Chapter - 30
By Tea Time Translations
Jiafu had no idea she could run so fast. She was afraid that if she took too long, Pei You'an might change his mind. She rushed back to the circular building and climbed up three floors without stopping, hastily changing into a set of clothes that she had instructed Yin Huan to bring from her home. She styled her long hair into a man's look, with a topknot, tied a square cloth around her head, wore leather shoes, and dressed like a male servant. After she was ready, she quickly checked herself in the mirror. Seeing her reflection looking like a young male servant, she grabbed a bundle, then rushed back to the door. When she stopped, she was out of breath, and her chest heaved up and down.
Her chest was not particularly prominent, but it wasn't completely flat either. She didn't have time to bind her chest because of her haste. She had been in such a rush that she didn't realize how prominently her chest stood out under this disguise. Now, standing before Pei You'an, she saw his gaze travel from her head to her feet. It seemed to pause briefly on her chest. She instinctively lowered her head, wanting to cover it with the bundle. However, Pei You'an had already turned his face away. He pointed to a small carriage that had been parked near the door and said, "Get in."
Jiafu's face grew hot, and she muttered a quick thank you. She hurriedly walked over to the carriage, placed the bundle on the footboard, and without any assistance, she managed to climb into the carriage herself. Under the scrutiny of dozens of eyes behind her, she settled in and finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Pei You'an glanced around, having examined the carriage and the attendants and guards around him. He said expressionlessly, "Let's go."
Last night, after staying up all night and going through a lot, Jiafu finally felt relieved. As she got into the carriage and lay down, the swaying of the carriage couldn't keep her awake. She fell asleep almost immediately.
During the day, she slept on and off, occasionally waking up. Sometimes she would get up and sneak a peek through the carriage window at Pei You'an riding his horse. No matter how much she looked at him, it was never enough, and she even felt a long-lost sense of happiness from deep within. That night, when she accompanied Pei You'an to stay in an inn, their rooms were adjacent. The thought of him being right next door, so close that she could even hear his footsteps, made her sleep soundly.
On the third day, the group arrived in Mengmu. The local chieftain, named An Jigui, personally came to welcome Pei You'an because he had once saved An Jigui's only son. The chieftain showed great respect to Pei You'an and led the group to his mansion.
Jiafu and Pei You'an stayed in the same courtyard, and their rooms were connected. For several days, neighboring chieftains visited frequently, and Pei You'an was busy with meetings and banquets. Jiafu had nothing to do during the day and could only wait for his return at night. Sometimes, she would be fortunate enough to see him when he came back, bringing him tea and water, and exchanging a few words with him. These were the moments she looked forward to the most each day.
After a few days, she noticed something unusual. The local chieftain had a daughter named An Longna, who was about the same age as Jiafu, around fifteen or sixteen. One evening, as Jiafu eagerly waited at the courtyard entrance, hoping to greet Pei You'an upon his return, she saw that An Longna had beaten her to it. An Longna rushed up to him and blocked his path.
Although Jiafu was too far away to hear what An Longna was saying to him, she could immediately tell from the girl's expression that she was infatuated. The way she looked at him was all too familiar to Jiafu – it was like looking in a mirror.
Jiafu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly hid behind the door, peeking through a crack to observe. She felt a bit nervous. Fortunately, Pei You'an seemed to react the same way he did when he first met her, being polite yet distant. After a brief conversation, he sent An Longna away and then entered the courtyard.
Jiafu let out a sigh of relief but decided not to mention this to him. That night passed, and the next evening, as Jiafu waited for him as she did before, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her, accompanied by the jingling of jewelry. Then, a clear female voice rang out, sounding rather impolite, "Hey! What's your relationship with Lord Pei?"
It turned out to be An Longna. Jiafu finally got a close look at the daughter of the chieftain. She had long braided hair adorned with ornaments, was dressed in a light blue robe with an embroidered belt, wore leather ankle boots, and was lavishly adorned. She was beautiful, but the gaze she directed at Jiafu carried a hint of hostility.
