Chapter 75

Chapter 75

With the trip settled, Mrs. Pei, ever efficient, dispatched servants to the villa to prepare, and after packing, set the departure date.

Still in the first lunar month, the capital remained bitterly cold, with overcast skies at dawn. Ming Tang, accompanied by Wen He and Hong Ying as usual, left Zhe Liu to mind the household and met Mrs. Pei at the main gate.

Since the outing had been planned, Ming Tang hadn’t gone to Jinghua Hall that morning. When Pei Ze woke up and saw her for the first time, he was bright-eyed with excitement. Wriggling out of Nanny Zhou’s hold, he dashed toward Ming Tang and hugged her legs, looking up: "Mama!"

Bundled in thick winter clothes and now more active and sturdy than before, his full-body tackle nearly toppled Ming Tang. Pei Yue steadied her just in time.

After a moment of staring down at Pei Ze, Ming Tang smiled, pinching his chilled cheek in mock alarm. "Oh, A Ze, why are your cheeks so cold?"

She then ordered a large scarf to be brought over, wrapping it snugly around Pei Ze’s head and shoulders, leaving only his wide, darting eyes peeking out to observe the world.

The scarf was loosely knotted at his back, and with his cloak already covering his hands, Pei Ze struggled in vain to free himself. His muffled complaints, obscured by the scarf, were conveniently misheard by Ming Tang.

Soon, his frustration grew as he tugged at the scarf, managing only to reveal a bit more of his nose—doing little good.

The wind at the gate was indeed stronger than inside the estate. Though Mrs. Pei had initially worried about Pei Ze catching a chill, she gave a resigned shake of her head at the sight before turning to instruct Pei Yue briefly and leading the way into the carriage.

Nanny Zhou followed closely, carrying Pei Ze.

Servants moved with practiced efficiency, making final preparations. Since the trip had been planned long in advance and was merely a short stay in the outskirts, Ming Tang tossed a casual farewell over her shoulder and stepped down the stairs.

Just as her foot touched the first step, fingers closed around her wrist with surprising strength.

Startled, she turned to find Pei Yue standing a step above her, his face blank—yet his grip spoke volumes.

Had it not been for his unyielding hold, she might have thought it a figment of her imagination.

"Shizi?" In front of others, Ming Tang could only prod carefully.

As if waking from a dream, Pei Yue moved, leaning down to sweep her into an embrace that crushed her cloak folds.

His cloak billowed open with the motion, swallowing her frame in its folds when it settled.

The maids nearby averted their eyes, though their peripheral vision caught the intimate overlap of the couple’s figures.

The embrace, brazen by their usual standards, was still an acceptable display of affection between spouses, especially among family. While surprising, it only reinforced the belief that the couple was genuinely enamored.

After all, Shizi had never allowed women to serve him closely before, leading some to speculate about unusual proclivities. Now, it seemed he simply hadn’t met the right person.

Unbeknownst to others, beneath the cloak, Pei Yue crushed Ming Tang against his chest.

Feeling her breath against his neck, he finally ground out through clenched teeth, "Mother and A Ze could have gone alone. Why must you join them?"

Leaving him behind.

"Because I want to soak in the hot springs." Had this been early in their marriage or in public, she might have claimed it was to attend to her mother-in-law or care for her nephew. But now, familiar with Pei Yue, she saw no need for pretense.

After a pause, Pei Yue surrendered to the inevitable. If it was for the springs, she would certainly go.

Studying her face, he couldn’t bring himself to ask if she’d miss him during their separation.

Even the thought felt foolishly lovesick for a mere few days apart.

With visible effort, he loosened his grip, his hand lingering as he let his thumb trace her cheekbone to tuck a rebellious strand behind her ear before his mouth curved with private amusement. "I’ll join you during my days off."

His voice, unconsciously tender, thrummed with barely leashed eagerness.

Ming Tang nodded, turned around without a trace of oddness, and steadily descended the steps. Then, stepping onto the still-out stool, she boarded the carriage.

