Chapter 9

Qi Yunmiao woke up groggy and confused that day, having dreamt repeatedly in a haze. By the time she was fully awake, it was already the next morning.

Following her body’s instinct, she got up and looked around. Knowing yesterday was a day of rest, today she ought to go to school again.

Without calling anyone, she went through the usual routine—rising, making the bed, dressing—and then stepped outside, intending to wash up and eat.

In the courtyard, Mistress Fang and a group of maids were sweeping. Seeing her awake, Mistress Fang exclaimed, “Miss, why are you up so early? You should sleep a little longer.”

Qi Yunmiao shook her head. She had slept enough from yesterday until now.

“I have to go to school. I can’t sleep anymore.”

Mistress Fang replied, “Miss, both the Marquis and Madam said you should rest at home these days. No need to rush to the Song family school.”

“Why?” Qi Yunmiao asked, puzzled.

Though she wasn’t very fond of her tutor’s lectures and was often inattentive in class, she actually liked going to school. There were many activities and friends at the Song family’s school she got along well with.

Her throat, having been asleep all night, was hoarse, her voice rough as if she’d been cawing for days.

Mistress Fang looked at her with concern.

Qi Yunmiao had been sleeping fitfully yesterday, and Mistress Fang, along with Shen Ruozhu, had carefully applied ointment to the wounds on her cheeks.

Such a fine young girl, her face scratched with so many marks—it was truly disgraceful, and the young gentleman from the Song family was no good at all.

But Qi Yunmiao had completely forgotten about the injuries on her cheeks. She said to Mistress Fang, “I want to go to school. I don’t need to rest.”

Mistress Fang replied, “But my words don’t carry weight, Miss. This is the wish of the Marquis and Madam.”

Understanding, Qi Yunmiao turned and ran out of the courtyard, ignoring that she hadn’t even arranged her hair yet.

“Hey...” Mistress Fang wanted to call after her, but Qi Yunmiao vanished like a flash.

—

In the main hall, Shen Ruozhu was having breakfast with Pei Xun.

Pei Ze had returned home yesterday, and early this morning, Pei Xun summoned him to the main hall for a meal together.

Qi Yunmiao hurried into the courtyard, and all three at the table immediately focused their attention on her.

Shen Ruozhu was the first to rise. Seeing her hair still uncombed, she hurried over with concern. “You’re awake? How do you feel? Any discomfort? Why come so early? Have you eaten breakfast yet?”

She asked many questions, but Qi Yunmiao, still drowsy, shook her head to all.

Glancing at Pei Ze and Pei Xun sitting at the table, she gave them a rough bow, then said to Shen Ruozhu, “Mother, I want to go to the Song family school today.”

Shen Ruozhu was a little surprised; she hadn’t expected this to be the first thing Qi Yunmiao wanted to say so early.

She exchanged a look with Pei Xun.

After the incident yesterday, Shen Ruozhu had eventually told Pei Xun. When they returned from the Song family, Qi Yunmiao’s face was badly injured. It was impossible to conceal it completely.

Moreover, the young gentleman from the Song family had behaved outrageously, so Shen Ruozhu truly wanted Pei Xun to punish him.

As for having Qi Yunmiao rest at home for a few days, that was Pei Xun’s decision.

Since Pei Xun was going to court today and would likely meet the Song family’s official, he wanted to see how they would respond before deciding how their family would deal with the Song family in the future.

If the Song family did not plan to punish Song Xiao severely, there would be no reason for Qi Yunmiao to continue attending their school.

After Pei Xun left, Shen Ruozhu turned back to Qi Yunmiao and said, “Why? Your face is injured. You should rest at home for a while. I will help you catch up on the schoolwork later. It’s fine to stay home a few days before going back.”

“But I want to go today!” Qi Yunmiao touched her cheek, remembering her injury after Shen Ruozhu’s reminder.

“I’m fine, Mother. Staying at home is so boring. I want to go to school!”

Shen Ruozhu gently tapped Qi Yunmiao’s nose. “I think you don’t really want to go to school; you just want to be with your friends there.”

Qi Yunmiao made no denial but clung to Shen Ruozhu, pleading, “Mother, please let me go. If I don’t go, I’ll just sleep at home all day again. You always said too much sleep isn’t good for children…”

At about ten years old, children are at the most charming age for coaxing.

Shen Ruozhu listened to the wheedling repeatedly but, as Qi Yunmiao’s mother, remained resolute, not giving in to a single word.

Pei Xun, sitting at the table watching the mother and daughter, couldn’t help but chuckle.

He said, “If she wants to go so badly, then let her go.”

“Marquis...” Shen Ruozhu looked back.

Pei Xun continued, “Jingxuan is here today. He’s going to the Imperial Academy later—he can accompany Yunmiao to the Song family, support her, and teach that Song boy a lesson.”

“?”

Pei Ze, having been summoned by his father early for this inexplicable meal, had nothing to say.

Hearing this, he silently glanced at his father.

