Chapter 46

Chapter 46

By the time they descended the mountain and returned home, it was nearly evening. The clouds on the horizon blazed like fire, bathing Ming Tang and Pei Yue in a crimson glow as they arrived.

In the main courtyard, Pei Ze, who had been sulking and eagerly awaiting their return, finally heard the announcement. He immediately dropped his toys, jumped up, and scurried to the door. The moment they stepped inside, he launched into a complaint: "You went to play without A Ze!"

Ming Tang bent down and stroked his little face. "But Uncle and Auntie went horseback riding. A Ze doesn’t know how to ride yet, so how could you come with us?"

Pei Ze fell silent, frowning in thought for a moment before devising a foolproof plan: "Go somewhere we don’t need to ride!" He punctuated his words with a firm nod, clenching his fists for emphasis.

Pei Yue shot him a look, a mental image flashing through his mind: he invites Ming Tang for a horseback outing, and Pei Ze, now skilled in riding, trails behind them, whooping and hollering. Given Ming Tang’s fondness for the boy, it would likely devolve into the two of them happily playing together while he stood awkwardly on the sidelines, feeling like a third wheel.

Frowning at the imagined scenario, Pei Yue stepped past Pei Ze noncommittally. "We’ll see when the time comes."

Pei Ze was unaware that one of adults’ most practiced skills was using "we’ll see" to stall until a child forgot their demand, thus allowing them to openly disregard it. At that moment, hearing Pei Yue’s words, he took it as a promise that his uncle would take him out to play. His earlier displeasure instantly vanished, replaced by cheerful anticipation.

After greeting Mrs. Pei, the two washed up in the washroom and sat down at the table to await dinner.

Since Pei Yue had proposed sharing evening meals, Ming Tang retained her right to choose dishes, though she now instructed the kitchen to deliver the meals to the main courtyard.

Mrs. Pei, a proponent of light, healthy dinners, couldn’t help but indulge in the variety of game Pei Yue hunted daily during their stay at the hunting grounds. Ming Tang, making the most of the fresh ingredients, had the kitchen prepare sumptuous dishes—golden, glistening roasted lamb; tender, springy venison stewed with mushrooms.

Light meals, by definition, lacked strong flavors. Mrs. Pei, not one to completely deny culinary pleasures, found herself unconsciously taking extra helpings of the colorful, fragrant dishes placed before her daily.

After the meal, as the maids cleared the table, Mrs. Pei came to her senses and couldn’t help but frown: she had indulged in too much meat again.

Yet, with the younger generation joining her for meals, the lively atmosphere—now doubled in size compared to when it was just her and Pei Ze—made it impossible for her to suggest they dine separately.

After chatting with the young couple for a while, she sent them off to rest. Glancing up, she noticed Nanny Zhou coaxing Pei Ze to eat a hawthorn pill and raised her hand. "Give me one as well."

Nanny Zhou, surprised, quickly fetched an unopened pill for her.

Pei Ze, who had been reluctant to take his, suddenly felt a surge of possessiveness upon seeing his grandmother claim one. He snatched a pill from Nanny Zhou’s hand and took a bite, then clutched the remaining half, peeking at his grandmother. Relieved when she showed no further interest, he exhaled.

Mrs. Pei, still sharp-eyed, caught the entire display and couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement. "What, is your grandmother not even allowed one of your hawthorn pills?"

Pei Ze looked between her and Nanny Zhou, then craned his neck to check the box—now less than half full. Counting on his fingers, he defended himself in a small voice, "Mother ate one... two... three. A Ze one. Grandmother ate, A Ze has none left!"

Seeing his pitiful expression, Mrs. Pei relented. "When we return to the capital, we’ll buy more for A Ze, alright?"

Pei Ze’s eyes lit up. He nodded magnanimously and gestured for Nanny Zhou to place the box by Mrs. Pei’s side, waving a hand. "Grandmother, have as many as you want!"

Back in the eastern courtyard, Ming Tang, washing up, remained oblivious to the fact that after they left, Mrs. Pei and Pei Ze almost quarreled over a hawthorn candy.