Wen He and Hong Ying, who had been waiting for Ming Tang to board, froze in surprise: Why had the young mistress entered the madam’s carriage? Hadn’t it been arranged for two carriages to travel separately?

Lifting the carriage curtain and stepping inside, Ming Tang saw several faces with varying expressions and suddenly realized: Crap, wrong carriage.

Annoyed, she mentally blamed Pei Yue—it was all his fault, being so unfair. Outwardly, she kept a straight face, sitting in the spot Nanny Zhou had vacated and pulling Pei Ze into her arms, her thoughts still somewhat scattered.

He’d been so close, his voice so gentle—what was she supposed to do?

Mrs. Pei knew the young couple had stayed behind to bid each other farewell. Seeing Ming Tang suddenly enter her carriage, her face betrayed nothing, but inwardly, observing Ming Tang’s slightly flushed cheeks, she felt a flicker of amusement.

It had been a long time since she’d been so intrigued by something. At this moment, she truly wanted to know what Pei Yue had said—or done—to Ming Tang.

Her daughter-in-law wasn’t one to blush easily.

Pei Ze, sitting in Ming Tang’s lap, was already excited again, tugging her hand to his back and eagerly signaling for her to remove the scarf from his head.

Sheltered from the wind inside the carriage and warmed by the charcoal brazier, it was much cozier than outside. Ming Tang felt his hands and cheeks, then loosened the scarf and slowly took it off.

Finally able to speak normally, Pei Ze let out an exaggerated sigh. "A Ze was gonna die!"

Then, he looked at Ming Tang curiously. "What were Mother and Uncle talking about? You took forever!"

At this, Mrs. Pei also unconsciously turned her gaze to Ming Tang.

The carriage lurched forward as the convoy started moving. After a slight bump, Ming Tang had already composed herself and replied nonchalantly, "Just saying goodbye. After all, we’re leaving Uncle alone at home."

Pei Ze nodded knowingly. "Oh~" Then, settling into a comfortable position in Ming Tang’s arms, he looked up at her. "Did Mother comfort Uncle? It’s so sad for him to be alone at home."

Comfort him? Of course not. Grown-ups didn’t need coddling. It was just a few days outside the city—not some grand farewell.

But she couldn’t say that now. "Uncle is already grown up and very brave. He doesn’t need comforting when he’s alone at home." Then, she encouraged Pei Ze, "When you’re older, you’ll have to handle things by yourself sometimes too. You’ll have to be brave, just like Uncle."

Pei Ze immediately nodded. "Mm! A Ze is the bravest!"

Easily distracted, he moved on, but Mrs. Pei wasn’t so easily fooled. Piecing together Ming Tang’s earlier expression, she mentally painted a scene of the young couple’s tender farewell—perhaps even some whispered intimacies.

She couldn’t help but sigh. "Ah, to be young."

Ming Tang remained unruffled. "I’ve always believed that as long as one feels eighteen in their heart, they’ll always be eighteen."

Eighteen? Mrs. Pei instinctively found it odd. Then she recalled: girls came of age at fifteen, boys at twenty—eighteen must be the midpoint between the two.

Understanding the meaning behind the number, Mrs. Pei paused, then chuckled. "Now that’s an interesting way to see it."

The carriage wheels rumbled over the cobblestones. Pei Ze was engrossed in tracing the patterns on his scarf, while occasional long cries of street vendors drifted in from outside. In this quiet atmosphere, Mrs. Pei suddenly felt nostalgic.

Smiling, she said, "When I was eighteen, I pulled my share of wild stunts. Fun to look back on, but I like myself better now."

Ming Tang had seen her share of hardships too. Mrs. Pei knew her previous marriage had ended unhappily, yet from their first meeting, Ming Tang seemed unshakably poised.

From the start, Mrs. Pei had admired her temperament. After spending time together, she inexplicably felt certain Ming Tang would understand her thoughts. On impulse, she started reminiscing.