Considering her current position as a personal servant to Pei You'an in the chieftain's mansion, Jiafu didn't want to stir up trouble. She addressed An Longna as "Wuzhe," which was a respectful title for a chieftain's daughter in the local culture, and attempted to leave. However, An Longna quickly caught up with her, blocking her path, and scrutinized Jiafu from head to toe. She sneered, "Look at you, neither man nor woman! I've heard that among the Han people, there's something called a 'luan tong'—a type of man who's lowly and despicable, only used for the pleasure of male masters. Could it be that you're a 'luan tong'?"
Jiafu understood now. It seemed that An Longna had been rejected by Pei You'an and was venting her frustration upon seeing that Jiafu and Pei You'an were living in the same courtyard. Jiafu suppressed her anger and replied, "Wuzhe, you're very knowledgeable. You even know about this, but you've got the wrong person. Lord Pei will be leaving soon, and I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
She turned to leave, but An Longna grabbed the back of her collar. With a tearing sound, the collar was ripped open, leaving a hole. Then, Jiafu felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck. Her skin had been scratched, and before she could react, she saw An Longna lunging at her again, this time with ten sharp fingernails aimed directly at her face.
In her previous life, Jiafu had a lively nature during her childhood. In front of her doting father, she was a crybaby who loved to be spoiled. However, when her father passed away when she was thirteen, all her innocence and joy disappeared. Later, she was arranged to marry Pei Xiuzhi by her grandmother, and after a short while, she ended up with Xiao Yintang. Until her death, she had been a gentle and demure woman. But that was not her true nature. It was merely the result of suppression, compliance, and gradually acquired numbness. Until this moment, because of this unreasonable and provocative young girl, Jiafu felt like she was releasing all the grievances and anger that had accumulated over her two lifetimes. She forgot that she had lived two lifetimes, forgot that she was in the chieftain's mansion, and completely lost control of her emotions.
She raised her hand and grabbed the girl's hair, giving it a hard tug. An Longna screamed, and the two of them started wrestling. Initially, they were evenly matched, but later on, An Longna's greater strength allowed her to pin Jiafu down. She clenched her fists and started punching Jiafu. Jiafu struggled to break free but couldn't. Finally, she used her trump card and grabbed onto An Longna's hair firmly. Both of them were in a sorry state. Just as An Longna's fist was about to strike Jiafu again, a low shout accompanied by a pair of hands pulled her out. Jiafu realized it was Pei You'an who had arrived.
On the other side, An Longna was also caught by a young man dressed in brocade. She wailed loudly, pointing at Jiafu and crying, "Brother! She bullied me! She grabbed my hair and wouldn't let go. I'm going to be bald! It hurts so much!"
Jiafu, through a gap in her fingers, saw that she was indeed still holding a strand of hair that had been torn from An Longna's head. When she noticed Pei You'an looking at her, she quickly hid it behind her back and was about to say something when An Longna's crying turned into a shriek, "Is he a girl? She's actually a girl!"
An Longna widened her eyes and stared at Jiafu, who had her hair down, then glanced at Pei You'an, who was still holding Jiafu. With a loud "Wah," she burst into tears again, stomped her feet, and ran away.
"Does it hurt?"
Pei You'an's gaze swept over the back of Jiafu's neck, and he gently put her down. Frowning, he asked, "Jiafu, are you okay?"
Jiafu's breathing gradually calmed down. She adjusted her long hair that had fallen loose due to the fight, and she felt extremely embarrassed. Enduring the pain, she shook her head and said, "I'm fine, Cousin. I'm really sorry, I..."
Pei You'an had turned to the well-dressed young man who had been staring intently at Jiafu and said, "Cangzhu, she's my cousin. She disguised herself as a man for convenience during our journey. If she offended you just now, I apologize on her behalf."
An Cangzhu quickly came to his senses and shook his head, saying, "It's alright, I know my sister. She must have caused trouble first. Please forgive her, Cousin."
Pei You'an smiled faintly and said, "No problem. I've arrived, Cangzhu, you don't need to send me any further. Please stop here."
He nodded to An Cangzhu and then led Jiafu inside. Once they were inside, he asked, "How did you end up in a fight with someone?"
