After receiving the news of failure from the ghost servant, Pei Jiaya spat out a mouthful of blood. He had grown accustomed to occasionally coughing up blood, calmly picking up a nearby cup of tea to rinse his mouth and wash away the metallic taste.
Could it be that the Mei family is inherently at odds with me? Pei Jiaya couldn’t help but wonder why every failure seemed to be connected to the Mei family.
First, there was Mei Si. Although things had gone relatively smoothly at first, as he had intended, using the specially crafted demon spirit brush to draw a malevolent ghost, those ghosts hadn’t even had the chance to cause any significant trouble before they fell silent. Mei Si, who he had investigated and found to be a naive and foolish person with little courage, had decisively destroyed the demon spirit brush. This not only took the matter out of his control but also alarmed Wu Zhen, nearly exposing him.
Then there was Mei Zhuyu, who was hidden so deeply that he turned out to be a rather skilled Taoist priest. During his attempt to eliminate him at the old residence, he ended up losing a clone instead, and even the demon dog he had raised to create chaos was killed in an instant. As far as Pei Jiaya knew, those skilled Taoists were ascetic and would never marry in the secular world. Why did this detestable, ugly Taoist have to come and steal his things?
Moreover, there was the ‘cat skin’ he had released yesterday. This item belonged to a type of spirit creature, crafted using the skin of a certain animal through a unique technique. The ‘cat skin’ could wrap around a person and transform them into a cat. Pei Jiaya had previously tried to create ‘dog skins’ and ‘wolf skins,’ but he was never satisfied. This cat skin was his favorite and most successful creation. Originally, he had crafted it specifically for Wu Huanghou, calculating that it would attract her, turning her into a cat and causing chaos—he didn’t believe that Wu Huanghou would still have the heart to marry after becoming that way.
But now, the one who had turned into a cat was not Wu Huanghou, but Mei Guifei.
Mei Si, Mei Zhuyu, and Mei Guifei—each one had thwarted his plans in ways he hadn’t anticipated, leaving Pei Jiaya feeling inexplicably frustrated. Lost in thought, he spat out another mouthful of blood. After dealing with so many strange things, his own body had become a mess. Pei Jiaya didn’t care much about this; he took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and began to contemplate what he could do next to successfully create chaos and prevent Wu Zhen’s wedding without exposing himself to her.
Pei Jiaya dared not be careless. He understood Wu Zhen; if she truly discovered these matters, she would show no mercy. In a way, what he liked about her was her ruthlessness.
Just as he was thinking about Wu Zhen, she arrived. She came by every day, treating him, her cousin whom she had played with for two years in childhood, quite well.
Pei Jiaya took out a tea set, preparing to brew tea for her. The weather today was not particularly good; the sun was hidden, and the air felt somewhat gloomy and humid, suggesting that rain was on the way. The two sat by the large open window, occasionally feeling the breeze, and listening to the bubbling sound of boiling water, which was quite pleasant.
In the garden where they entertained guests, many peonies were planted, and it was the season for blooming. The large blossoms were particularly beautiful. This garden was planted with white peonies according to Pei Jiaya’s preferences. Although they were all white, there were several different varieties: Zhaoyu Bai, Songye Xiang, Qingqiong, Xue Ta, and Yulou Chunxue.
Inside the room, there were also two branches of Yulou Chunxue in a vase. Wu Zhen waited for her cousin to brew tea, idly plucking the petals from the peonies in the vase.
Most people enjoy adding various ingredients to their tea, turning it into a thick tea porridge, but Pei Jiaya is different. He only used dried tea leaves, ground them into powder, and brewed them with boiling water, adding nothing else. After brewing the light-flavored tea, he pushed a cup in front of Wu Zhen and said, “The prominent families in the south now prefer this kind of light tea. Zhen, give it a try and see if it suits your taste.”
Wu Zhen finally released her grip on the flower petals and took a sip, then honestly told her cousin, “It’s bitter and astringent; I can’t get used to this flavor. Sweet tea is much better.” She was accustomed to adding sweet dates and longan to her tea, and while she appreciated the elegance of Pei Jiaya’s brewing method, she found the taste lacking.
She added, “But I think the eldest son of the Mei family would like this; his taste is much lighter than mine. Cousin Pei, you might get along well with him. Next time, I’ll have him come and try your tea.”
Pei Jiaya smiled kindly, but inwardly he thought it would be better to poison the Mei family’s eldest son directly next time.
Wu Zhen was not there just to drink tea today. After spending a few days with her cousin, she felt something was off. She regarded Pei Jiaya as a close relative, but he seemed to have other intentions, often making ambiguous gestures and saying things with double meanings. Wu Zhen was a perceptive person, and upon noticing these hints, she wanted to clarify things with Pei Jiaya.
Pei Jiaya loved to beat around the bush, but that was not Wu Zhen’s style; she preferred to speak plainly.
“Cousin Pei,” Wu Zhen set down her teacup and asked, “Your fiancée has been dead for many years. Why haven’t you found me a cousin-in-law in all this time?”
Pei Jiaya replied, “I’m not in a hurry about this matter.”
Wu Zhen pressed, “Could it be that you have feelings for me?”
