Chapter 4: Marquis Xuanping

Chapter 4: Marquis Xuanping

When Shen Shi spent time with her daughter, she disliked having outsiders present. She had injured herself during the birth of Pei Yuanjun, and this was her only daughter. She personally attended to everything involving her daughter, unwilling to delegate tasks to servants.

Aunt Zhao, understanding the situation, withdrew gracefully. Aunt Li apologized, saying she needed to take Pei Yuanxi back. Pei Yuanxi looked wistfully at the lotus seeds, reluctant to leave.

"Let the Third Young Lady take all of those," Shen Shi instructed, instructing her servants to package some lotus seeds. Only then did Pei Yuanxi's mood improve.

Aunt Li hesitated, wanting to speak but refraining. Instead, she expressed endless gratitude. Once they left Xuanting Courtyard, her expression changed. Unaware, Pei Yuanxi hugged the package of lotus seeds tightly, skipping along happily.

Upon entering the room, Aunt Li sternly commanded, "Kneel down!"

Pei Yuanxi's face was filled with confusion, unsure of what was happening. She stood there like a wooden post, her large eyes wide and lifeless, evoking a sense of unease in those who looked at her.

Spring Month, frightened, immediately knelt on the ground and discreetly tugged at the hem of her young lady's dress.

"Spring Month, why are you pulling me?" Pei Yuanxi wore an innocent expression.

Aunt Li's gaze was icy cold as she summoned her servant, Mother Huang. "Spring Month failed to protect her mistress. She allowed Third Young Lady to sneak out and even go to Chengming Pool. Give her five heavy strokes of the paddle! Don't do it outside, do it right here in the room."

"Stop hitting Chunyue!" Pei Yuanxi shielded Chunyue, glaring at Aunt Li. Aunt Li steeled her heart and signaled Huang Pozi to proceed quickly.

Before the first stroke was landed, Pei Yuanxi had thrown herself over Chunyue. Huang Pozi glanced hesitantly at Aunt Li, who turned away in pain, urging her to continue.

The paddle struck Pei Yuanxi's body, and even with Huang Pozi's skill, it was still excruciating. After five blows, Chunyue was gasping for breath through her sobs. Pei Yuanxi cried out in pain and wailed loudly.

Aunt Li also began weeping, rushing over to embrace her. "Third Young Lady, why won't you listen? I only have you as my daughter. If anything were to happen to you, wouldn't that be the end of me? Are you still in pain? My heart is almost breaking from the ache. But I know if I don't teach you a lesson, you'll run off to such places again..."

"Aunt Li is hitting me, Aunt Li is mean!" Pei Yuanxi sobbed, tears and snot smearing onto Aunt Li's clothes. She then started hitting back with her fists. "Aunt Li hit me, so I'll hit Aunt Li too!"

Huang Pozi pulled the Third Young Lady aside, "How can you hit an aunt? She does everything for your own good. She serves Lady every day; do you think she wants to be like Aunt Zhao or Aunt Qiu, waiting to be served? For your sake, she has neglected herself all these years. Look at how worn out she is – she's an aunt of a marquis household!"

Amidst a chorus of sobs, Pei Yuanxi continued to protest.

"She hit me! It hurts so much!"

"The blow may land on your body, but it hurts Aunt's heart. Third Young Lady, you must behave better from now on and not provoke your aunts anymore. Let's stay quietly in our courtyard and go nowhere else, alright?" Huang Pozi tried to console her, attempting to lift her up.

Aunt Li wore a sorrowful expression, holding the young lady tightly as she wept bitterly.

Seeing this, Huang Pozi promptly helped Chunyue to her feet. One went to prepare hot water while the other fetched food from the kitchen, leaving only mother and daughter in the room.

"Sanniang, Aunt Li only wishes for your well-being. Promise me that you won't wander off like that anymore, alright?"

"I wasn't wandering off," Pei Yuanxi stubbornly replied, resembling a child throwing a tantrum.

"Why are you so disobedient? Are you trying to make Aunt Li worry herself to death?" Aunt Li pinched her waist with force, causing Yuanxi to wince in pain. She pushed Aunt Li away and dashed out of the room.

Aunt Li's face turned ashen, and she hurried after her.

