Chapter 2

“Miss, this is the finest inner garment made from the best silk in the mansion.”

But Nianxi always felt the undergarments were rough and scratchy, hurting her skin. Having lived another life, even her skin had become more delicate. In her previous life, she was the prime minister’s wife, and her inner garments were made from the finest kudzu silk, as light as clouds, warm in winter and cool in summer, and worth a fortune. Now, she was an unmarried young lady.

That night, she was poisoned and vomited blood, never expecting to wake up in her old boudoir!

Nianxi remembered that her father was promoted and transferred to the capital when she was fifteen. She followed her family to the capital and fell ill frequently due to climate change. It took her half a month in a daze to finally accept that she had returned from twenty-eight to fifteen.

Yes, she was reborn. Before she met Pei Jian!

“Are you sure you won’t join me for the grand scripture debate, little sister?” asked her brother, Wen Qingheng, from outside the window.

March 3rd, Shangsi Festival.

The Chongming Tower hosted the grand scripture debate, inviting scholars and literati to recite poetry, discuss scriptures, and brew tea.

Wen Qingheng had entered the National Academy to study, and today’s elegant gathering would have most of his classmates attending the debate at Chongming Tower. His sister, who had been influenced by their father and brother since childhood, used to love these literati events.

Nianxi was combing her hair and asked the maid to open the window, “Brother, you forgot that I already promised Cousin Mu that I would go to Qu Shui for the spring outing today.”

Wen Qingheng remembered but was unwilling to give up and wanted to ask his sister again.

Seeing Nianxi in a silver-patterned pleated skirt, hair adorned with flowers, the sunlight casting a thin layer of radiance around her, her skin as translucent as jade, delicate and demure, he sighed, “You’ve been ill for a month; it’s good to go out and take a walk.”

The siblings talked casually and naturally through the window.

The Wen family was small; Wen’s parents were deeply in love, and they had one son and one daughter after marriage. Wen Qingheng had always adored his sister, while other boys found their younger siblings annoying; he was different, loving to play with the delicate and precious Nianxi.

Nianxi pretended not to see her brother’s disappointment and smiled, “Brother, you must also do well today.”

Reborn once, she would never take the same old path. In her previous life, she went to Chongming Tower and met Pei Jian, who made a stunning debut at the grand scripture debate. For the first time, she saw a composed, inwardly restrained, and dashing young man eloquently quoting classics at the debate and couldn’t help but be captivated. But what she thought was mutual affection turned out to be the other party’s compromise. She had been passionate, tried hard, and struggled for Pei Jian. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t resist the gradually diminishing love, from certainty to doubt, until it completely faded away.

In this life, she wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes.

Wen Qingheng didn’t know her thoughts and worriedly advised, “When you go to Qu Shui, stay close to Cousin Mu. If you encounter any unsavory young men, don’t show them a good face.”

On Shangsi Festival, half of the young men in the capital went to Chongming Tower for the debate, and the other half went to Qu Shui Pond, mostly dandies and noble offspring.

In Wen Qingheng’s view, letting his delicate and precious sister go to Qu Shui alone was really improper.

“Don’t worry, brother.” Nianxi gently smiled, her black eyes filled with obedience and gentleness. In her previous life, she followed the rules and lived as Pei Jian’s wife for ten years, feeling her mind and body wither.

It had been too long since she had tasted the sweetness of love.

Now, she was fifteen – unmarried and in the prime of her youth. Of course, she would meet better young men and enjoy the feeling of being loved.

This time, she would let herself be happy.

……

National Academy.

Pei Jian got up before dawn, lit a lamp, and sat at the desk to read. He had been busy with official duties for years, and his studies had become rusty. Fortunately, he still remembered the palace exam questions from not long ago and winning top honors again wouldn’t be difficult for him. But the time had passed, and he had almost forgotten the days of studying at the National Academy.

Back then, when he came out of the palace, the servants told him that his wife was seriously ill. Before he reached home, another servant reported that his wife had already passed away.

Pei Jian sat in the carriage; his heart felt like it was being crushed by a heavy hammer; both shocked and angry, he spat out a mouthful of blood, losing consciousness. When he woke up again, he was lying in a room at the National Academy.

Rebirth for him wasn’t good or bad. In the past, he was a high-ranking prime minister, but he was always busy with official duties, constantly toppling one political enemy after another, and never able to relax.

Now, he was just a minor scholar with more than ten years of experience. As long as he entered officialdom, he could quickly and ruthlessly suppress his opponents, reaching the peak of power. So, he quickly accepted reality.

When the daylight broke outside, Pei Jian put down the book, opened the door, and met Gu Ci, who was preparing to return to his room.

The National Academy gave one day off every ten days; the rest of the time, all scholars had to live in the dormitory. There were four rooms in one courtyard, and Gu Ci lived next door to Pei Jian.

The dormitory was simple, and washing was done in the courtyard’s washroom. Gu Ci had just finished washing up.

“Shizhang, are you really not going to Qu Shui?” Gu Ci winked at him, “I heard your cousin is going today, too.”

They grew up together. After Pei Jian’s parents passed away, Gu Ci’s mother, Lady Wang, took good care of him. Gu Ci’s father and brothers were stationed at the border for many years, and Pei Jian was like a brother to Gu Ci.

“Yes.” Pei Jian replied.

Gu Ci was used to Pei Jian’s taciturn nature. He preferred martial arts over literature and wouldn’t go to Chongming Tower for the debate, “Don’t worry, your cousin is like my cousin; I won’t let any unsavory men covet her.”

Qu Shui Liu Shang was known for romantic tales of men and women.

“No need.” Pei Jian directly refused. He had no romantic feelings for his cousin. In these days of rebirth, he had more time and kept thinking about one thing: Why did Wen Nianxi want to separate from him?

He and Wen Nianxi had known each other for nearly thirteen years and had been married for ten years. He believed he had given her the best life, surrounded by servants and luxuries. But women are always greedy. They want wealth and status and also a considerate husband.

Pei Jian frowned slightly.

Gu Ci suddenly punched his shoulder. “What are you thinking about? You’ve been acting weird ever since you fell.”

For some reason, Gu Ci felt that Pei Jian had a new, inexplicable aura in these few days.

Pei Jian regained his composure, “Where are the other two people in the courtyard?”

“Qin Lang probably hasn’t gotten up yet, and the new guy, Wen Qingheng, seems to have returned to pick up his younger brother. I heard his brother wants to attend the grand scripture debate, too.”

Pei Jian and Gu Ci were both outstanding, clean, and upright young men. At nineteen, they had already captured the hearts of many young ladies in the capital, but they remained pure. Gu Ci was more open, while Pei Jian was more reserved.

At this moment, Pei Jian remembered an important detail – the younger brother Wen Qingheng brought was Wen Nianxi.

Soon, they would meet for the first time.

Pei Jian walked out expressionlessly. The path of the future had been clearly planned from the first day of his rebirth. Nianxi was not a suitable prime minister’s wife. And he had too many things to do to waste his energy on women.

Nianxi must first learn to be sensible.

Standing at Chongming Tower, Pei Jian instinctively looked for the familiar slender figure.

However, Nianxi never came.