The male guests and household stewards first withdrew, as carriages lined up one by one before the Pei family’s main gate, allowing the women to board first.
Originally, Old Madam Pei was to share a carriage with her two granddaughters-in-law. Jiafu and Yuzhu helped the old madam inside, while Madam Xin and Second Madam Meng offered polite assistance from behind. Once everyone was seated, there was still no sign of Zhou Jiao’e.
Second Madam teased, “Sister-in-law, could it be that your new daughter-in-law and your second son are still lingering in their chambers, reluctant to part? Just now, not only was the bride missing, but I didn’t see your second son either. Only newlyweds would behave like this.”
Madam Xin seemed somewhat embarrassed and ordered a maid to check on them. Just as she finished speaking, Zhou Jiao’e and Pei Xiuzhi appeared from the direction of the inner gate. Zhou Jiao’e was dressed in alluring finery, clinging coyly to Pei Xiuzhi, while Pei Xiuzhi wore an expression of reluctance. When he noticed everyone’s gazes upon them, he made as if to leave Zhou Jiao’e behind, but she seemed to call him back. With visible reluctance, he finally accompanied her to the carriage, where they apologized for their tardiness.
Second Madam smiled even more warmly, praising the young couple’s affection and how enviable it was. Pei Xiuzhi looked stiff, his smile more like a grimace, while Zhou Jiao’e seemed faintly smug—until Old Madam Pei’s voice came from inside the carriage: “Come up.” Only then was she helped inside, sitting opposite Jiafu on the other side of the old madam.
Once seated, Zhou Jiao’e apologized to the waiting old madam, hinting that she had been delayed because Pei Xiuzhi had kept her occupied that morning.
Old Madam Pei merely smiled and said nothing.
In the pale morning light, under the envious gazes of passersby, the Pei family’s procession—stretching the length of several arrow shots—moved along the street in an endless display of wealth and fragrance, winding its way out of the northern city toward Cien Temple.
Jiafu was no stranger to Cien Temple—this was her third visit.
The Pei family had reserved the entire temple for the day’s memorial rites, with no other worshippers present. Upon arrival, they were greeted by waiting monks at the temple gates. After the women freshened up and settled in, the rites began, led by the eldest grandson, Pei You’an, who guided the family in paying respects before the ancestral tablets. Once the obeisances were complete, forty-nine monks in the main hall chanted penitential sutras, while vegetarian feasts were laid out in the side halls to receive the arriving guests in an endless stream, creating a lively scene.
Jiafu stayed in the main hall with Old Madam Pei, listening to the sutras until noon when the rites paused for a vegetarian meal. By then, noblewomen from other households had begun arriving, and Madam Xin and Second Madam Meng were busy receiving them. Jiafu escorted Old Madam Pei to a quiet rear chamber prepared for her rest and attended to her until the old madam dismissed her, telling her to rest as well.
As Jiafu stepped out, a servant reported that Madam, the Duchess of Qin, had arrived and had asked after her. Remembering their pleasant conversation when they had sat together at the Zhang family’s gathering, Jiafu felt it would be impolite not to greet her now that she had come and inquired. She took Tanxiang with her and headed toward the front.It was noon, the hottest part of the day, with the sun blazing overhead. Jiafu chose to walk along the cloister of a side hall to avoid the heat. The monks in the temple had all gone for their midday meal and rest, leaving the surroundings deserted. As she turned a corner, she suddenly saw Pei Xiuzhi and Zhou Jiao'e emerging from the side hall ahead. They seemed to have just had an argument inside—Pei Xiuzhi's face was dark with anger as he strode ahead swiftly, while Zhou Jiao'e chased after him, clutching a handkerchief, unwilling to let the matter drop as she continued to argue with him.
Not wanting to run into an awkward situation, Jiafu quickly retreated. Since they were heading in a different direction, she decided to wait for them to pass before continuing on her way. However, after only a few steps, the pair stopped again, and their voices grew louder. Pei Xiuzhi said that if he hadn’t seen through her deception, he would still be fooled by her. Zhou Jiao'e burst into tears, accusing him of slander and having no conscience.