His tone didn't reveal any anger or displeasure, but Jiafu still felt embarrassed and didn't dare to look into his eyes. She mumbled, "She thought I was a man, blocked my way, and used offensive words to insult me. She said I was your... and then she attacked me and tore my clothes..."
She couldn't bring herself to say that last word and skipped over it, her face turning bright red.
Pei You'an seemed to understand and furrowed his brow. He washed his hands and took out a box of ointment, instructing Jiafu to turn around.
Jiafu knew he was going to apply the ointment for her, so she obediently turned around and lifted her long hair to expose the back of her neck.
Her skin was delicate and fair, but it had several scratches of varying depths, with the deepest one oozing a few drops of blood, making it look quite alarming.
Pei You'an used a clean cloth to gently dab away the bloodstains and then applied the ointment to the wounded area with his fingers.
Jiafu felt a slight pain and couldn't help but inhale sharply.
"Endure it a little, it won't hurt anymore in a moment," he softly comforted her.
"Your strength is not on par with others, and fighting like that will only get you into trouble. If something like this happens again and I'm not around, or there's no one nearby, shout loudly or run towards a crowded place. Remember that, alright?" His tone carried a hint of sternness and a touch of frustration.
Jiafu finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She whispered, "Thank you, Cousin."
Pei You'an continued, "Do you have any other injuries?"
Jiafu shook her head but then, emboldened, turned to him and asked, "Cousin, does the chieftain's daughter, does she like you? I saw her... stopping you before..."
Pei You'an seemed to pause for a moment, glanced at her, and then put away the ointment before turning to leave.
Jiafu followed him, persistently asking, "Is it true, Cousin?"
Pei You'an seemed somewhat helpless and replied, "She's just a young girl who doesn't know any better. Don't make baseless assumptions."
"Cousin, why have you never married?" Almost as if guided by some other force, she blurted out this question that had always troubled her.
Jiafu knew that even in her previous life, when he died in the city of Suye in the far north, he was still alone. Before that, during the years when Xiao Lie was the emperor, Pei You'an reached the pinnacle of power and wealth. His refusal to marry was likely a personal choice.
His expression darkened slightly.
The moment Jiafu asked the question, she began to regret it, but she kept her gaze fixed on him without averting her eyes. The two of them locked eyes for a moment, and it seemed that Pei You'an was finally defeated by her bright and tenacious yet unwavering gaze. He raised a hand to rub his forehead and smiled, saying, "I was born with a weak constitution, and although I've received treatments, my vitality has always been lacking. Moreover, I suffered severe injuries in the past. I am not destined for a long life, so why should I take a wife and waste a woman's youth?"
After he finished speaking, he left her side and went to wash his hands.
Jiafu watched his retreating figure, and for a moment, it felt like her chest was constricted, and she felt a deep sadness. Slowly, her blood began to boil, and she blurted out, "Cousin, if you don't mind, I'm willing to serve you, take care of you. You can get better, and live a long life!"
Pei You'an paused for a moment, bent over to wash his hands at a water basin by the door, and then continued without hurrying. He replied with a reassuring tone, "I understand your concerns. Since I've promised to protect you, I won't go back on my word. In this situation, when you get married in the future, if your husband's family cannot provide for you, I will also look after you. If anything unexpected happens to me, I will make arrangements for you. Can you rest assured now?"
Jiafu was momentarily stunned but then understood his meaning. He thought she was trying to impose herself on him again.
There was a tumultuous feeling in her chest, and her face grew hot. She started to say something but was cut off by his words, "That's enough. Don't think about such pointless things anymore. I cannot accept your proposal. Please put your mind at ease."
Jiafu was taken aback, but then she realized what he meant. He thought she was trying to marry him again.
There was something churning inside her, and her face was burning. She stammered, "Cousin, I..."
"That's enough. Don't think about it anymore. I will not entertain such ideas. If you're concerned about your future, rest assured, I will make arrangements for you." His expression turned serious, and he no longer paid attention to her as he walked away.
Jiafu felt like a deflated balloon, watching his retreating figure, and she suddenly felt discouraged.
----
Hello Tea Time's Translator here,
I feel bad for Jiafu though!! But still Jiao!
P.s. Do give me some feed back!
