Chapter 15

Page 1/3

The Duchess of the Duke of the Nation wanted Qi Yunmiao to enter and retrieve the shuttlecock.

Qi Yunmiao could only follow the guards into the courtyard of the Duke of the Nation’s residence.

Having just come from the Song family’s mansion, Qi Yunmiao thought that the Song family’s villa was already quite large for an occasional residence. But upon entering the side gate of the Duke of the Nation’s mansion, she realized there was always a greater mountain beyond a mountain. The duke’s side residence was at least twice as large as the Song family’s, almost as grand as a prime minister’s mansion.

The wind and snow swirled around the long corridor as she followed closely behind the guards, walking under the eaves and occasionally glancing at the scenery on both sides.

Finally, the guards stopped in front of her, and Qi Yunmiao also halted, looking at the pavilion before her.

Inside the pavilion sat a group of noblewomen, each adorned with dazzling jewelry, pearls, and hairpins.

The shuttlecock made of blue-green peacock feathers was held by the lady seated at the center. Seeing Qi Yunmiao standing under the corridor, she beckoned her over.

Qi Yunmiao instinctively knew this must be the Duchess of the Duke of the Nation, so she lifted her skirt and approached her.

She stood respectfully before the duchess and bowed politely, saying, “Greetings to the Duchess of the Duke of the Nation.”

“Good manners indeed,” the duchess smiled as she looked at Qi Yunmiao. “So you are the daughter newly acknowledged by Prime Minister Pei? Named Qi Yunmiao?”

“Yes,” Qi Yunmiao replied.

“I see.” The duchess toyed with the shuttlecock in her hand and asked, “Did you come with the Song family to enjoy the snow?”

“Yes.”

One question, one answer—quiet and proper.

“Hmph.” But the gentle smile on the duchess’s face instantly turned into a sneer. “Previously, our family sent an invitation to yours, but your mother’s temper is quite fierce. She wouldn’t even show a bit of respect or pay us a visit at the Duke’s mansion. Yet now, the Song family calls, and here you come. I suppose our Duke’s residence just can’t compare with Minister Song’s family.”

She truly wanted to settle old scores!

Qi Yunmiao’s heart skipped a beat, and she pressed her lips together, recalling the answer she had prepared: “At that time, there were pressing matters at home...”

“Of course there were,” the duchess said with a smile. “Your mother, widowed in the countryside, then managed to attach herself to Pei Xun in the capital. The many things that needed handling, probably too numerous to count. I won’t hold it against her.”

Qi Yunmiao’s expression tightened.

Though she had anticipated that this duchess would be difficult, she hadn’t expected her words to be so bluntly rude.

She could never tolerate anyone slandering her mother, no matter the circumstances.

She tightened her lips, about to speak, but the noblewomen in the pavilion, all loyal to the duchess, quickly began to mock Qi Yunmiao’s mother before she could utter a word.

“I heard the prime minister’s new wife is beautiful, but the daughter shows no sign of such charm. Perhaps only the minister himself has seen her beauty?”

“Hey! Sister, that’s quite the insult to our prime minister. He’s held high office for years and surely has seen many beauties. The lady must possess exceptional skills for the minister to marry her so quickly…”

These seemingly elegant ladies spoke with shocking vulgarity.

Despite being only ten years old, Qi Yunmiao understood the filthy implications in their words.

She wasn’t one to endure insults silently. Hearing their laughter close to her ears, she glared fiercely and said, “Ladies, with such filthy mouths, aren’t you afraid your own husbands find your kisses unpleasant?”

Her words silenced the entire pavilion.

They all stared at Qi Yunmiao in shock, unable to believe such words came from her.

“You’re just a little servant girl! What nonsense about kisses and love are you talking about?” they shouted in unison.

Qi Yunmiao lifted her head, knowing she likely wouldn’t get the shuttlecock today.

She decided not to care and shouted back, “I’m telling the truth! Your mouths are filthy, your hearts are filthy, and you see filth in everything!”

“You!!!”

The group slammed the table, ready to attack her.

But all were constrained by the ties to the prime minister’s residence and dared not act on it.

They could only turn their harsh gazes into deep grievance and appeal to the duchess: “Madam, please look at her…”

The duchess naturally heard Qi Yunmiao’s words.

A mere stepdaughter from a prime minister’s mansion, a rustic girl from the countryside, daring to speak so insolently.

After a moment of shock, she angrily threw the shuttlecock into the snowy ground opposite.

The shuttlecock, made of peacock feathers, lay on the pure white snow, the flakes falling upon it, creating colorful patterns.

“Not wanting it now? Here, take it back,” she said coldly.

Qi Yunmiao looked at the shuttlecock.

Page 2/3

She had come today on behalf of Song Xiao to claim the shuttlecock. Since the duchess returned it, she naturally wouldn’t think it improper to pick it up.

With a taut little face, she stepped down from the pavilion into the snow, picking up the shuttlecock tossed aside.

Then she lifted her foot to leave.

But the moment she stood up after retrieving the shuttlecock, a group of burly guards immediately surrounded her.

“This is the Duke of the Nation’s courtyard. Without the lady’s orders, no one may leave!” one guard declared righteously.

Qi Yunmiao turned to look at the duchess.

The duchess smiled faintly, “I said I gave you back the shuttlecock, but never said you could leave. An uncultured wild girl like you, stand in the snow and let it wash away your filthy mind!”

...

Song Qingyu was peering toward the Duke’s residence from her own doorstep. After a while, seeing Qi Yunmiao had not come out, she hurried inside to find her elder brothers — one from their own family and the other from the Pei family — who were brewing tea by the fireplace.

She relayed to them what Qi Yunmiao had told her before going to the Duke’s mansion.