After changing into her nightclothes, she settled into bed with the novel she had been reading lately, continuing her bedtime routine.

Soon, Pei Yue joined her to retire for the night. She set the book aside and glanced at him. "I’m quite tired today." Between the horseback ride and the mountain climb, her energy was spent, and she had no intention of engaging in further activities.

Pei Yue felt a flicker of disappointment, but since Ming Tang had made her stance clear, he didn’t press the matter. Drawing the bed curtains, he lay down calmly.

As Ming Tang’s breathing gradually steadied, Pei Yue opened his eyes and looked at her—lying beside him, wrapped in her own quilt, maintaining a deliberate distance. Unexpectedly, his mind recalled that drunken night when she had clung tightly to him in sleep. His brow furrowed slightly.

Then, he closed his eyes and rested.

In the middle of the night, a sudden downpour began outside the window.

As the saying goes, each autumn rain brings a chill. It was already autumn, and the late-night rain naturally brought a chill.

Ming Tang was still covered by the thin quilt from early autumn. Sensing the drop in temperature and detecting a warm presence beside her, she instinctively shifted closer.

Pei Yue, always alert, woke the moment Ming Tang stirred. He glanced down and saw that she had reached out from her own quilt, slipping her hand into his quilt and resting it on his waist. Moreover, her entire body was now tilted toward his side.

In the short time it took him to open his eyes, Ming Tang had visibly shifted even closer to him. Restricted by the quilt wrapped around her, the whole thing was oddly amusing.

Observing Ming Tang’s peaceful sleeping expression and feeling her stubbornly intruding hand, Pei Yue tilted his head back to look at the bed canopy, silent for a moment before reaching out to loosen the quilt slightly around her.

Now unrestrained, Ming Tang’s movement toward the warmth became uninhibited. In no time, half of her had already rolled into Pei Yue’s quilt, and she even wrapped her arms around him.

Throughout it all, her face stayed blank.

Having already experienced this once when Ming Tang was drunk, Pei Yue was more familiar with it this time. He smirked slightly as he let her hold him, adjusting his posture naturally before reaching out to overlap her quilt with his. Satisfied, he fell back asleep.

The next morning, when Ming Tang woke, Pei Yue had already risen and was gone. She sat up, wrapped in the quilt, propping herself against the headboard to wake up, feeling that she had slept exceptionally well the night before.

Indeed, if one exhausted themselves during the day, they were bound to sleep soundly at night.

As her senses gradually returned, she got up to wash, but the moment she left the warmth of the quilt, she immediately retreated back under the covers.

–Why was it suddenly so cold?

Outside, Wen He and Hong Ying had already heard the movement. After knocking, they entered. Wen He handed Ming Tang a cup of warm water and asked, "There was a sudden heavy rain last night—Hong Ying and I were both woken up by the cold. We didn’t want to disturb you—were you alright, Miss?"

Ming Tang paused, lowering her gaze before realizing she was covered by two quilts. Did Pei Yue get up in the middle of the night to add another quilt for her?

Wen He noticed as well, giving Ming Tang a knowing look but saying nothing.

Ming Tang found it odd—normally, Wen He would have teased her by now. Why was she silent today?

Just as she was about to ask, she spotted Pei Yue sitting by the window on the daybed, meticulously polishing something.

She must’ve still been half-asleep upon waking—how had she missed him sitting there?

Accepting the thicker robe Hong Ying handed her, Ming Tang draped it over her shoulders, mentally preparing herself before stepping out of bed. She approached Pei Yue and thanked him, "Thank you, my lord, for getting up last night to add another quilt for me."

Pei Yue had already washed up after waking and had watched Ming Tang’s entire routine—waking, getting out of bed, then hastily retreating under the covers. To suppress his laughter, he had picked up the already-polished hand crossbow and pretended to still polish it.

Hearing Ming Tang’s words, Pei Yue looked up and saw the maids separating the two overlapping quilts before folding and placing them at the foot of the bed. Ming Tang, meanwhile, remembered nothing of the previous night’s events, leaving him strangely annoyed.

