Chapter 45: Lu Chengyuan Receives a Marriage Edict

"...I understand."

Song Lin concentrated on driving and truly did not bring up Pei Ji again.

Yet, being a chatterbox, he could never stay idle along the way.

After quietly passing through a few alleys, he could not help inquiring once more, "Have the criminals who set fire to the Jiang family all those years ago been found?"

Shen Yuan’s gaze dimmed, her cheeks half-immersed in the darkness. "Not yet."

"I remember Master Jiang and Madam Jiang were such kind-hearted people, and little Hutou was so exceptionally obedient! Thinking about it now, it's just such a tragedy!"

Little Hutou was the Jiang family's only son, and also a younger brother who had shared a brief, tender bond with Shen Yuan.

She slightly furrowed her brows, appearing to have no desire to dwell on these matters.

"Song Lin, did Pei Ji ever mention putting a lock on your mouth?"

"..."

The northern suburb gardens had arrived.

Shen Yuan leaped down from the carriage and hurriedly charged into the estate.

Song Lin silently parked the carriage by the roadside, watching her retreating figure and quietly muttering to himself, "How is she so different from the former Concubine Jiang? It's as if she swallowed a dagger."

The gatekeeper recognized Shen Yuan and familiarly led the way for her.

When she reached Mother Su's empty room, Shen Yuan finally panicked. "Where is she? Where has she gone?"

"This room is too damp, so I had her moved to another courtyard."

Hearing the crisp, familiar voice, the guiding servant tactfully withdrew.

Shen Yuan turned her head and saw a dark-robed figure lingering at the doorway.

The night was heavy, and the faint candlelight fell upon his face, half of it shrouded in dim shadows.

"Rest assured, Mother Su is fine. It's just that... I wanted to see you."

The Pei Ji of the past would never utter words expressing his feelings so openly; he always maintained a high and aloof demeanor.

Back then, Shen Yuan—still known as Jiang Yao—had to strive to please and cater to him just to secure a firm footing in the Pei family and repay their kindness in raising her.

Yet upon reuniting in the capital, Pei Ji seemed like a completely different person, sweet nothings rolling off his tongue effortlessly.

And yet, the Shen Yuan of the present was no longer the Jiang Yao of the past.

"So Song Lin lied?" Her displeasure was glaringly obvious.

Pei Ji hummed in response. "When you left that day, you didn't take the carriage I had prepared."

Halfway through his sentence, he stopped.

Shen Yuan stared at him and answered earnestly, "Lord Lu happened to be heading this way, and he gave me a ride back to the Shen residence. Is there something wrong with that?"

Seeing the faint trace of anger in her eyes, Pei Ji swallowed the carefully prepared retort back down his throat.

"Lu Chengyuan has been a childhood friend of yours since youth; there is nothing wrong with it." He lowered his gaze, his lips moving slightly as he said flatly, "The Emperor granted him a marriage today."

Shen Yuan was suddenly startled. "What did you say?"

"As the morning court session concluded, the Emperor bestowed one of his female attendants upon Lu Chengyuan in marriage. That attendant is of superior talent and appearance alike. I imagine Lu Chengyuan will gladly accept."

He spoke lightly, every word and phrase exuding a sense of smug satisfaction.

As if it were a match made in heaven, a union of gold and jade!

Shen Yuan had spent so many years by Pei Ji's side; subtle expressions could never be hidden from her.

"Did you pull the strings?"

Pei Ji did not refute it.

Shen Yuan drew a deep breath, almost wanting to laugh out loud. "Don't you think this is an insult to Lord Lu? Do you think everyone is like you, obsessed only with petty desires day in and day out? Do you think everyone shares your mindset, filled entirely with marrying this person and wedding that one? Why on earth would you do such a thing?"

The unsightly words lingered in the air.

Song Lin, who had arrived belatedly and intended to approach, quietly hid himself away upon hearing Shen Yuan's interrogation.

To think that Concubine Jiang could be so formidable even toward the Grand Commandant!