Listening to their quarrel, Jiafu wondered how long it would last and was about to turn back when she heard Madam Xin’s voice. Curiosity got the better of her, and she signaled Tanxiang to stay quiet before cautiously peeking out again. Sure enough, Madam Xin hurried over, first dismissing the maids and servants who had accompanied her, then lowering her voice to scold her son and comfort Zhou Jiao'e.
Zhou Jiao'e was now in tears, wiping her eyes as she sobbed, "Mother, you see it too. Since I married into this family, I’ve only wanted to live peacefully. Yet he finds fault with everything I do, picking quarrels with me every day. If he despises me so much, I won’t cling to this family. I’ll go straight to Her Majesty the Empress and ask her to intervene. At worst, we’ll part ways—better that than suffer such daily humiliation!"
Madam Xin quickly embraced her, calling her "my dear" and soothing her with endless reassurances. She then ordered her son to apologize. Pei Xiuzhi looked extremely reluctant, but unable to defy his mother, he finally muttered a half-hearted apology. Only then did Zhou Jiao'e gradually stop crying. Madam Xin instructed her son to escort Zhou Jiao'e to rest, but Pei Xiuzhi stood rooted to the spot, insisting he still had guests to attend to. Madam Xin looked furious but suppressed her anger, suggesting instead that Zhou Jiao'e return first to avoid the scorching sun, while she would discipline her son properly and make sure he apologized properly that evening.
Pei Xiuzhi’s face was livid, but Zhou Jiao'e wore a smug expression as she shot her husband a glance before turning and walking away with deliberate grace.
"Mother! She clearly lacks virtue. That night, she tried to deceive me, but I saw through her scheme. Why are you still defending her? I want to divorce her!"
As soon as Zhou Jiao'e was out of earshot, Pei Xiuzhi exploded at his mother.
Madam Xin clapped a hand over his mouth and glanced around nervously.
Jiafu quickly ducked back out of sight.
Madam Xin dragged Pei Xiuzhi into a secluded corner, pinching him hard before hissing in a low voice, "Have you lost your mind? She’s already your wife! If you make a scene and everyone finds out, it’s your reputation that will suffer!"
Pei Xiuzhi retorted, "How can a man endure such humiliation? I will divorce her!"
Madam Xin fell silent for a moment before saying, "Xiuzhi, I understand your anger—do you think I don’t share it? But right now, we mother and son have no one to rely on, while she has connections with Her Majesty the Empress. In the future, we may still need her family’s support. You must endure this for now."Pei Xiuzhi's voice was full of surprise, "Mother, what do you mean by that? Isn't there still Elder Brother?"
Madam Xin's expression gradually darkened, her eyes revealing a look of vexation. She gritted her teeth and finally made up her mind, leaning close to her son's ear to whisper something.
Jiafu heard Pei Xiuzhi suddenly raise his voice, filled with shock, "What? Eldest Brother isn't your son?"
Madam Xin immediately covered her son's mouth and shushed him.
To be honest, Jiafu had initially just been indulging her curiosity, listening in for some gossip—after all, she wouldn't spread it around. But she hadn't expected to hear such a bombshell from Pei Xiuzhi's mouth. Instantly, she pricked up her ears.
Madam Xin glanced around once more before pulling her son into the side hall and closing the door behind them.
Hearing the voices fade and the door shut, Jiafu knew they must have entered the side hall. Her heart pounded wildly, and she simply couldn't resist. She turned and signaled for Tanxiang to wait there while she tiptoed out from around the corner, approaching a latticed window. She pressed close, holding her breath, straining to catch the conversation inside.
Madam Xin led her son to a secluded corner of the side hall before speaking. "Xiuzhi, I never dared to tell anyone about this. If Old Madam were to find out, it would be a disaster. But since she has shown no kindness, disregarding our lives by speaking out first, I won't hold back either. Listen carefully, keep it to yourself, and be on guard. Never let anyone else know. Pei You'an is in power now, and we can't afford to provoke him."
Pei Xiuzhi was utterly confused. "Mother, what exactly are you talking about?"
Madam Xin fell silent, lost in memories of the past.
Twenty-four years ago, she had married the Duke of Wei, a handsome and heroic man who seemed like the perfect match. Within a few months, she had happily conceived. But half a year later, the Duke told her that he had a son outside, just a few days old, whose mother had already passed away. He wanted the child to live with dignity and intended to bring him home, asking her to claim the boy as her own and raise him as her son.
