Pei You'an remained awake throughout the latter half of the night.
Though he had always been a light sleeper, his years of extraordinary self-discipline—far beyond what most could achieve—had instilled in him a habit: no matter how heavy his thoughts, once his body signaled it was time to rest, he could lie down and quickly clear his mind to fall asleep. He knew sleep nourished vitality and essence. Thus, it was rare for him to stay awake the entire night without a moment of shut-eye, as he had just done.
Last night, he had married her, and they had shared an intimate union as husband and wife.
Having another person—a woman, no less—suddenly beside him on the pillow was an entirely unprecedented experience. It was nothing like that time in Mengmu Prefecture when she had climbed into his bed while he was drunk, and he had held her in a daze through the night.
Last night, as he fulfilled his duty as a newlywed husband on their wedding night, he had been acutely aware of her reactions.
Beneath him, she lay motionless, her delicate brows furrowed, her eyes tightly shut. From start to finish, he was certain she had not once opened them to look at him—as if enduring something she found unpleasant yet unavoidable.
And so, he had been all the more cautious with her, careful not to touch places she might not wish him to.
This only reaffirmed a long-standing thought in Pei You'an’s mind. From the very beginning, this little cousin had stayed by his side, gone to great lengths to please him, even schemed to do the unthinkable—all to secure his hand in marriage—solely to escape misfortune. On this wedding night, when she had taken the initiative to show him affection, it was likely just another calculated move to solidify their newly formed marital bond.
Tonight, he could have easily ignored her. But thinking of the embarrassment she might face come morning, or the disappointment she would feel if he rejected her now, he found himself unable to bear it.
She had once saved a dying stranger out of sheer compassion—proof that she was not beyond redemption. Since he had married her, he ought to put her mind at ease. That was what he told himself when he reached out to her.
The idea that she clung to him for protection was not new. He had known it all along. Before, it hadn’t bothered him much. But now, in this particular moment, with her pinned beneath him, the same thought resurfaced, and for the first time, he felt an unfamiliar, unsettling displeasure.
After all, he was no saint. Who, in a body of flesh and blood sustained by earthly grains, could claim to be? He had agreed to marry her, and he had done so. As far as that night’s accident was concerned, he had already gone above and beyond. Tonight, he hadn’t even felt inclined to engage in such matters with her.Due to his frail health in childhood, he had encountered various physicians who treated his condition, among them were master healers, and naturally, so-called extraordinary individuals. When he was ten, a Taoist renowned for his fasting and breath cultivation—rumored to be two hundred years old yet appearing black-haired and smooth-skinned like a middle-aged man—was invited by the Duke of Wei, who admired his reputation, to teach him breathing techniques for strengthening his body. After some time, the Taoist one day produced a copy of the Heart Sutra and instructed him that, according to its teachings, he could refine his qi through the yin essence of virgins, ensuring freedom from all ailments in the future. He demanded the procurement of suitable young girls for experimentation. The Duke of Wei soon discovered that the Taoist was merely in his sixties, albeit better preserved than most, and nowhere near two hundred years old. He promptly expelled the man. Thus, the so-called Heart Sutra qi cultivation remained purely theoretical.
The breath regulation techniques taught by the Taoist, however, proved genuinely effective. Over the years, Pei You'an had persisted in practicing them and reaped considerable benefits. As for the Heart Sutra , it became the first—and last—time in his life that he received any veiled instruction regarding relations between men and women.
So many years had passed that he had long forgotten the incident. Yet now, as if guided by some unseen force, unwelcome impressions surfaced in his mind.
Endowed with extraordinary intellect, Pei You'an had possessed a photographic memory since childhood. Though he had only skimmed the contents of the Heart Sutra when the Taoist presented it, the images now sprang vividly to life in his mind.
Gazing at her beneath him, eyes closed as if enduring his touch, a wicked thought suddenly arose in Pei You'an’s heart.
What if he applied the methods from the Taoist’s Heart Sutra to her? How would she react?
The thought flashed by before he could dwell on it. Then, as if discomforted, she squirmed slightly beneath him, and he lost control, finishing hastily. After their union, as the heat on his back still lingered, he saw her curled beside him, eyes shut, her remaining garments disheveled, her limbs clutching her jade-like body in a pitiful display. Overwhelming guilt and remorse seized him. Steeling his resolve, he settled her properly, tidied himself, and finally lay down.