"Did you have Song Lin summon me tonight just to break this news to me?" Shen Yuan suppressed her tone, trying her best to calm her raging anger.

Seeing her so agitated, Pei Ji felt an unnamed furnace churning within his pitch-black pupils. He restrained himself, explaining word by word, "You've misunderstood; I did not pull any strings. Lu Chengyuan is scheduled to build an imperial lodge in the northern suburbs according to the imperial decree, and the Emperor offered the marriage as a reward. The court officials chimed in one after another, and before Lu Chengyuan could hesitate, the Emperor had already made the decision on his own authority."

Sensing Shen Yuan's concern for Lu Chengyuan, Pei Ji felt a complex tangle of emotions in his chest.

"Then I suppose I must thank Grand Commandant Pei for making a special trip here to inform me. How very thoughtful of you!" Shen Yuan shoved him aside and strode resolutely forward a few paces.

Catching sight of Song Lin hiding behind a pillar to the side, she asked coldly, "Where is Mother Su? I want to see her with my own eyes."

"Third Young Miss, please this way..." Song Lin led the way submissively, terrified of showing even a shred of disrespect.

If even the Grand Commandant was deferential before her, what on earth was he?

The previous courtyard would grow damp whenever it rained, so the steward had moved Mother Su to the sunny Abode of Benevolence. By now, the night had grown deep, and she had already retired.

Shen Yuan peered through the window and only felt at ease upon seeing that the elderly woman was safe and sound.

Tomorrow was her grandmother's death anniversary.

She had to make Mother Su appear before everyone in the Shen residence to expose the hypocritical filial piety hidden beneath Shen Yong's smiling facade.

"I will personally escort you back."

Pei Ji stood behind her, draped in the dim light of the night, his voice slightly hoarse and his tone carrying a pleading, coaxing undertone.

Shen Yuan wanted to decline politely, but hesitated when she caught sight of the pitch-black night.

Her long period of being sold into servitude had left her with a subconscious dread of the dark, especially when she was all alone.

"...Very well."

The journey back was still driven by Song Lin, who had learned his lesson this time, keeping his mouth tightly shut and uttering not a single word for fear of shattering the stiff atmosphere inside the carriage.

Although the winter night was desolate, he felt the temperature inside the carriage behind him was even lower.

Inside, Pei Ji ticked off the time in his mind. As they neared the back door of the Shen residence, unable to suppress his patience any longer, he blurted out, "You seem to care a great deal about Lu Chengyuan."

Shen Yuan tightened her grip on the hand warmer in her hands, gazing out the window as she softly replied, "Lord Lu possesses ingenious craftsmanship and an upright, graceful demeanor. I hold deep respect for him."

Pei Ji pressed his lips into a tight line and said nothing, looking thoroughly unconvinced.

What he continued to brood over were those four words: childhood sweethearts.

Having met so many years ago, how could one fail to imagine a story arising from it?

What if... what if Lu Chengyuan had never suffered punishment? Would things have...

Suddenly, the carriage gave a violent jolt. Failing to clearly see the road ahead, Song Lin had carelessly clipped a wild cat foraging in the middle of the path.

With a startled meow, the feline fled in panic.

Thrown off balance by the sway, Shen Yuan failed to steady herself, her body tilting sideways before landing squarely in Pei Ji's embrace.

He caught her slender waist, applying a slight pressure with his fingertips out of fear that she might fall.

Touching that soul-haunting frame once more, Pei Ji's mind felt as though it had been stuffed with cotton, instantly stripping him of his reason.

Hearing the commotion from within, Song Lin scratched his head in annoyance. "There are no lanterns lighting this stretch of the road, and the horse was startled by a wild cat on the path. Is the Grand Commandant alright?"

No reply came from behind the curtain for a long time.

With burning eyes, Pei Ji stared fixedly at the Shen Yuan in his arms, turning a deaf ear to Song Lin's words.

Ever since the moment of their parting, how many times had he fantasized about this very scene—only for it to unfold in such an unexpected manner.

"Jiang Yao..."