sky. The cold was biting, and the cold night wind stung my cheeks. Even the breath I exhaled could freeze instantly.
The carriage of the Lin Mansion was waiting outside the Princess Mansion. Fu Zeyan stood upright beside the carriage.
“Lianyi, Zhaocai, Jinbao, and others have prepared a big table of dishes in the restaurant. They’re the Hunan cuisine you love.”
I took the warm hand he extended and laughed, saying,
“Let’s go, let’s go home.”
-End –
