Chapter 25: When Words Fail, Laughter Prevails [Revised]

That overly formal bow left even the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty briefly stunned.

“You didn’t sleep well last night?”

“Ah?”

The sudden concern caught Jiang Shiyuan off guard. She quickly regained her composure, straightening up and touching under her eyes. How sharp was Grand Tutor Pei’s gaze to notice even a slight trace of dark circles?

“Oh, I was reading a scroll last night and went to bed late,” Jiang Shiyuan replied.

“That scroll must’ve been terribly dull,” Pei Che said.

Jiang Shiyuan gave an awkward chuckle. Dull? That didn’t even begin to describe it. It was pure torture.

She knew aristocratic families were strict, but she didn’t expect this level of strictness.

A thousand rules. Literally one thousand family rules.

From eating and sleeping to walking and bathing—every detail was spelled out with more precision than ancient legal codes.

So strict that Jiang Shiyuan began to doubt whether it was even a family rulebook—it felt more like divine commandments!

Why was being a member of the Pei family so exhausting?

She couldn’t imagine how any child in the Pei family survived to adulthood.

Did anyone ever actually follow all one thousand rules?

Jiang Shiyuan seriously doubted it. But when she looked up—crane-like posture, tall and upright—wasn’t the very embodiment of the rulebook sitting right in front of her?

No, she absolutely couldn’t embarrass the Grand Tutor.

If she couldn’t manage all thousand, then she’d at least manage a hundred!

Lost in her thoughts, Jiang Shiyuan boarded the carriage with Pei Che.

He sat furthest inside; she sat by the door, hands folded neatly in her lap, upright and silent with her eyes lowered.

[Pei Family Rule No. 77: When riding in a carriage with elders, maintain a distance of two arms; do not approach unless invited.]

[Pei Family Rule No. 78: When riding in a carriage with elders, do not speak unless asked.]

The carriage wheels rolled steadily. After a long silence, it was Pei Che who finally broke it.

“Did you have breakfast?”

He had somehow produced a box of pastries.

This time, it wasn’t from Mantingchun, but from Baiweifang, the place Jiang Shiyuan had mentioned before.

Nine-layer cakes—the signature of Baiweifang and Jiang Shiyuan’s favorite.

Freshly steamed pastries filled the air with fragrance. Her stomach was already growling in protest, yet when Jiang Shiyuan opened her mouth, she declined.

“I’m not hungry. Thank you.”

Because—Pei Family Rule No. 79: When riding with elders, do not eat unless on the brink of starvation!

She swallowed hard.

These inhumane “commandments”—she might manage a hundred, but for a whole month? Absolutely not.

“Grand Tutor, about our wedding date…” Jiang Shiyuan asked tentatively, “Could we delay it?”

The carriage fell into sudden stillness.

Pei Che glanced at the pastry in his hand, then slowly swept his eyes toward her. “Delay it?”

“Give me your reason,” he said, voice calm but distant.

Jiang Shiyuan instinctively pulled her neck back under his gaze. Of course she wouldn’t admit it was because she couldn’t live up to the Pei family’s standards.

“Because of my cousin. I don’t have many relatives, and my aunt is in the palace and can’t attend the wedding. If my cousin could be there, maybe the occasion would feel more complete,” she said softly.

The man’s gaze fell gently on her head, and his voice softened a little. “The war in the southwest has ended. The Third Prince is already on his way back. No need to postpone—it’ll be in time.”

“Really?” Jiang Shiyuan looked up in delight.

This wasn’t just casual news—did this mean Pei Che had already contacted her cousin?

“Mhm. More than enough time,” Pei Che replied confidently.

A sudden thought flashed through Jiang Shiyuan’s mind: Was Pei Che so certain because he had already taken her cousin’s schedule into account before proposing the wedding date?

The idea startled her.

No way… right?

She didn’t dare think too much—she didn’t want to get carried away. And reality didn’t give her time to overthink, because at that moment, her stomach rumbled.

Grrrrrrrowl—

A loud one.

Echoed through the whole carriage.

Jiang Shiyuan froze in place, and her gaze instinctively darted toward Pei Che.

He definitely heard that!

Pei Che looked at her. “Not feeling well?”

She shook her head quickly, face flushing red in embarrassment.

Silence hung in the air for a few seconds.

Pei Che pressed his lips together and asked, “Then… is it that you didn’t want to travel with me?”

Was it just her imagination, or was there actual hesitation—and a hint of insecurity—in his voice?

Why would he think that she didn’t want to come with him?

She was the one who invited him, wasn’t she?

“Of course I wanted to,” Jiang Shiyuan met his gaze directly. “Didn’t you notice, Grand Tutor?”

“I didn’t wear any perfume today.”

She explained softly, heart thumping. “Because I was going to be with you.”

Her gentle voice filled the carriage like the first thaw of spring snow.