But Pei Xun had already assigned him to accompany Qi Yunmiao as a favor and had no intention of withdrawing the order.

He merely feigned ignorance.

Shen Ruozhu said, “Isn’t that too much trouble? Jingxuan works hard at the Imperial Academy; it’s not right to burden him further.”

“No problem,” Pei Xun said. “As the elder brother, he should take care of his younger sister.”

“...” Shen Ruozhu looked at Pei Ze.

The two men exchanged a wordless agreement, settling the matter.

What else could Pei Ze say?

He shot a cold glance at the culprit, Qi Yunmiao, who was looking at him with eyes still swollen but bright.

Her gaze seemed expectant, yet uncertain—did he really want to escort her to the Song residence?

Under the innocent eyes of the girl, Pei Ze twitched the corner of his mouth but did not quarrel with Pei Xun.

Thus, after breakfast, Qi Yunmiao boarded Pei Ze’s carriage.

This time there was no dowry; she had to sit in the same carriage as Pei Ze.

It was their first time sharing a carriage.

Qi Yunmiao sat as far away from Pei Ze as possible, like a humble servant.

Pei Ze flipped through his book, glancing sideways at her.

He had heard some about yesterday’s incident after returning home.

The red marks on her face had yet to fade, streaked here and there.

Even after breakfast, Shen Ruozhu had painstakingly styled her hair into two cute buns, but it did little to improve her appearance.

Rarely, Pei Ze did not think Qi Yunmiao had done anything wrong after hearing about the event.

On the contrary, she had spirit, a strong sense of justice, and knew how to stand her ground.

He thought she was quite admirable.

The only flaw was her fighting skill.

If it were him, he would have made that Song boy lose a whole row of teeth to truly settle the score, even though he was Song Su’s own brother.

He silently turned the pages while Qi Yunmiao, since boarding the carriage, sat properly and quietly, not daring to utter a word.

The atmosphere was fairly peaceful.

The journey to the Song residence would take some time.

As they rode, a scent of dried meat suddenly filled the carriage.

Pei Ze lifted his gaze from the book and turned his head, seeing Qi Yunmiao holding a piece of jerky, eating it with relish.

Noticing his look, she tilted her head, glanced at him, and slowly offered the jerky.

“Brother, want some?”

Pei Ze was puzzled.

Hadn’t she just eaten breakfast at home?

Qi Yunmiao swallowed a bite.

The jerky was a small snack Mistress Fang had prepared for her.

Every day she went to the Song family school, Mistress Fang would wrap some in oiled paper and put it in her school box, so she could nibble on it on the way to and from school when bored.

Sometimes pork, sometimes beef, occasionally candied fruit.

She said she was growing and needed to eat more.

After more than half a month at the Song family school, Qi Yunmiao had gotten used to eating in the carriage.

Pei Ze looked silently at the jerky in her hand and after a moment said, “No, thank you.”

“Oh.”

Qi Yunmiao retracted her hand.

She rustled quietly, finishing a piece of beef jerky, then took out a pack of crab-flavored melon seeds from her box, popping them into her mouth.

Though her cheeks were injured, her jaw was fine.

Pei Ze watched silently as the little girl in his carriage finished eating the jerky and the seeds, then pulled out a heavy gourd from her box.

The gourd contained freshly boiled water from that morning, cooled to a warm temperature.

Mistress Fang had just filled it and told her to drink if thirsty on the road.

After a few sips, Pei Ze thought Qi Yunmiao’s busy little routine was probably over.

He resumed reading.

But to his surprise, after putting the gourd back, Qi Yunmiao began to rummage through the box again, searching for something.

The noise was hard to ignore.

He endured as long as he could before finally putting down his book and scolding, “Quiet!”

Qi Yunmiao paused, looked up at him.

“Oh...” she stammered, casually pulling out a copy of The Analects from the box.

Then she closed the box and placed it aside, determined not to make another sound.

For the rest of the journey, the carriage was filled only with the soft sound of pages turning.

Pei Ze read, and Qi Yunmiao looked down at her copy of The Analects.

She didn’t understand why, among all her entertaining books, she had picked up The Analects.

She often heard scholars lecture until dizzy, and now, sitting in the carriage, she had to endure the same torture.

But should she try to swap for something else from the box?

She glanced at Pei Ze, shook her head, and discarded the idea.

She told herself to try to read a little, or else it would be unbearably boring.

However, the endless classical phrases made her eyes ache.

When the carriage finally arrived at the gates of the Song residence, Qi Yunmiao felt as though she had been pardoned.

She put away her book and said to Pei Ze, “Thank you, brother, for seeing me this far. I can go in by myself now. You don’t have to accompany me.”

She moved so quickly it seemed she was fleeing.

Pei Ze gave her a sidelong look, set down his book, and said, “Stop.”

Qi Yunmiao looked at him.

Pei Ze had already risen from his seat and stepped out of the carriage first.

His voice, soft as winter snow, drifted in from outside: “I will escort you.”