Pei Yuanxi dashed away, tears streaming down her face. She headed for the outer courtyard, a route Marquis Xuanping would inevitably take upon returning home.

Upon spotting Marquis Xuanping and his son from afar, she rushed towards them.

"Father, father, Aunt hit me!"

In the entire household, Marquis Xuanping had only ever heard his youngest daughter, Yuanxi, address him as 'father.' Sanniang was particularly clever when she was young, and he had once mused that if she were a son, the marquis residence might have produced a top scholar.

He had never encountered a child as intelligent as Sanniang, who seemed to grasp things almost instantly.

Despite Sanniang's foolishness, he still thought of his daughter and would visit her from time to time, hoping to have a conversation with her. Even if she had lost her wits, she was still the child he had once doted on.

Each time he visited, Lady Li would weep. She argued that as Marquis Xuanping, he was the head of the household and should not be lingering in the concubine quarters; otherwise, it would be her fault as a concubine. She promised to take good care of Sanniang and asked him not to be distracted by such matters.

Initially, he found her behavior irritating and considered it an overreaction. However, he soon learned that Lady Li was resolute, almost to the point of threatening suicide, which deterred him from visiting Sanniang again.

Lady Li's actions earned praise from her mother, but they only fueled his anger, prompting him to avoid her residence altogether.

"Father, it's my sister," Pei Ji exclaimed, witnessing Pei Yuanxi hugging Marquis Xuanping.

"Daddy, Aunt Li hit me. Why didn't you come to save me?" Pei Yuanxi cried, her eyes reddened with tears, looking pitiful. "Daddy, I miss you so much. Why haven't you come to see me?"

Marquis Xuanping, known for his strict and righteous demeanor, was stern with all his children, including his only son, Pei Ji. The sudden embrace from his daughter seemed to strike a tender spot deep within his heart.

He looked at Aunt Li, who was chasing after them, with displeasure. "What wrong did Sanniang commit that you would hit a child?"

A bitter taste filled Aunt Li's mouth. "Marquis, this concubine loves Third Young Lady more than anything; she is my life. If not for her running off to play by the Chengming Pool today, I wouldn't have been angry. I only wanted to scare her, how could I bear to hit her? Third Young Lady, come here quickly. Don't disturb your father."

Pei Yuanxi shook her head, appearing frightened.

"I won't go with you. You're a wicked aunt. I want to stay with Father."

Aunt Li's pupils trembled violently as she clenched her palms tightly.

Feeling his heart melt at the affectionate embrace of his daughter, Marquis Xuanping recalled how Sanniang used to cling to him like this. He had even taught her to write while she sat on his knee. Turning cold towards Aunt Li, he dismissed her and decided to have a good chat with Sanniang.

Aunt Li pretended to kneel, and Marquis Xuanping knew what was coming. She would use some moral principle to pressure him into not interfering in Sanniang's affairs.

It had been ten years since Marquis Xuanping last experienced the feeling of being relied upon by his daughter. His face darkened; despite knowing that Aunt Li meant well, an inexplicable disgust filled his heart.

"Go ahead and kneel if you must. Take all the time you need."

Aunt Li's face turned deathly pale as she watched Pei Yuanxi and Pei Ji leave for the study in the front courtyard.

This outer study was a place Pei Yuanxi often visited when she was young. Back then, only she and Pei Ji were allowed to accompany Marquis Xuanping. Growing up under his guidance, Pei Ji not only resembled Marquis Xuanping physically but also in temperament.

Pei Ji didn't have much affection for the other sisters in the household, not even his elder sister who shared the same mother. As they had spent their childhood together, he felt the strongest bond with his sister.

After his sister became mentally impaired, he went to visit her a few times. However, due to Aunt Li's persuasion and his own concubine's objections, he eventually stopped going.

Over the years, he had thought of his sister often and visited her on several occasions. He saw her playing in the mud, chasing insects in the grass – she no longer resembled the familiar figure he once knew.

He felt a deep sense of regret and melancholy.

Pei Yuanxi found a spot to sit down, and he asked with curiosity, "Do you still remember your place, sister?"

"I do. This is my spot, and that's where brother sits."

He was even more astonished. "Has sister fully recovered?"

