Chapter 43: Such a Strong Reaction?

A Yuan heard the voice and turned around, calling out clearly, “Brother.”

Pei Ji walked over to the two of them, his gaze landing on Jiang Huaiyue’s face. “Lady Yuan’s pipa playing is quite good.”

Jiang Huaiyue handed the pipa in her arms to Qiu Chan. “You flatter me, Prince. I only know a little.”

She hadn’t touched the instrument for a long time; her hands were somewhat stiff. She had first seen the pipa in A Yuan’s room and couldn’t help fiddling with it a bit—only to be caught by him.

But it should be fine; he didn’t know whether the original owner could play the pipa.

Although Pei Ji couldn’t play, he could tell she was not just a novice; she was quite skilled.

Jiang Huaiyue smiled softly upon hearing the compliment: “Thank you, A Yuan.”

“Yueya?” Pei Ji looked at her.

Hearing her nickname from his mouth felt strange to Jiang Huaiyue. She gave an embarrassed smile. “That’s my childhood name.”

“Yueya sister, brother, A Yuan is hungry.”

A Yuan stood between them, tugging lightly on their clothes to get their attention.

Pei Ji withdrew his gaze. “Yue, I will have someone prepare food.”

“Mm, sister and brother will eat with A Yuan.” A Yuan smiled happily.

Moying had the kitchen send the food, and Jiang Huaiyue ate together with Pei Ji and A Yuan.

Perhaps because A Yuan was there, Pei Ji’s aura was less cold, making the meal surprisingly harmonious.

After dinner, with A Yuan’s reluctant gaze, Jiang Huaiyue left together with Pei Ji.

The moon was high, the night warm and gentle.

The cool moonlight draped over them, lengthening their shadows. Jiang Huaiyue looked at him. “Prince, I want to learn some self-defense moves. Can you let Fu Yao teach me?”

Pei Ji’s eyes flickered as he sized her up, then said coldly, “Why do you want to learn self-defense?”

Jiang Huaiyue pursed her lips and answered seriously, “Nothing much. I just want to be able to protect myself if I encounter danger again.”

As the saying goes, it’s better to rely on oneself than others. Learning a bit would give her more security.

Pei Ji pondered for a moment. “Letting Fu Yao teach you is fine, but martial arts are not easy. Can you endure the hardship?”

Something flashed darkly in his eyes.

Her body was indeed weak. She hadn’t done much but had already fainted.

Jiang Huaiyue nodded firmly. “I’m not afraid of hardship. Rest assured, Prince, I will persevere.”

Enduring the hardship of martial arts was nothing compared to the pain of love.

Pei Ji nodded. “If that’s the case, Fu Yao will start teaching you tomorrow.”

Jiang Huaiyue’s eyes curved with joy. “Thank you, Prince.”

Seeing him agree, she was so happy she began imagining herself becoming a heroic woman.

Back at the waterside pavilion, feeling sticky, she told Qiu Chan to prepare her bath supplies.

Just as she stepped into the bath, Pei Ji unexpectedly followed her in.

After Qiu Chan placed the items Jiang Huaiyue needed, she heard Pei Ji’s cold voice: “Get out.”

Hesitating, she glanced at the Lady. After receiving her signal, she slowly left.

Since Pei Ji came in, Jiang Huaiyue had shrunk her body into the water. She looked up and said, “Prince, are you going to bathe too? Maybe you could wait until I finish…”

While she spoke, she saw Pei Ji loosen his clothes, revealing a strong chest.

He entered the water and leaned against the pool’s edge. “Come here.”

Jiang Huaiyue didn’t need to think twice to know what he meant. Her legs still hurt from the night before; she really didn’t want to serve him now.

Besides, his technique was really bad—it hurt terribly. She seriously doubted he even knew what he was doing.

“Prince, I suddenly feel dizzy. You wash slowly; I’ll get out first.”

As she said this, she reached to climb the marble wall, but the man grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

The moment her soft body touched his, Pei Ji felt a bit warm.

“Are you really dizzy, or just don’t want to serve me?” Pei Ji’s sharp gaze fixed on her. His handsome face under the light was chilling.

Jiang Huaiyue quickly changed her expression to a smile and reached out to place her hand on his broad chest. “Your Highness, how could you think like that? I really just felt dizzy.”

She thought to herself with some resentment: What a damn man! Having me serve you, and now acting like you’ve figured out the harem politics.