Aside from Wu Zhen, Pei Jiaya had never encountered a woman who could discuss such matters without a hint of shyness or awkwardness. Her demeanor was open and straightforward, and even though her directness could come off as somewhat aggressive, it made it impossible to harbor any ill feelings toward her.
Pei Jiaya smiled, “Zhen has noticed?”
Wu Zhen replied, “You haven’t hidden it at all, so I naturally sensed it.”
Pei Jiaya gazed at her quietly for a moment, then sighed. “In truth, I have long had feelings for you and wished to marry you. A few years ago, I even sent a letter to my uncle, hoping he would facilitate this matter, but he politely declined, saying you had no interest in marriage. I thought you would live a carefree life without attachments, but suddenly, news of your marriage came, and I felt truly unwilling…”
Wu Zhen listened, understanding his meaning. However, despite Pei Jiaya’s seemingly deep feelings, as if he had been infatuated with her for a long time, Wu Zhen felt no stirrings in her heart.
“Cousin Pei, since we are family, I will speak frankly. In truth, you do not love me as much as you claim, or rather, your feelings for me are not romantic.” Wu Zhen stated firmly.
Pei Jiaya was taken aback. “How could Zhen think this? I am indeed sincere toward you. Just the thought of you belonging to another person in the future sets my heart ablaze.”
Wu Zhen tapped the table and suddenly laughed. “Oh, cousin, did you notice the look in the eyes of the eldest son of the Mei family when he saw me last time?”
Pei Jiaya was puzzled, and Wu Zhen continued, “Next time, pay attention to how my future husband looks at me, what kind of expression he has. You will naturally understand. When you look at me, you have never shown that kind of genuine, unguarded affection.”
Pei Jiaya dismissed her words, feeling a bit wrong. “Is Zhen being too hasty? You are not me; how can you know that my feelings for you are not as strong as for the eldest son of the Mei family?”
Pei Jiaya sat upright, his posture and demeanor exuding an indescribable elegance, while Wu Zhen was much more casual, leaning against the table with one leg crossed over the other. She scrutinized her composed and smiling cousin, recalling a past incident. “When you stayed at my house all those years ago, I knew you were different from ordinary people. Your affections for things are not the same as others.”
“Do you remember when you got a fine-bred colt that you adored and fed it grass every day? That colt was proud and aloof, ignoring everyone except you. But one time, when you fell ill for a few days and couldn’t feed it, I took over for you. The colt became close to me. However, when you recovered, you had it killed just because it accepted my feeding.”
“I know you have always liked unique things, and I am aware that you have collected some peculiar treasures,” Wu Zhen tapped the armrest of the table, producing a light sound. “Your affection for that colt is the same as your affection for a scroll or an ancient artifact. Even when you say you love me now, it is no different. Such a possessive and unique ‘affection’ is something I cannot bear.”
Her voice carried a laugh, but her gaze was cold, sharp as a thorn, with a hint of suspicion and inquiry. Even Pei Jiaya, sitting before her, felt a sense of suffocation due to the heavy pressure emanating from Wu Zhen. It seemed that anyone in her presence appeared to shrink by an inch.
Pei Jiaya remained silent for a moment before smiling. “Zhen, your words truly hurt me.”
Wu Zhen bluntly replied, “Cousin Pei, while you speak of being hurt, there is not a trace of sorrow in your eyes. If you look closely, all I see is calculation and contemplation.” If it were the young lord, he would likely be deeply hurt by her words, unable to remain as composed as Pei Jiaya.
“I have spoken today. Cousin Pei, you should think carefully. I will take my leave now.”
After Wu Zhen left, Pei Jiaya brewed tea for himself again. He paid no mind to Wu Zhen’s earlier words. Although that colt had died by his hand, he clearly remembered that Wu Zhen had also liked that colt. When he decided to kill it, she had not stopped him; she had merely watched with a smile, saying it was a pity, and then went to choose a new colt.
In truth, how was Wu Zhen any better than him? If he claimed that his affection was not genuine, was hers any more real? They were quite alike, which was why Pei Jiaya did not believe that Wu Zhen truly liked the eldest son of the Mei family.
“This is truly troublesome. It would be better to simply take her back.” Unfortunately, he couldn’t overpower her. Pei Jiaya pondered with a hint of frustration, waving his hand in the air as if searching for something.
Wu Zhen, unaware that her sickly cousin was not an ordinary person and was preparing to stir up trouble, had not seen the young lord for several days. After speaking with Pei Jiaya, she suddenly felt the urge to go see him.
Today, he should be on duty at the Ministry of Justice, but when Wu Zhen transformed into a tabby cat and climbed to the branch of a paulownia tree, she found the window tightly shut, and the young lord was not inside working.
Could it be that he had gone out for something? He occasionally had to leave for cases. Wu Zhen felt a bit displeased at not finding him after making a special trip. She had originally planned to take a stroll and return, but unexpectedly, she spotted her sister.
Seeing Wu Huanghou was not surprising; she occasionally accompanied the emperor to court in the front hall to help handle some matters and often moved about in the outer court. However, it was unusual for her to be holding a cat in her arms.
Wu Zhen knew her sister’s heartache; her aversion to cats had not diminished over the years. But now, she saw her sister, who had always hated cats, holding a white cat. This was highly unusual. Curiosity piqued, Wu Zhen followed her.