Marquis Xuanping was equally surprised. For someone who had been foolish for ten years to recall events from a decade ago suggested that she might not be as foolish as they thought, or perhaps she was gradually improving.

"Sanniang, come here. Write a few characters for Father to see."

Pei Yuanxi obediently went over, picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and confidently stroked the white xuan paper. Her movements were deft, and her calligraphy was elegant yet graceful, exuding an air of sophistication that was distinctively hers.

Marquis Xuanping could hardly believe it – these were the characters written by his daughter. Ten years ago, when Sanniang had first started learning from him, she was indeed brighter than many children, but back then, her handwriting was still childish and unrefined.

If not for witnessing it himself, he would never have believed that these characters were written by Sanniang. Such style and character could not be cultivated overnight.

Pei Ji was also greatly surprised. He had thought that his sister would have forgotten what their father had taught her. To his amazement, not only had she remembered, but she had also showcased this remarkable calligraphy.

He studied her writing intently and couldn't help but feel immense shame. Despite years of studying under their father's tutelage, his own handwriting paled in comparison to his sister's.

"Your calligraphy is so grand, Sister. I am truly ashamed," he admitted.

Pei Yuanxi tugged gently at the corner of his sleeve, her face beaming with admiration. "My brother is the best brother in the world."

The hint of bitterness in Pei Ji's heart dissipated. "And my sister is the best sister in the world."

This pair of siblings reminded Marquis Xuanping of ten years ago, when he had experienced the most joy in familial bliss in his life. He didn't dislike his other daughters, but none of them had captured his heart as deeply as Sanniang.

"Sanng, tell Father how you managed to write this?" he asked eagerly.

Pei Yuanxi tilted her head. "I wrote with water, on the ground. Father taught me, and Sanniang won't forget."

Marquis Xuanping felt a bittersweet mix of joy and sorrow. Even though the child was now mentally impaired, she still remembered what he had taught her. She had been gifted from a young age, and even in her current state, she surpassed many others. If she had remained by his side back then, with her natural talent, she would surely have achieved great accomplishments in calligraphy and painting.

This was his daughter, his cleverest child. If Li hadn't been negligent in her care, how could the child have suffered such an injury?

That woman, Lady Li, truly leaves one speechless.

"Dearest child, it is Father who has delayed you. From now on, come here every day and continue learning to read and write with Father, alright?"

Pei Yuanxi nodded vigorously. "Sanniang wants to be with Father and Elder Brother."

"Excellent, excellent." Marquis Xuanping was overjoyed.

When the Marquis Xuanping sent someone to escort her back, he announced this news. Before long, everyone in the Marquis's mansion knew that the Third Young Lady, who was considered foolish, would once again be studying under the Marquis.

Everyone, including Shen, was perplexed by Marquis Xuanping's actions.

Given his respect for his legitimate wife, it was natural that he would inform Shen first before making such a decision, thus leading him to rest in her courtyard. As he recounted the events of the day, his tone brimmed with delight. However, when mentioning Aunt Li, his disdain was evident in his voice.

Shen spoke up in defense of Aunt Li, stating that she had only acted out of concern for Sanniang. Marquis Xuanping did not comment on this; indeed, there was nothing to criticize about what Li had done, but he still felt irritated.

Aunt Li remained kneeling in the front courtyard until Marquis Xuanping had settled down for the night before Shen dared to let her stand up.

When she returned, Pei Yuanxi was already asleep. Huang Pozi supported her and asked if she wanted anything to eat. With a weak wave of her hand, she declined, insisting on seeing her daughter first.

Pei Yuanxi didn't sleep particularly gracefully, for she had kicked her thin blanket to one side in her quest for coolness.

She gently drew the blanket over, slowly covering Pei Yuanxi's feet all the way up to her face, which was oblivious to the world in sleep. With both hands pressed against the sides of the blanket, her voice was barely more than a whisper.

"How wonderful it would be if you remained naively simple forever."

The person beneath the covers began to kick and thrash, their head jerking wildly in an attempt to break free. She watched with an eerie gaze as the figure struggled beneath the blanket, only relaxing her hold when Pei Yuanxi's breathing became rapid.

With the chance to catch her breath, the restless one calmed down, sinking once more into a deep slumber.