The arrival of the two Lei daughters did not bring much change to Pei Ying's daily life; she still left early and returned late with Huo Tingshan as before.
However, to give the younger generation more time and opportunities to interact, and also to make the two Lei young ladies feel less restrained, the couple had not returned home for dinner since the second day, opting to dine out instead.
Luoyang City was a dazzling metropolis of immense prosperity, with no shortage of dining establishments.
Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan visited a different restaurant each day, sampling dishes of various flavors, which was quite an interesting experience.
Today, they chose a restaurant quite renowned within Luoyang's walls. It was said the proprietor hailed from the Shu region, and the menu featured predominantly spicy dishes, which Pei Ying was keen to try.
Chili peppers were introduced to China during the Ming Dynasty. In the era before their appearance, those with a penchant for spiciness sought other ingredients to substitute for chili, such as black pepper, which had been introduced to the Central Plains not long before, or native ingredients like ginger, long pepper, and the prickly ash plant.
"Welcome, distinguished guests. Would you prefer to dine in the main hall or in a private room?" A young attendant hurried forward to greet the new arrivals. Upon seeing the couple, he was inwardly startled.
After the Qingyang Restaurant's business grew significantly, the proprietor, to better screen the clientele, specifically raised the prices of the dishes. Simultaneously, the restaurant was renovated and refurbished, striving to satisfy even the most fastidious nobles and powerful families.
The effect was immediate. Commoners with only a few spare coins no longer came; the patrons were now exclusively wealthy and distinguished families.
Having seen many nobles, the attendant prided himself on having a sharp eye, able to estimate a person's status by their clothing and accessories. Yet, the fabric of the ethereally beautiful lady's dress before him was something he was seeing for the first time. As she moved, it seemed as if shimmering light danced upon the garment, a dense, even gleam like a beautiful ripple of water flowing quietly across its surface.
The attendant inexplicably recalled a line his proprietor had once sighed with admiration: "As if brocade is waved and embroidery displayed, gazing at its radiance, it seems boundless." Now, it finally made sense.
"A private room upstairs," Huo Tingshan said.
The attendant eagerly led them upstairs. "You've come at just the right time, sir. Another distinguished guest had reserved the small room with the best view upstairs, but happened to be occupied with business today and couldn't make it for the meal. Let me show you two there."
Pei Ying pursed her lips into a smile. This attendant certainly knew how to please with his words.
The second and third floors were all private rooms, each floor having large, medium, and small-sized rooms. Since there were only two of them, they took a small room.
As the attendant had said, the view was indeed excellent. The room was by the window; pushing open the carved wooden window revealed the bustling street below, teeming with pedestrians, lively and vibrant. Yet, being on the third floor, it wasn't as noisy as being directly adjacent to the street.
"Braised duck strips, and stir-fried chive sprouts," Pei Ying ordered two dishes before handing the menu to Huo Tingshan. "You choose the rest."
While he was ordering, Pei Ying walked to the window to look at the street scene below.
Huo Tingshan had just finished ordering when he heard a soft exclamation of surprise from her direction.
He looked up to see her leaning against the windowsill, making a movement as if to lean out for a better look. Alarmed, Huo Tingshan's brow furrowed. He strode over in a few steps, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her back from the window. "Even a three-year-old child knows not to lean out of a high window. How old are you, madam?"
Ignoring his sarcastic tone, Pei Ying pointed outside. "Huo Tingshan, look. It's Nannan and Mingji."
The man merely cast a brief glance outside, saying nothing.
Seeing his cool expression, Pei Ying knew he was still displeased from moments before. "The windowsill is half a person's height, and I was being careful. I wouldn't have fallen."
"Do not be reckless," he said.
There were waterways within Luoyang City. Clever merchants had procured painted pleasure boats to ferry passengers along the canals.
There were many types of these boats: some for scholars and literati to drink tea and play chess, others where charming maidens sold their arts. Boats and barges crisscrossed the waterways, looking from above like fallen leaves floating upon the river's surface.
Pei Ying recalled the scene she had just witnessed.