Even if she had never seen pork before, at least she had seen pigs run. She was better at initiating than him by far. Thinking about having a fling with such a handsome man, it wasn’t a loss at all.

But last night she realized reality was cruel. Though the basic conditions were good, his technique was really terrible.

Pei Ji lowered his eyes, looking at the person leaning against him. Her fair body was exposed right before him. His Adam’s apple moved as he said, “Then you must endure a little longer, and faint more slowly.”

Jiang Huaiyue: “……”

Listen to him — is that even human language? She had already said she wasn’t feeling well, and he just cared about his own pleasure. Truly heartless.

In the luxurious bath, two figures embraced. The splashing water hit the edge of the pool, spraying out a little.

To reduce her own suffering, Jiang Huaiyue put in effort to perform, softly calling him with a coquettish voice, “Husband~”

The next moment, she felt something and glanced at him.

No way — she only called him “husband” once, why such a big reaction?

Pei Ji frowned and met her surprised gaze, annoyed, pinching her waist: “Say that again?”

“Husband~” Jiang Huaiyue’s lips lifted in a barely perceptible smile, deliberately prolonging the tone.

Pei Ji’s dark eyes dimmed, a faint, inscrutable smile tugging at his lips.

But Jiang Huaiyue paid the price for deliberately teasing him — the next day, she even had to eat lunch on the bed.

“Mistress, Your Highness is really too much.” When Qiu Chan helped her dress, seeing her flawless body covered in bruises, she felt sorry for her.

Jiang Huaiyue forced a smile. “A few days’ rest and I’ll be fine. In his eyes, I’m just a plaything. How could I expect him to pity me?”

“But Mistress, His Highness has so much power. Can we even leave?” Qiu Chan looked down, worried.

“Yes, and that day isn’t far off.” Jiang Huaiyue remembered that soon news of Xiao Qingrong’s death in battle at the frontier would come. When the whole nation was thrown into turmoil, they could escape amidst the chaos.

Qiu Chan nodded and helped her change clothes.

“Where is Fu Yao?” Jiang Huaiyue asked loudly.

“Outside. Mistress, do you need her?” Qiu Chan knew Fu Yao belonged to Pei Ji, so if there was no business, she was never allowed inside the Mistress’s room.

Fu Yao didn’t mind; her duty was to stay with the Mistress and prevent her from harming Pei Ji or Miss Ayuan.

Jiang Huaiyue nodded: “Send her in.”

“Okay.” Qiu Chan replied, heading to the door.

Outside the door, she saw a tall figure standing under the eaves and called, “Fu Yao, the Mistress wants you.”

Fu Yao turned and approached. Qiu Chan frowned—after all this time, she had never seen her smile. Could it be that the first rule of being His Highness’s subordinate was not to smile?

So strange.

Fu Yao passed by her and entered, bowing to Jiang Huaiyue: “Mistress.”

“Mm, I want to learn some self-defense moves. I already told His Highness; he said you should teach me,” Jiang Huaiyue said calmly.

Hearing this, Fu Yao clasped her hands and responded, “At your command.”

From then on, every day Jiang Huaiyue began learning self-defense under Fu Yao’s instruction. She studied diligently and within half a month could spar a few rounds with Fu Yao.

During this half month, her relationship with Pei Ji had also softened somewhat, though it remained mostly superficial. Still, she thought that was pretty good.

Elsewhere, Su Lingwan and Yun Shang’s “Qingshan Pavilion” had opened. The shop quickly gained fame among the noble ladies in the capital for its novel designs and exquisite clothing, and business was booming.

In contrast, the once thriving Jinxiufang was declining.

Heming Tower, a famous money-burning den in the capital, was a favorite spot for officials, nobles, and wealthy families.

In a private room, a man dressed in brocade slowly reviewed the accounts before him, wearing a somewhat indifferent smile.

The manager reporting to him was none other than the Jinxiufang’s shopkeeper. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, barely daring to breathe deeply.

“Manager Lin, you dare show these earnings to the master?”

Speaking was Meng Xinyun, whose father Meng Changjiao was the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, and Jinxiufang was his family business.

Manager Lin answered shakily, “Master, the newly opened Qingshan Pavilion has taken all the business from our shop. I really have no way to compete.”

He had tried to imitate Qingshan Pavilion’s clothes, but the other side introduced a membership system and gave out scented powders, attracting all the city’s women to their place.