The Duke said he would keep the child outside for now and bring him home on the day she gave birth. Whether she bore a son or a daughter, they would announce it as twins.
He also admitted that this was unfair to her, but the child was born weak and might not live long. If she agreed, he promised never to take a concubine in return.
Madam Xin had undoubtedly been heartbroken—her husband had fathered a child with another woman and now wanted her to claim him. But after much internal struggle, she had finally agreed.
If her husband had made such a request, refusing would make her seem petty. If the child truly died young, it wouldn't affect her own child much. Moreover, the Duke's promise had also swayed her.
She agreed. On the day of her delivery, she gave birth to a daughter. True to his word, that very night, the child was secretly brought home.
The moment Madam Xin saw him, she knew the Duke hadn't lied. The child was beautiful, likely a few months old, but as weak as a kitten—clearly not easy to raise.At that moment, her feelings toward that child were exceedingly complex. Beneath the surface of her aversion, there was also a trace of pity. She had even considered raising him well according to her husband's wishes, until the day he succumbed to illness and passed away.
Her own daughter, born shortly after, died in infancy. Yet this child brought in from outside, who was initially thought unlikely to survive, proved to be as tenacious as wild grass. Though stumbling along, he slowly grew up.
The following year, Madam Xin gave birth to her own son. As her son grew and the days passed, her feelings toward that child gradually began to change.
The Duke of Wei had indeed kept the promise he made to her all those years ago—until his death on the battlefield sixteen years later, he never touched another woman. The concubine who entered the household two years before his death was an imperial reward for military merit, and she remained alone in her empty chambers from the day she arrived.
But this was far from enough to restore Madam Xin's peace of mind. In the end, the Duke of Wei had still deceived her. That wild child not only refused to die but, by the age of four or five, began to display extraordinary talent. He took everything that should have belonged to her own son, and in comparison, her healthy child seemed utterly mediocre.
It was as though Heaven had bestowed all its blessings and glory upon that child of the lowest origins.
Madam Xin regretted her initial acquiescence. Her heart, too, had completely lost its balance.
Unable to control herself, she began to hate the child—hate him for not dying young as the Duke had said he would, hate him for stealing everything from her son. This hatred clung to her, unshakable, until now.
Now, beyond hatred, she also felt panic.
That night, the words her son spoke before her made everything suddenly clear.
Pei You'an knew she wasn't his birth mother!
He knew everything!
Remembering the look in Pei You'an's eyes that night, she couldn't suppress a shudder. Gritting her teeth, she said, "That elder brother of yours was just a lowborn bastard your father brought in from outside and placed under my name! Before, when he didn’t know the truth, it was one thing. But now he must have learned everything from your grandmother. Knowing what he knows, no matter how sweet his words or how noble his actions, he must despise me to the core. Once your grandmother is gone, how could he possibly treat us well? If you don’t cling tightly to your wife and secure the Empress's favor, we won’t even know how we’ll die in the future!"
...
The murmurs of conversation drifted faintly through the latticed window.
Jiafu's heart pounded so violently it nearly leapt from her throat. Hearing footsteps inside, she held her breath, afraid of being discovered, then turned and hurried back to where she had been. Catching Tanxiang's bewildered gaze, she signaled to her and swiftly led her away.
For the entire afternoon, though her body remained in the grand hall listening to Buddhist teachings beside the elderly madam, her mind was wholly absorbed in the words she had overheard at noon, her spirit unsettled.
At last, she understood why the eldest son, despite his brilliance, had never won his mother's affection.
Thinking of Pei You'an's fate in his past life, of how he had fallen from the heights of Cloud Peak into the mire at sixteen, bearing all burdens alone as he left the capital, her heart twisted with sorrow and pity.From Madam Xin's tone, it seemed Pei You'an himself was aware of this secret. Yet this man remained as profound as mountains and rivers, as light as drifting clouds, never revealing the slightest hint in front of her.
Jiafu felt utterly heartbroken.
She would willingly do anything for Pei You'an, if only it could bring him happiness.
Gazing up at the Buddha seated high upon the Lotus Platform, overlooking all living beings, Jiafu thought to herself.
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