Thus, when Ming Tang finished washing up and sat before the dressing table, casually running a hand through her hair as she reached for a comb, Pei Yue remarked, "I had planned to take you to the hunting grounds today to teach you how to use the crossbow. Too bad the weather ruined it—it seems we’ll have to postpone."

Because they were deadly and easy to use, hand crossbows were typically banned. Only because the Duke of Dingguo’s family had a military legacy—and Pei Yue himself held a position in the Imperial Guards—could he openly carry one.

At this, Ming Tang’s eyes lit up. After all, who didn’t dream of riding and hunting?

Archery was difficult to master, and the Ming family had no experts in it. Hiring someone specifically to teach the women of the household was nothing short of a fantasy, so Ming Tang had long dismissed the idea. But now, with a weapon even easier to handle than a bow right before her, she immediately stood and walked over to Pei Yue, taking the crossbow from him. She tested its weight in her hands, finding it light and perfectly balanced.

Then, pushing open the window, she gazed at the overcast sky and the steady drizzle before letting out a long sigh.

Why did it have to rain today of all days?

Seeing Ming Tang’s similarly sullen expression, Pei Yue felt an inexplicable flicker of amusement. He rose and headed to the table for breakfast, his step a little lighter.

Ming Tang stood behind him, still immersed in the disappointment of not being able to go out immediately. It wasn’t until she finished a bowl of clear, nourishing duck broth that her mood improved considerably.

With her spirits lifted, it dawned on her: knowing full well that the rain made it impossible to go out, why had Pei Yue chosen to mention it at that moment? She couldn’t help but suspect he had done it on purpose.

Glancing at Pei Yue, she saw him behaving as usual, every movement no different from any other day. Ming Tang quietly dismissed her own speculation. In her experience, Pei Yue was always by-the-book and precise—he had likely just mentioned it casually because their plans had been disrupted.

The two of them shared a peaceful breakfast. Since the rain outside persisted, going outside was obviously not an option. After a moment of thought, Pei Yue invited Ming Tang, "How about chess?"

"Sure."

Wen He fetched the chessboard and pieces, and the two set up a small table by the window, sitting opposite each other as they began their match.

Ming Tang’s chess style was unpredictable, with flashes of inspiration, while Pei Yue’s was meticulous, each move carefully planned with contingencies. For a time, neither could gain the upper hand. After four consecutive games, they split the games evenly—two wins each.

At this point, Ming Tang’s competitive streak emerged. Clearing the board, she immediately declared, "Again."

Pei Yue nodded, and after determining the order of play, the two resumed their battle on the chessboard.

The atmosphere inside was pleasant, but outside, the sky remained overcast with dark clouds.

On the distant horizon, heavy storm clouds loomed low. In the capital, news that the emperor had obtained an "auspicious animal" at the hunting grounds spread among the officials left behind, stirring varying degrees of urgency. By the next day after the news arrived, a flood of memorials had been submitted to the Grand Secretariat.

The Grand Secretaries, entrusted with overseeing state affairs in the emperor’s absence, had gradually grown accustomed to the empress's figurehead role as regent. Since she handled matters prudently and raised substantive questions about governance, the Grand Secretaries had grown to accept the arrangement. After all, with the emperor’s stance on the succession unclear, it was better to maintain good relations with the future Empress Dowager than to serve under a prince whose claim to the throne was uncertain.

Everything had been proceeding smoothly, and with many noble families absent, the capital had seemed quieter than usual. But the news of the "auspicious animal" instantly sent ripples through—the number of memorials received by the Grand Secretariat more than doubled overnight.

The current Chief Grand Secretary, Senior Minister Yu, was steady and experienced. After skimming through a selection of the memorials, he ruled decisively: "It seems the opinions fall into roughly two camps. Select a few well-written ones and have them delivered to His Majesty."

Someone recommended, "The memorial by the Tanhu of the last imperial examination is particularly well-written. As a censor, it’s his duty to offer remonstrance—this is perfectly justified."

Minister Yu glanced at it and nodded. Soon, several more memorials were chosen and bundled with the Grand Secretariat’s daily report, rushed by express courier to the hunting grounds.