It was only later, while scrubbing the chamber pot, that Ren Yaoqi realized she had unknowingly grown bold enough to talk back to Pei Zhiyan.
Although Pei Zhiyan was lazy and indifferent by nature, he was knowledgeable in both astronomy and geography, and possessed great patience, making him truly a good teacher.
Over the years, Ren Yaoqi gradually let down her guard in her interactions with him, genuinely beginning to respect him as her teacher and revere him as an elder brother.
Pei Zhiyan indeed never remarried. Because he had no heirs, the main branch of the Pei family constantly urged him to take a new wife. Some elders even sent him beautiful maidservants. So annoyed by this that he couldn’t bear it, Pei Zhiyan sent Ren Yaoqi to deal with these people on his behalf. Eventually, the main branch stopped sending anyone.
Once, after examining Ren Yaoqi’s studies, Pei Zhiyan suddenly asked, “Has anyone from the main branch visited recently?”
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment. “Someone came a few days ago, delivered some medicinal herbs, and left.”
Pei Zhiyan lowered his gaze and pondered for a long time, then seemed to understand something. He sighed with a bitter smile, rubbing his forehead. “Forget it… It’s nothing to suffer a little in reputation.”
Ren Yaoqi was somewhat puzzled.
However, Pei Zhiyan did not offer her any explanation. He merely glanced at her and smiled faintly. “This time, I’ll punish you by making you eat celery for a month.”
Ren Yaoqi wasn’t particularly picky about food; the only thing she disliked was the taste of celery. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but be taken aback. “Teacher, did I answer something incorrectly just now?”
Pei Zhiyan lay back on the couch and said leisurely, “You answered perfectly. You’ve been studying diligently, a promising student.”
“Then why am I being punished?!” Ren Yaoqi frowned.
Pei Zhiyan didn’t even look up. “Because I am the teacher, and you are the student.”
Ren Yaoqi: “…”
It was only much later that Ren Yaoqi learned that outsiders believed she was Pei Zhiyan’s concubine, and a highly favored one at that. However, after years by his side, there had been no news of her pregnancy. Coupled with the fact that Pei Zhiyan’s previous wife, Ouyang Shi, had also been childless for many years after their marriage, and Pei Zhiyan refused to remarry after his wife’s death, the Pei family began to suspect that Pei Zhiyan had some unspeakable difficulty. As a result, they didn’t dare to pressure him too harshly. Previously, whenever the Pei family sent someone, Pei Zhiyan had Ren Yaoqi handle them.
Thus, Ren Yaoqi spent many years under Pei Zhiyan’s guidance. At first, she could only passively endure his teachings, but later, she occasionally managed to offer her teacher some harmless counterattacks. Slowly, she grew from a clever but somewhat arrogant young girl into the calm and steady person she was now.
The hardships of her growth, when recounted in detail, were a heart-wrenching history of blood and tears.
Standing there, Ren Yaoqi recalled the scenes of her interactions with her teacher back then, feeling both sentimental and warm inside, until Lady Xu’s voice brought her back to the present.
“This is the student I mentioned earlier, Yaoqi. Come over and meet Mr. Pei.”
Although Ren Yaoqi had been lost in thought for a moment, it had only been an instant. Lady Xu noticed Ren Yaoqi’s brief daze but assumed it was due to suddenly seeing Pei Zhiyan. She didn’t think much of it and simply called Ren Yaoqi over to greet Pei Zhiyan.
Ren Yaoqi composed herself and stepped forward to pay her respects to Xu Wanli and his wife, as well as to Pei Zhiyan.Pei Zhiyan thoughtfully withdrew his gaze from Ren Yaoqi, nodded with a slight smile, and then asked, "Is the prescription your teacher is currently taking one you gave her?"
Seeing Ren Yaoqi momentarily silent, Lady Xu explained, "Because my younger sister, like me, was born with this illness. Unfortunately, she... Ah! Jingyan has always felt regret over my sister's passing, so over the years he has also studied pharmacology. As soon as he saw the medicine I was taking yesterday, he said it was precisely suited to the condition. After learning about the acupressure methods you taught me to alleviate symptoms, I mentioned you. He is both my close relative and a dear friend across generations, so he is also your elder. Among family, just speak freely—there's no need to be reserved."
Ren Yaoqi wasn’t reserved; she simply didn’t know how to answer Pei Zhiyan. It was true she had given the prescription to Lady Xu, but it was one Pei Zhiyan had discovered by studying medical texts in her previous life.
She could only say, "I gave it to my teacher. I found the prescription in a handwritten manuscript by a former dynasty imperial physician from my maternal grandfather’s home."
Pei Zhiyan pondered, "Which imperial physician from the former dynasty was it?" Naturally, Pei Zhiyan had studied many medical cases and prescriptions left by imperial physicians.
Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and replied, "Imperial Physician Hu Zhongyun."
Pei Zhiyan suddenly understood, "So it was him, no wonder."
Lady Xu was somewhat surprised, "You’ve heard of this Imperial Physician Hu?" It was no wonder Lady Xu was astonished. Although Hu Zhongyun was an imperial physician, he was not particularly famous and left behind no celebrated medical anecdotes during his lifetime. Moreover, his era was at least four hundred years removed from the present, so even well-read individuals like Lady Xu and Xu Wanli were unaware of this physician.
