Volume One, Chapter Three: If It Hurts, Just Say So

That night, after returning to the mansion, the moment Huo Chi closed his eyes, the vivid, enchanting face of the woman appeared before him. He seemed to hear her voice in his ears, and the air around his nose was filled with her unique scent.

This tormenting presence made him unbearably restless. Only after a long while did he manage to cast aside all distractions and slowly drift into sleep.

That night, he dreamt a long, drawn-out dream.

It spanned from May of the third year of Tianxi to May of the fourth year.

In the dream, on the twenty-third day of May, the emperor took Yu Hechuan’s widow into the palace, breaking ancient customs to bestow upon her the title of Consort Chen and granting her residence in Jingyang Palace, stirring much gossip among the subjects.

Meanwhile, he had settled affairs in the capital and returned to Linxi.

During that time, he endured countless schemes and betrayals from his uncles and brothers within the clan. Even so, he managed to seize all remaining military power in Linxi.

From then on, Linxi belonged entirely to him. He poisoned his own father, forced his brothers to their deaths, and took revenge on the treacherous women who had conspired against his mother.

Yet this was not enough. The true culprits behind the ruin of the Cui family still resided in the capital. He vowed to make the Xiao descendants live in eternal unrest to avenge his maternal clan’s suffering.

Thus, he succeeded his father’s official position and went to the capital.

At the Dragon Boat Festival banquet in the fourth year of Tianxi, he entered the palace and saw the widow sister-in-law whom the emperor had snatched into the palace.

Not amid the lavish festivity, but quietly by the waterside pavilion, admiring the moon.

The once most radiant peony of the capital had withered; she was so thin it seemed a gust of wind could blow her away.

Several palace consorts approached and together pushed her into the pond.

They laughed as they watched her struggle miserably in the water, only hastily ordering the maids to rescue her when they feared for her life.

From a distance, Huo Chi watched coldly, recalling how his cousin had cared for him in childhood, and sighed deeply.

If Pei Yueshu could endure, once he had overthrown the emperor, he would surely send her out of the palace to live in peace and honor.

The dream ended there. Huo Chi jerked awake, his head splitting with pain.

Night had fallen again; the mourning hall was brightly lit throughout the night, with over a dozen monks chanting tirelessly—so loudly it could be heard throughout the Yu Guogong Mansion.

Until midnight, no sound came from the side room.

Pei Yueshu had precisely gauged Huo Chi’s nature.

Even if he did not come tonight, she was certain he would come tomorrow.

She lay down in the side room, and soon after, an impatient man pushed the door open.

He had been busy verifying some matters until now.

Looking at Pei Yueshu, slender yet healthy now, a strange emotion suddenly welled in his heart.

But the feeling was quickly cast aside.

The emperor indeed planned to bring her into the palace seven days hence; his time was running short.

Huo Chi swiftly removed his clothes and slipped into the bedding.

Pei Yueshu was awakened by his fierce kiss but only glanced at him before quietly closing her eyes again.

This time, she made no sound.

Even the tearing pain she endured, she bore it silently.

“Call out if it hurts; no one is in this courtyard.”

“Speak?”

Huo Chi, displeased, gripped her chin. Though clearly impatient, an unexpected tenderness surfaced as he tried to ease her suffering.

“Huo Chi, hurry!”

Pei Yueshu wished to settle things quickly.

A shadow flickered in his eyes.

“Ah... uh!”

Pei Yueshu felt dizzy from his thrusts, clutching the embroidered quilt beneath her tightly.

Huo Chi’s expression remained impassive, yet his face and body flushed deeper, his gaze burning as if ablaze, wanting to consume the woman beneath him to ash.

He lifted her chin for another deep kiss, unsure why he so loved this sensation.

But soon, Pei Yueshu pushed him away.

Huo Chi, unusually gentle, did not insist. He watched her face the entire time.

Her delicate neck and soft limbs, disheveled hair—what reason was there not to teach the clouds and rain to descend gently?

After an unknown length of time, the two tangled under the canopy finally stilled, the trembling sounds ceased.

“Go now...”

Pei Yueshu’s eyes seemed veiled in mist as she quietly stared at the canopy’s peak.

Huo Chi ignored her words, suddenly kissing and biting her flushed cheeks, as if wanting to taste the blush on her face.

Men’s tempers often softened at such times.

Pei Yueshu turned her face away and pushed him away mercilessly.

“Go.”

Huo Chi complied. Since dawn was near, he got up, tidied himself, dressed, left a promise that he would come again tomorrow, and departed.

Pei Yueshu’s expression darkened.

With daylight breaking, Iris cleaned the soiled bedding and Pei Yueshu’s clothes thoroughly.

Since learning of her husband’s death some days ago, the young lady had fallen gravely ill and awoken changed.

Her actions were... unusual.

But Iris had followed her since childhood and would accompany her in all things.

After bathing, Pei Yueshu returned to her chamber and sank into a deep sleep.

***

Yu Guogong had investigated and discovered that the current sovereign was the seventh prince of the late emperor’s reign.

At that time, he was disregarded, and his maternal clan’s power was weak.

The year he came of age, he quietly requested to marry Pei Yueshu as his primary wife from the Pei family.

The Pei patriarch was unwilling to marry his daughter into the royal house, so he leaked the news to Yu Hechuan.

Yu Hechuan had loved Pei Yueshu since childhood and dreamed of marrying her early; naturally, he refused to let go and immediately pleaded with his parents to seek her hand.

The Yu couple were very satisfied with the Pei daughter, and she, knowing Yu Hechuan’s devoted affection, agreed. Within three days, the two families exchanged betrothal letters and set a wedding date.

But the Pei family never imagined that the next year, the late emperor would pass away, and the decree naming the successor was the obscure seventh prince.

“What a curse!” Yu Guogong smashed his teacup.

No wonder the Pei family had kept a low profile since the new emperor’s ascension—they were hiding such a huge secret.

It was not that they refused to marry their daughter into the royal family, but simply that they despised the seventh prince at the time.

Now, their son had also incurred the new emperor’s hatred and lost his life on the battlefield.

Yu Guogong regretted his past, yet he knew that even if he had known then, with his son’s stubborn nature, they would have eventually compromised to marry his beloved.

At that time, the seventh prince was indeed overlooked.

But now, Yu Guogong would never admit this; he wholly believed Pei Yueshu had ruined his son.

If not for the emperor’s daylight threat, he would now demand her life as compensation.

“A report, Your Lordship. Outside the door, a pale-faced, beardless man holds a brocade box, claiming it is a gift from a noble.”

Pale-faced and beardless? That must be a eunuch.

Yu Guogong’s spirits lifted as he hastily opened the brocade box.

Inside lay a document. Reading it, his expression shifted from confusion to wild joy.

It was Minister Zhang’s resignation letter.

The emperor’s intent was clear—he wished for Yu Guogong to fill this vacancy.

The Ministry of Personnel wielded real power; if he joined, the Yu Guogong family would become the most influential clan in the capital.

Yet Yu Guogong understood that no reward came without merit.

The emperor invited him to the Ministry, naturally expecting something in return.

This was obvious.

He dared not speak first but trusted that Pei Guogong, to protect the entire family’s lives, would consent to send Pei Yueshu into the palace.

The next day, while Yu Hechuan’s coffin still rested in the main hall, Yu Guogong quietly made his way to the neighboring Pei mansion.