The gangplank between a pleasure boat and the shore was not very wide, allowing only two people to pass at a time. Her daughter and the third Lei daughter, Lei Wusi, walked in front, while Huo Mingji and the second Lei daughter, Lei Jingque, followed behind.
The four of them disembarked from the boat one after another, followed by servants. It was clear they had been out boating.
Pei Ying's curiosity was piqued. "I wonder how Mingji's matchmaking is progressing?"
These past few days, they had spent little time at home, letting the younger generation develop freely. And when they returned in the evening, she hadn't had a chance to speak with her daughter alone. So, up to now, Pei Ying truly didn't know how things were progressing.
Perhaps she should find her daughter tonight and ask...
Huo Tingshan was leisurely pouring tea. "If madam wishes to know, it's hardly difficult. When we return, I shall summon Mingji and have him report truthfully."
Pei Ying: "..."
"Don't," Pei Ying said, somewhat afraid of his methods. "One can't inquire about such matters directly from the person involved."
It would be too brazen to seek gossip right in front of the subject.
As the couple conversed, the door to the small private room opened. It was the attendant returning with a food box; the dishes were being served.
For two people, they had ordered four dishes and one soup—not excessive, especially since one person could eat enough for two. Shu cuisine was famous for its numbing spiciness and fragrant flavors. The roasted meat on the table was prepared in a typical Shu style. With one bite, Pei Ying's tongue went completely numb from the spice.
Sitting across from her, Huo Tingshan saw her nose and the rims of her eyes rapidly turn red and knew the spice had gotten to her. Smiling, he ladled a bowl of soup for her. "Shu cuisine is indeed quite spicy. If it doesn't agree with you, madam, we can go elsewhere."
Pei Ying had chosen this place herself, and now she felt too lazy to move. "Since we're already here and the food is served, let's not trouble ourselves further."
With that, the beautiful lady took the warm soup and slowly drank half the bowl.
Having done nothing else since the food arrived, Pei Ying first drank a bowl and a half of hot soup. Setting down the bowl, she already felt two-thirds full. She thought to herself that this meal would likely become a protracted affair.
But that was fine; they could take their time.
About a quarter of an hour later, while eating the stir-fried chive sprouts, Pei Ying suddenly heard a familiar voice. At first, she thought she was mistaken, that it was an illusion born from missing her daughter after not having a proper chat with her for several days.
However, when she looked up, she happened to see that Huo Tingshan had also paused with his chopsticks. Pei Ying immediately knew it wasn't her imagination.
They had really run into them.
Before she could even marvel at the coincidence, a loud crash came from outside—the sound of porcelain shattering on the floor, followed by a young lady's exclamation.
"How could you not watch where you're going?" That sounded like Lei Wusi's voice.
Someone was repeatedly apologizing, their voice trembling. At first, Pei Ying thought it was a restaurant attendant. But then she heard other voices; it seemed a patron had returned to angrily scold the person who had just apologized, and then proceeded to offer apologies to Lei Wusi.
Those who could dine at Qingyang Restaurant were, at the very least, wealthy merchants with no lack of silver, and among them were also nobles. When one's own servant caused offense by bumping into others first, it was only natural for the master to apologize to avoid trouble.
Mixed in were also the voices of Huo Mingji conversing with the other party's master.
"Wusi, were you hit by any flying shards?" Pei Ying heard her daughter ask.
Lei Wusi replied, "No, it's just that..."
"Third Sister's skirt has been stained with some dirt," Lei Jingque said.
Meng Ling'er looked at the stains on Lei Wusi's sleeve and the side of her skirt. The area was too large; simply wiping wouldn't remove them. She thus suggested, "If Wusi doesn't mind, I'll have Shui Su fetch one of my dresses. We can also open another private room next door for you to change."
Lei Wusi: "Of course I don't mind. Thank you, Ling'er."
In the private room.
Pei Ying listened to the conversation between the two young girls, a flicker of confusion passing through her eyes.
Nowadays, noble young ladies went out in carriages accompanied by servants. These carriages were not merely for transportation; they were also used to store various items that might be needed, including a set of spare clothes. If a dress got dirty, one could find a place to change, avoiding the need to return home and spoil the mood.