Ren Yaoqi thought to herself, Mr. Pei naturally knows. In fact, this prescription was something he deduced by studying the medical cases and texts left by Hu Zhongyun and other renowned physicians.
"I have a notebook he passed down to his son. The book indeed contains unique insights into heart ailments. If this prescription was his idea, it’s not surprising," Pei Zhiyan said to Lady Xu.
Pei Zhiyan observed Ren Yaoqi for a moment and remarked with a smile, "But for someone so young and not from a medical family to have such clarity is truly rare. Your teacher has taken on an excellent student."
Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but think to herself: When I was your student in the past, I never saw you express such admiration! Indeed, the grass is always greener on the other side.
Of course, Pei Zhiyan couldn’t hear her thoughts. The two now met as strangers. Pei Zhiyan had only shown a look of surprise upon first seeing Ren Yaoqi. After asking about the prescription, he chatted with Principal Xu about other matters, not paying much further attention to Ren Yaoqi, making her feel that the flicker of surprise she thought she saw in his eyes earlier might have been just her imagination.
Lady Xu left the square table to Xu Wanli and Pei Zhiyan, taking Ren Yaoqi to sit at a small desk by the window in the cabin to discuss recent efforts in restoring incomplete musical scores.
At that moment, the sounds of firecrackers and drums erupted outside, loud enough to drown out the conversations of those on the boat. Even Pei Zhiyan and Xu Wanli, who had been chatting over tea on the other side, turned their attention toward the noise.
Lady Xu smiled and said, "The dragon boat race is about to begin. Jingyan, you haven’t seen a Yanbei dragon boat race before, have you?"Pei Zhiyan smiled slightly, "I haven't seen them, but judging solely from the appearance of the dragon boats, those from the south of the Yangtze River have more intricate designs."
Upon hearing this, Lady Xu couldn't help but glance at the resplendent dragon boat anchored in the middle of the river and said with a smile, "That's true. However, a dragon boat race is ultimately about the competition—only by racing can the winner be determined. How can victory be decided by appearance alone?"
Pei Zhiyan nodded, appearing to agree.
Although this year's dragon boat race was livelier than in previous years, the procedures still followed the same routine. The Prince of Yanbei, along with the heads of the Yun, Su, and Lei families, ascended the high platform, where two other officials from the imperial court were also present.
The attention of those on the boat shifted toward the platform. Xu Wanli looked at Pei Zhiyan and asked, "Aren't you going up?"
Pei Zhiyan glanced at the high platform, leisurely took a sip of tea, and said, "Let others take the spotlight. I'd rather stay here and play a few rounds of chess with you—yesterday's game remains unresolved."
Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but glance at Pei Zhiyan, who looked utterly at ease. She knew her teacher's temperament well and thought to herself: Losing would be embarrassing, winning would invite resentment—better to stay here and enjoy tea comfortably.
By this time, many maids carrying baskets were already weaving through the various tents along the riverbank, seeking people to place bets.
Some maids also approached the boats moored along the shore.
Lady Xu looked at Xu Wanli and Pei Zhiyan and said with a smile, "Shall we also make a guess?"
Xu Wanli stroked his beard and teased, "You, madam, are a perennial loser with a remarkable record of defeats. Whether you guess or not, the outcome remains the same."
Lady Xu glared at him. "You, sir, are a perennial winner, but you always bet on the Yanbei Prince's Mansion—even if you win, it's hardly a fair victory!"
Pei Zhiyan couldn't help but laugh out loud, while Ren Yaoqi tried to suppress her own laughter. She had never seen the usually stern and proper Xu Wanli behave like this. No wonder people said that Xu Wanli and Lady Xu were a harmonious and deeply affectionate couple.
Just then, Nanny Gao hurriedly pushed open the cabin door and entered. "Master, Madam, Second Young Master Xiao is here."
Xu Wanli and Lady Xu exchanged glances, seemingly surprised. Xu Wanli quickly said, "Please invite the young master in."
Ren Yaoqi was momentarily stunned and couldn't help but look toward the cabin entrance, where she saw Xiao Jingxi bending slightly as he entered.
Xu Wanli smiled and said, "My boat is rather small. Had I known you were coming, I would have borrowed the prince's mansion's painted boat." His tone was very familiar.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingxi smiled gently and said, "I came precisely to invite you to the painted boat."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over everyone on the boat. It paused briefly when it reached Ren Yaoqi before shifting away, finally settling on Pei Zhiyan. "I heard Mr. Pei was here with you, so I took the liberty of coming. I hope I'm not disturbing your reunion."
Pei Zhiyan was also looking at Xiao Jingxi and nodded with a smile. "Young Master Xiao, it's been a long time." It turned out the two were also acquainted.
Lady Xu said with a smile, "Since this is a reunion, and you are also an old acquaintance, it certainly won't be a disturbance."
Xu Wanli asked Pei Zhiyan, "I've seen the Yanbei Prince's Mansion's painted boat but never had the chance to board it. Today, I suppose I'm benefiting from your presence?"
Xiao Jingxi couldn't help but chuckle. "Sir, your words sound like a reproach."Lady Xu said, "Jingxi, don't mind your teacher. He tends to talk nonsense when he's happy, a habit he hasn't changed all these years. You've come just in time—we were about to place bets on the match. The more people, the livelier it gets."
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