Soon, a corner of moon-white cloth stirred as one of the elder brothers stood up, took up a large white fox fur cloak, and left the warmth of the hearth.

—

Qi Yunmiao had been standing in the snow for nearly fifteen minutes.

The surrounding guards, much taller and burly, still formed a tight circle around her, preventing her from moving.

She stood motionless, snowflakes settling on her eyelashes and hair.

Inside the pavilion, the noblewomen warmed themselves by the fire, looking at her standing in the snow with triumphant smiles.

“A rustic girl with no manners deserves a punishment to teach her a lesson.”

“Exactly. She talks nonsense and offends anyone, not even knowing who holds the power in court or the palace.”

Their words belittled Qi Yunmiao while flattering the duchess.

Though the duchess showed no obvious smile, she felt a deep satisfaction from their praise.

In the capital, many prominent families existed. The Duke of the Nation’s family had been in decline, but unexpectedly, the emperor favored their youngest sister.

With her entering the palace as a favored consort, the entire Duke’s residence flourished like a withered tree blossoming in spring.

The current Duke held the position of Minister of the Imperial Stables, overseeing all carriages and horses in the capital and nationwide. The favored consort had borne the emperor a son years ago, securing their position in the harem beyond challenge.

To say the Duke’s mansion was at the height of its glory was hardly an exaggeration.

The duchess’s gaze swept over Qi Yunmiao.

Previously, Zhu Liu had returned home boasting that the Pei family had an exceptional daughter who outshot him at the National Academy despite her young age. She wanted to see what kind of person she was, only to find that mother and daughter were ungrateful and did not respond to her invitation.

Refusing her invitation deserved punishment.

Wrapped in the warmth of a new fire fox fur, the duchess reclined comfortably in her chair, her expression calm.

Moments later, a report came: “Madam, the young master of the Pei family has arrived, saying he’s here to escort the young lady home.”

“Pei Jingxuan?” The duchess opened her eyes in mild surprise. “He personally came?”

“Yes,” the guard replied.

The duchess snorted sarcastically, “Wasn’t he supposed to despise his stepmother and stepsister the most? Why did he come himself to fetch her?”

The guard shook his head. “I don’t know, but it is indeed young master Pei.”

The duchess glanced again at Qi Yunmiao standing in the snow.

Qi Yunmiao came with the Song family, and of course, she knew the Song family would eventually come for her. She also knew that.

She just hadn’t expected it to be so soon, and that Pei Ze himself would come.

Her entire face hadn’t even frozen stiff yet.

The duchess looked at Qi Yunmiao with contempt.

Qi Yunmiao steadily returned her gaze.

Since being trapped in the snow, that stubborn girl had been staring.

The duchess knew that look meant defiance.

She squinted, recalling a concubine in the residence years ago.

That concubine, relying on the Duke’s favor, acted recklessly and, once pregnant, sought to climb above her.

When she dealt with that woman and her child, that woman also looked at her with the same stubborn, defiant eyes.

Page 3/3

But later, it was all fine.

Once disciplined, it was fine.

After some time passed since hearing Pei Jingxuan’s arrival, the duchess said, “Send her to young master Pei. And tell him that if he never wants to see his stepmother and stepsister in the house again, I have plenty of ways to help him.”

Her voice was unreserved, carried by the cold wind into Qi Yunmiao’s ears, as if deliberately spoken for her to hear.

Qi Yunmiao shivered in the cold wind.

Yet, upon hearing the duchess’s words, no fear appeared in her eyes.

She calmly looked back, like a wild beast suddenly sprung from the mountains.

A young beast with sharp fangs and fearless courage.

—

Qi Yunmiao hugged the shuttlecock as she left the Duke of the Nation’s residence.

Pei Ze stood outside waiting for her.

Upon seeing him, Qi Yunmiao had wanted to smile, but for some reason, she couldn’t. Instead, she said, “Thank you today, elder brother.”

Pei Ze furrowed his brows, clearly not wanting to hear her thanks.

If he could, he wished she would never cause him trouble and wouldn’t need his care.

But that was clearly impossible now.

He looked at her eyes with some displeasure and asked, “Did you get the item?”

“Yes.”

Qi Yunmiao pulled out the peacock feather shuttlecock from her arms, perfectly intact without a single feather missing.

Pei Ze glanced at it, recalling what Song Qingyu had told him at home.

He stood still, beginning to find this audacious stepsister hard to understand.

“If this happens again, I won’t clean up your mess,” he warned coldly.

Qi Yunmiao felt helpless.

She knew the duchess might be difficult, which was why she had told Song Qingyu that if she didn’t come out within the time of an incense stick, to call Pei Ze to fetch her.

After all, her mother said Pei Ze didn’t like taking care of her, but wouldn’t truly abandon her.

As it turned out, she had considerable foresight.

She quietly raised her head, looking at Pei Ze.

Having stood for nearly fifteen minutes under the heavy snow, her cheeks were not yet completely cold, but her feet were nearly numb from the cold.

She looked up and, after a moment, said, “Brother, I’m a little cold.”

“Why didn’t you just freeze to death before calling for me?” Pei Ze retorted.

Qi Yunmiao stuck out her tongue.

Pei Ze turned and said, “If you’re cold, hurry back.”

He led the way.

Qi Yunmiao naturally followed closely behind.

But after only a few steps, she suddenly saw the person in front stop.

Startled, she bumped her head against Pei Ze’s back.

She looked up again.

To her surprise, he was suddenly taking off his cloak.

“Brother…”

Before she could finish, a white fox fur cloak was draped over her shoulders.

The ribbons were tied tightly, and the garment’s hem brushed the ground.