Sure enough, when Ming Tang heard that Mrs. Pei had once dressed up as a man and gone with the Duke of Dingguo to "explore" in Hibiscus Lane, she didn’t bat an eye. Instead, she immediately grew curious. "Did Mother ever meet the renowned Lady Yun?"

This was a legendary courtesan of that era, renowned for her once-in-a-generation voice.

Mrs. Pei nodded modestly. "I once heard her perform a ballad. It was truly beautiful." Then, puzzled, she asked, "How do you know of Lady Yun?" That wasn’t exactly public gossip outside Hibiscus Lane, and Lady Yun had been a celebrated figure in Mrs. Pei’s time. Logically, Ming Tang shouldn’t have heard of her.

Ming Tang answered truthfully, "A few years ago, I happened to read a notebook of essays where the owner mentioned this Master Yun."

As for the fact that she had deliberately sought out this book, there was no need to inform Mrs. Pei.

On the other hand, since Mrs. Pei had been able to do such things with the Duke of Dingguo in her youth, their relationship must have been very close. Yet now, they had ended up like this. Recalling the past might bring some melancholy.

Hesitating slightly, Mrs. Pei noticed her expression and, after a brief thought, smiled. "No need to worry. The past is the past. Though he and I are now strangers, the joy of those early days hasn’t faded because of it. I simply imagine he stayed frozen in that time—the man now is someone else entirely. And how he lives his life today has nothing to do with me."

If she were to dwell in sorrow, endlessly pondering how they had come to this point, she wouldn’t be able to live her life at all.

Ming Tang was instantly impressed. "You are so wise, Mother."

Mrs. Pei shook her head gently. "I didn’t understand this until I was around thirty. That’s hardly wise."

Glancing at Ming Tang, she thought to herself that this young woman seemed to have learned early on not to waste energy on unnecessary people, focusing instead on living her own life well.

As they spoke, they arrived at the hot spring villa. The carriage came to a stop, and the two women ended their impromptu conversation.

Though the villa had been unoccupied for a long time, the courtyard remained impeccably tidy. Ming Tang instructed Wen He and Hong Ying to handle the arrangements while she immediately summoned the estate manager to take her to inspect the hot spring.

Since the journey hadn’t been long, Pei Ze was still full of energy. Hearing this, he immediately begged to join them.

Ming Tang didn’t refuse—it was just a look, after all—and had someone carry him as they headed to the courtyard with the hot spring pool.

Upon entering the room, they were met with a wave of warmth. Behind the screen, a man-made channel ran through the house, filling a central pool with warm water. Decorated with small rockeries, it created a picturesque effect.

Pei Ze perked up with interest. But since Ming Tang had earlier said they were "just looking," he reluctantly trailed after her with lingering glances after she finished her inspection.

By evening, seeing that his grandmother showed no intention of leaving, he quietly sought out Nanny Zhou and asked her to take him to find Ming Tang.

Ming Tang was already ready to go. When Pei Ze arrived, she didn’t refuse but quietly whispered a few instructions to Wen He.

Thus, when they reached the spot they had visited earlier, Nanny Zhou—who had initially worried that the little lord was too small to soak in the hot spring—was immediately both relieved and amused. A screen had been placed beside the pool, and on the other side, a shallow but wide wooden tub had appeared at some point, filled with gently steaming water.

Pei Ze was also taken aback, his gaze full of skepticism.

Ming Tang calmly knelt down and helped him test the water temperature. "Men and women are different. A Ze is a little gentleman, so he must use a gentleman’s bath."

Pei Ze compared both sides of the screen. At first, he hesitated because the setups were different. But when he saw Ming Tang testing the water in the pool, curiosity got the better of him, and he reached out to touch it. His delicate fingers recoiled instantly from the scalding water, and he immediately declared, "A Ze will use the gentleman’s bath~"

Ming Tang nodded in approval. "A Ze is a little gentleman now, and when he grows up," she added, "he’ll be a great gentleman."

Pei Ze nodded vigorously. "Uh-huh!"