Pei Che pressed his lips together, but the corners curled up despite himself.

“Then why sit so far away?”

Jiang Shiyuan didn’t hide her frustration. “Isn’t that your Pei family rule? When sharing a carriage with elders, keep two arms apart, no talking, no moving, no eating.”

Pei Che froze for a second, then suddenly burst into laughter. There was exasperation and tenderness in his eyes.

“Is that where your dark circles came from? You stayed up all night memorizing family rules?”

Pei family rules, no less.

Jiang Shiyuan nodded. “Yeah.”

Pei Che laughed again. When had she become so obedient? She used to love going against everything.

“Burn it when you get back. No need to memorize it.”

“Huh? Burn it?”

Jiang Shiyuan looked delighted, eyes filled with admiration. Does the Grand Tutor really have that much authority in the Pei family? Just say the word and the rules are gone?

Pei Che nodded with a faint smile, clearly in good spirits. “That’s not the Pei family rulebook. It’s just Pei Ziye’s personal rulebook. And besides…”

He paused, looked at her wide eyes, and stopped short of saying more.

“Huh?” she asked.

What did he mean?

Jiang Shiyuan was stunned for a moment before it clicked.

All thousand of those rules were written for Pei Ziye?!

Poor guy…

Just as she was starting to pity him, a terrifying thought crossed her mind—

Wait, wait—

If that wasn’t the Pei family rulebook, just some “divine punishment” scroll made for Pei Ziye, then what about her hundred taels and that night of living hell?

Was her suffering all for nothing?

Who was the despicable jerk that put this scammy thing up for sale?

And Wan Song Bookstore—the biggest shop in the capital, selling something like that for a hundred taels?! So much for a century of reputation!

Jiang Shiyuan’s thoughts were written all over her face. Pei Che saw straight through her. “It was Pei Ziye.”

“What?”

“Don’t pity him. He sold it on purpose.”

What?!

That damn Pei Ziye!

Utterly shameless!

No wonder he had a bad reputation and couldn’t get a wife.

A hundred taels! Do you know how much incense she had to sell to earn that?

Who’s going to compensate her for all that torment?

She only slept for one hour last night, spending the rest memorizing that scroll!

Fuming, Jiang Shiyuan looked like she was about to cry from rage.

Pei Che chuckled and asked, “How much did it cost? I’ll make it up to you.”

His voice was soft, his smile indulgent—Jiang Shiyuan actually thought she heard a trace of fondness.

The idea startled her so much she shook her head inwardly.

What are you thinking, Jiang Shiyuan? The Grand Tutor’s just stepping in as an elder to clean up Pei Ziye’s mess.

She wanted to refuse again, but turning him down multiple times felt rude.

Just then, the carriage rolled into the bustling marketplace, noisy with shouting and chatter.

It was the annual temple fair in the southern part of the city.

Jiang Shiyuan looked out the window. “It’s not your fault, Grand Tutor. You shouldn’t have to compensate me. But… if you really want to, could you buy me a sugar cake?”

She was hungry, after all.

“Alright.”

Pei Che agreed without hesitation and stopped the carriage.

They got out and quickly found a sugar cake stall.

Jiang Shiyuan ordered two, and Pei Che reached into his pouch for money.

“Miss, your sugar cakes are ready!”

The vendor handed over two fresh cakes.

Just as Jiang Shiyuan reached out, a hand suddenly shot out and snatched them away.

“I’ll take these! I’ll pay double!”

An arrogant voice rang out—Jiang Shiyuan didn’t even need to look. She knew exactly who it was.

She ignored the intruder and calmly said, “Boss, give me two more.”

Before she could finish, Su Liluo cut in loudly: “Boss, not just those two! I want the whole pot—no, your whole stall! Every cake you’ve made and haven’t made—all of it!”

Su Liluo stood with arms crossed, chin raised, as if she were buying up the whole street.

The cake vendor had never seen someone buy out a whole sugar cake stall before and asked excitedly, “Really? You want them all?”

Su Liluo raised her hand proudly and declared, “All of them!”

Jiang Shiyuan turned and looked at her. In moments like these, when you’re too speechless to respond—

You really do end up laughing.

It was one thing for Su Liluo to constantly compete with her—but fighting over a two-wen sugar cake?

Was she okay in the head?

Su Liluo saw Jiang Shiyuan’s expression fall and only felt smug.

It was just a sugar cake, but as long as she got one up on Jiang Shiyuan, it was worth it.

“Oh, it’s you, Sister Jiang? What a coincidence—you like sugar cakes too? Too bad. I bought them all. None left for you!”

Su Liluo was basking in her petty triumph when she suddenly caught sight of someone beside Jiang Shiyuan.

Her whole body froze, her expression stiffening.

“P-Pei Grand Tutor?”

What’s he doing here?!