Pei You'an knew she had slept lightly at first, likely waking several times before exhaustion claimed her in the deepest hours of the night.
But for the entire night, he remained sleepless.
The blood deficiency caused by his childhood frailty, though seldom noticeable in adulthood, had evidently taken a toll on him the previous night.
First came self-reproach and remorse, then apprehension, followed inevitably by a creeping sense of frustration.
Thus, Pei You'an spent the night in utter insomnia.
Not long after falling asleep, she turned over, rolling close to him. Her soft, downy head nestled against his shoulder, pressing into him.
As if drawn to his warmth in her slumber, she remained still, sinking into deep sleep.
Only the sound of her gentle breathing filled Pei You'an’s ears. The warm, orchid-like exhalations of her breath seemed to slowly permeate the air around them.
He closed his eyes, focusing on steadying his breath, yet no matter how he regulated his qi, he could not drift off as peacefully as she had. Then, just as dawn approached, a knock sounded at the door.He slowly opened his eyes, the whites faintly streaked with red.
Outside the window, it was still dark, but the dragon-and-phoenix wedding candles had burned through the night. By the dim candlelight filtering through the bed curtains, Pei You'an gazed for a moment at the small, sleepy face pressed against his, then quietly rose from the bed.
...
Jiafu had drifted in and out of restless sleep the night before, but now she was deep in slumber, dreaming soundly—until she was abruptly shaken awake. Struggling to open her bleary eyes, she was startled to see Liu Momo’s face looming close, whispering, "Madam, it’s time to rise! The fifth watch has already passed, and the master has been up for some time, waiting for you!"
At first, Jiafu was confused, but then realization struck—the title "Madam" was meant for her. Instantly awake, she turned her head sharply and saw the pillow beside her was indeed empty. Pei You'an had risen at some point and was nowhere to be seen.
He hadn’t even woken her, letting her oversleep!
Jiafu scrambled up in a panic.
Madam Xin’s attendant, Granny Wang, entered with a maid in tow. Knowing her purpose, Liu Momo stepped forward and personally handed over the tray bearing the Virginity Cloth. Granny Wang glanced at it, accepted it with a deferential smile, and wished Jiafu a good morning before departing.
With Liu Momo and Tanxiang’s help, Jiafu dressed hastily. Soon after, Muxiang arrived with several maids from the Pei household, carrying washing supplies. Once freshened up, Jiafu didn’t even have time for a bite before hurrying out.
"Madam, the master said there’s still time. You have a busy morning ahead—have a little something before you go..."
Liu Momo knew Jiafu had eaten little the night before and couldn’t bear to see her go hungry, chasing after her with concern.
"I can’t eat now..."
Jiafu rounded the floor-length screen and stepped into the outer chamber, where she spotted Pei You'an seated composedly by the chess table, a book in hand—as if he had been reading while waiting for her. Neatly dressed and looking refreshed, he lifted his head at the sound of her approach.
Jiafu halted abruptly, meeting his gaze with a hint of awkwardness. "I’m sorry for oversleeping this morning and making you wait. I’m ready now—we can go."
Pei You'an replied, "It’s not too late. You could eat first if you wish." He set the book aside and stood, then walked out the door without another word.
Liu Momo quickly brought over a food hamper freshly delivered from the kitchen, laying out the dishes on a small kang table: tender bamboo shoots, magnolia fern sprouts, turnip greens, stir-fried fresh shrimp, cured chicken breast, and a bowl of fragrant rice porridge. The aroma was irresistible, and the spread looked light and appetizing. Suddenly aware of her hunger, Jiafu sat down without another thought for Pei You'an and ate most of the porridge before rising to leave.
Outside, dawn was breaking. The courtyard was planted with begonias and daylilies, and somewhere amid the foliage, a morning bird chirped cheerfully. Pei You'an stood motionless under the eaves, his back to the door, lost in thought.
Jiafu approached him quietly. "Husband, I’m ready."
He turned, his eyes sweeping over her from head to toe before his familiar smile returned. Nodding, he said in his unhurried manner, "Follow me."
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