Chapter - 30
By Tea Time Translations
Jiafu had no idea she could run so fast. She was afraid that if she took too long, Pei You'an might change his mind. She rushed back to the circular building and climbed up three floors without stopping, hastily changing into a set of clothes that she had instructed Yin Huan to bring from her home. She styled her long hair into a man's look, with a topknot, tied a square cloth around her head, wore leather shoes, and dressed like a male servant. After she was ready, she quickly checked herself in the mirror. Seeing her reflection looking like a young male servant, she grabbed a bundle, then rushed back to the door. When she stopped, she was out of breath, and her chest heaved up and down.
Her chest was not particularly prominent, but it wasn't completely flat either. She didn't have time to bind her chest because of her haste. She had been in such a rush that she didn't realize how prominently her chest stood out under this disguise. Now, standing before Pei You'an, she saw his gaze travel from her head to her feet. It seemed to pause briefly on her chest. She instinctively lowered her head, wanting to cover it with the bundle. However, Pei You'an had already turned his face away. He pointed to a small carriage that had been parked near the door and said, "Get in."
Jiafu's face grew hot, and she muttered a quick thank you. She hurriedly walked over to the carriage, placed the bundle on the footboard, and without any assistance, she managed to climb into the carriage herself. Under the scrutiny of dozens of eyes behind her, she settled in and finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Pei You'an glanced around, having examined the carriage and the attendants and guards around him. He said expressionlessly, "Let's go."
Last night, after staying up all night and going through a lot, Jiafu finally felt relieved. As she got into the carriage and lay down, the swaying of the carriage couldn't keep her awake. She fell asleep almost immediately.
During the day, she slept on and off, occasionally waking up. Sometimes she would get up and sneak a peek through the carriage window at Pei You'an riding his horse. No matter how much she looked at him, it was never enough, and she even felt a long-lost sense of happiness from deep within. That night, when she accompanied Pei You'an to stay in an inn, their rooms were adjacent. The thought of him being right next door, so close that she could even hear his footsteps, made her sleep soundly.
On the third day, the group arrived in Mengmu. The local chieftain, named An Jigui, personally came to welcome Pei You'an because he had once saved An Jigui's only son. The chieftain showed great respect to Pei You'an and led the group to his mansion.
Jiafu and Pei You'an stayed in the same courtyard, and their rooms were connected. For several days, neighboring chieftains visited frequently, and Pei You'an was busy with meetings and banquets. Jiafu had nothing to do during the day and could only wait for his return at night. Sometimes, she would be fortunate enough to see him when he came back, bringing him tea and water, and exchanging a few words with him. These were the moments she looked forward to the most each day.
After a few days, she noticed something unusual. The local chieftain had a daughter named An Longna, who was about the same age as Jiafu, around fifteen or sixteen. One evening, as Jiafu eagerly waited at the courtyard entrance, hoping to greet Pei You'an upon his return, she saw that An Longna had beaten her to it. An Longna rushed up to him and blocked his path.
Although Jiafu was too far away to hear what An Longna was saying to him, she could immediately tell from the girl's expression that she was infatuated. The way she looked at him was all too familiar to Jiafu – it was like looking in a mirror.
Jiafu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly hid behind the door, peeking through a crack to observe. She felt a bit nervous. Fortunately, Pei You'an seemed to react the same way he did when he first met her, being polite yet distant. After a brief conversation, he sent An Longna away and then entered the courtyard.
Jiafu let out a sigh of relief but decided not to mention this to him. That night passed, and the next evening, as Jiafu waited for him as she did before, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her, accompanied by the jingling of jewelry. Then, a clear female voice rang out, sounding rather impolite, "Hey! What's your relationship with Lord Pei?"
It turned out to be An Longna. Jiafu finally got a close look at the daughter of the chieftain. She had long braided hair adorned with ornaments, was dressed in a light blue robe with an embroidered belt, wore leather ankle boots, and was lavishly adorned. She was beautiful, but the gaze she directed at Jiafu carried a hint of hostility.
Considering her current position as a personal servant to Pei You'an in the chieftain's mansion, Jiafu didn't want to stir up trouble. She addressed An Longna as "Wuzhe," which was a respectful title for a chieftain's daughter in the local culture, and attempted to leave. However, An Longna quickly caught up with her, blocking her path, and scrutinized Jiafu from head to toe. She sneered, "Look at you, neither man nor woman! I've heard that among the Han people, there's something called a 'luan tong'—a type of man who's lowly and despicable, only used for the pleasure of male masters. Could it be that you're a 'luan tong'?"
Jiafu understood now. It seemed that An Longna had been rejected by Pei You'an and was venting her frustration upon seeing that Jiafu and Pei You'an were living in the same courtyard. Jiafu suppressed her anger and replied, "Wuzhe, you're very knowledgeable. You even know about this, but you've got the wrong person. Lord Pei will be leaving soon, and I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
She turned to leave, but An Longna grabbed the back of her collar. With a tearing sound, the collar was ripped open, leaving a hole. Then, Jiafu felt a sharp pain on the back of her neck. Her skin had been scratched, and before she could react, she saw An Longna lunging at her again, this time with ten sharp fingernails aimed directly at her face.
In her previous life, Jiafu had a lively nature during her childhood. In front of her doting father, she was a crybaby who loved to be spoiled. However, when her father passed away when she was thirteen, all her innocence and joy disappeared. Later, she was arranged to marry Pei Xiuzhi by her grandmother, and after a short while, she ended up with Xiao Yintang. Until her death, she had been a gentle and demure woman. But that was not her true nature. It was merely the result of suppression, compliance, and gradually acquired numbness. Until this moment, because of this unreasonable and provocative young girl, Jiafu felt like she was releasing all the grievances and anger that had accumulated over her two lifetimes. She forgot that she had lived two lifetimes, forgot that she was in the chieftain's mansion, and completely lost control of her emotions.
She raised her hand and grabbed the girl's hair, giving it a hard tug. An Longna screamed, and the two of them started wrestling. Initially, they were evenly matched, but later on, An Longna's greater strength allowed her to pin Jiafu down. She clenched her fists and started punching Jiafu. Jiafu struggled to break free but couldn't. Finally, she used her trump card and grabbed onto An Longna's hair firmly. Both of them were in a sorry state. Just as An Longna's fist was about to strike Jiafu again, a low shout accompanied by a pair of hands pulled her out. Jiafu realized it was Pei You'an who had arrived.
On the other side, An Longna was also caught by a young man dressed in brocade. She wailed loudly, pointing at Jiafu and crying, "Brother! She bullied me! She grabbed my hair and wouldn't let go. I'm going to be bald! It hurts so much!"
Jiafu, through a gap in her fingers, saw that she was indeed still holding a strand of hair that had been torn from An Longna's head. When she noticed Pei You'an looking at her, she quickly hid it behind her back and was about to say something when An Longna's crying turned into a shriek, "Is he a girl? She's actually a girl!"
An Longna widened her eyes and stared at Jiafu, who had her hair down, then glanced at Pei You'an, who was still holding Jiafu. With a loud "Wah," she burst into tears again, stomped her feet, and ran away.
"Does it hurt?"
Pei You'an's gaze swept over the back of Jiafu's neck, and he gently put her down. Frowning, he asked, "Jiafu, are you okay?"
Jiafu's breathing gradually calmed down. She adjusted her long hair that had fallen loose due to the fight, and she felt extremely embarrassed. Enduring the pain, she shook her head and said, "I'm fine, Cousin. I'm really sorry, I..."
Pei You'an had turned to the well-dressed young man who had been staring intently at Jiafu and said, "Cangzhu, she's my cousin. She disguised herself as a man for convenience during our journey. If she offended you just now, I apologize on her behalf."
An Cangzhu quickly came to his senses and shook his head, saying, "It's alright, I know my sister. She must have caused trouble first. Please forgive her, Cousin."
Pei You'an smiled faintly and said, "No problem. I've arrived, Cangzhu, you don't need to send me any further. Please stop here."
He nodded to An Cangzhu and then led Jiafu inside. Once they were inside, he asked, "How did you end up in a fight with someone?"
His tone didn't reveal any anger or displeasure, but Jiafu still felt embarrassed and didn't dare to look into his eyes. She mumbled, "She thought I was a man, blocked my way, and used offensive words to insult me. She said I was your... and then she attacked me and tore my clothes..."
She couldn't bring herself to say that last word and skipped over it, her face turning bright red.
Pei You'an seemed to understand and furrowed his brow. He washed his hands and took out a box of ointment, instructing Jiafu to turn around.
Jiafu knew he was going to apply the ointment for her, so she obediently turned around and lifted her long hair to expose the back of her neck.
Her skin was delicate and fair, but it had several scratches of varying depths, with the deepest one oozing a few drops of blood, making it look quite alarming.
Pei You'an used a clean cloth to gently dab away the bloodstains and then applied the ointment to the wounded area with his fingers.
Jiafu felt a slight pain and couldn't help but inhale sharply.
"Endure it a little, it won't hurt anymore in a moment," he softly comforted her.
"Your strength is not on par with others, and fighting like that will only get you into trouble. If something like this happens again and I'm not around, or there's no one nearby, shout loudly or run towards a crowded place. Remember that, alright?" His tone carried a hint of sternness and a touch of frustration.
Jiafu finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She whispered, "Thank you, Cousin."
Pei You'an continued, "Do you have any other injuries?"
Jiafu shook her head but then, emboldened, turned to him and asked, "Cousin, does the chieftain's daughter, does she like you? I saw her... stopping you before..."
Pei You'an seemed to pause for a moment, glanced at her, and then put away the ointment before turning to leave.
Jiafu followed him, persistently asking, "Is it true, Cousin?"
Pei You'an seemed somewhat helpless and replied, "She's just a young girl who doesn't know any better. Don't make baseless assumptions."
"Cousin, why have you never married?" Almost as if guided by some other force, she blurted out this question that had always troubled her.
Jiafu knew that even in her previous life, when he died in the city of Suye in the far north, he was still alone. Before that, during the years when Xiao Lie was the emperor, Pei You'an reached the pinnacle of power and wealth. His refusal to marry was likely a personal choice.
His expression darkened slightly.
The moment Jiafu asked the question, she began to regret it, but she kept her gaze fixed on him without averting her eyes. The two of them locked eyes for a moment, and it seemed that Pei You'an was finally defeated by her bright and tenacious yet unwavering gaze. He raised a hand to rub his forehead and smiled, saying, "I was born with a weak constitution, and although I've received treatments, my vitality has always been lacking. Moreover, I suffered severe injuries in the past. I am not destined for a long life, so why should I take a wife and waste a woman's youth?"
After he finished speaking, he left her side and went to wash his hands.
Jiafu watched his retreating figure, and for a moment, it felt like her chest was constricted, and she felt a deep sadness. Slowly, her blood began to boil, and she blurted out, "Cousin, if you don't mind, I'm willing to serve you, take care of you. You can get better, and live a long life!"
Pei You'an paused for a moment, bent over to wash his hands at a water basin by the door, and then continued without hurrying. He replied with a reassuring tone, "I understand your concerns. Since I've promised to protect you, I won't go back on my word. In this situation, when you get married in the future, if your husband's family cannot provide for you, I will also look after you. If anything unexpected happens to me, I will make arrangements for you. Can you rest assured now?"
Jiafu was momentarily stunned but then understood his meaning. He thought she was trying to impose herself on him again.
There was a tumultuous feeling in her chest, and her face grew hot. She started to say something but was cut off by his words, "That's enough. Don't think about such pointless things anymore. I cannot accept your proposal. Please put your mind at ease."
Jiafu was taken aback, but then she realized what he meant. He thought she was trying to marry him again.
There was something churning inside her, and her face was burning. She stammered, "Cousin, I..."
"That's enough. Don't think about it anymore. I will not entertain such ideas. If you're concerned about your future, rest assured, I will make arrangements for you." His expression turned serious, and he no longer paid attention to her as he walked away.
Jiafu felt like a deflated balloon, watching his retreating figure, and she suddenly felt discouraged.
----
Hello Tea Time's Translator here,
I feel bad for Jiafu though!! But still Jiao!
P.s. Do give me some feed back!