Logically, they should all have brought spare dresses. Why would she need to borrow Nannan's? Could it be she had already changed once before?
"Does my lady wish to go out?" Huo Tingshan, seeing her frown in thought, assumed Pei Ying was deliberating whether to step out and meet the younger generation.
Pei Ying slowly shook her head, "No. If they knew we were here, they would certainly feel constrained."
The man laughed upon hearing this: "Excellent."
Pei Ying: "..." This father was truly nonchalant.
"Creak." The adjacent private room opened.
"Esteemed guests, this way please." It was a young attendant opening the room.
The large, medium, and small private rooms in Qingyang Restaurant were arranged in an alternating pattern. For instance, the small room where Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan were located had a medium-sized room on one side and a large one on the other.
The room opening now was on the right. Pei Ying remembered the right-side room was a medium-sized one.
"Huo Tingshan, can you hear the conversation next door?" Pei Ying asked in a low voice.
There had been patrons in the neighboring room earlier. She had vaguely heard people talking, but perhaps because she wasn't leaning against the wall, or perhaps because the room's soundproofing had some effect, she couldn't make out the specific content clearly.
However, she knew the man sitting opposite her had ears like a hound's.
If she couldn't hear, he likely could.
"I can." He didn't deny it.
As soon as the word left his lips, he saw her eyes light up. Huo Tingshan curled the corner of his mouth and said softly, "We are husband and wife. If my lady wishes to know, it's not as if I cannot relay it to you."
Pei Ying picked up the teapot from the table and, smiling, poured him a cup of clear tea: "Then I'll trouble you in a moment."
Huo Tingshan glanced at the teacup, his fingertips lightly tapping beside it: "My lady, this bribe is so meager it makes it hard for me to escape the condemnation of my conscience."
Pei Ying was greatly astonished.
This man was actually talking to her about conscience? Did he even possess such a thing?
The man chuckled and patted the spot beside him: "Come here, my lady."
Pei Ying hesitated for a moment, but in the end, her desire to witness the spectacle won out. She rose and sat beside him. As soon as she settled, a long arm encircled her waist.
"This restaurant's braised duck strips are quite good." He hinted plainly.
While commenting on the dish's quality, he made no move to pick up his own jade chopsticks. Moreover, the arm currently holding her was his right one.
Pei Ying suddenly felt she had miscalculated; she should have sat on his left side earlier.
"Hmm?" Huo Tingshan didn't utter any words of urging, but let out a questioning, rising hum.
Pei Ying took the jade bowl he had been using, picked up a couple of braised duck strips with his jade chopsticks, and then brought them to his lips.
The duck strips were cut very finely, almost into shreds, making them convenient to eat now.
Huo Tingshan accepted them with a smile.
After finishing one mouthful, he said, "The little girl said she needed to freshen up and has also left."
Pei Ying was surprised, "She left? So, only Mingji and the Second Miss Lei remain in the room?"
A mother knows her daughter best. With just a little thought, Pei Ying understood the reason for her daughter's tactical retreat. The Second Miss Lei's visit was precisely for the purpose of meeting Mingji. Now that there was a chance for them to be alone, her daughter would definitely seize an excuse to slip away.
As for specifically helping Lei Jingque, that probably wasn't the main point. Whoever it was, as long as the timing was right, her daughter would create an opportunity for them.
Pei Ying was about to ask more when she saw Huo Tingshan suddenly raise an eyebrow, as if surprised.
"What did they say?" Pei Ying's curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
Huo Tingshan smiled, "My lady, what comes next is rather extraordinary. Mere food is insufficient for bribery."
Pei Ying paused briefly, unable to hide her suspicion.
Extraordinary?
Really? The Huo Mingji she knew was steady and composed, not one to speak out of turn.
Huo Tingshan was amused by her skeptical look: "Would I lie to you? If my lady doesn't wish to hear, then let it be."
Pei Ying, with her left hand that wasn't holding the chopsticks, grabbed a corner of his sleeve, "I want to hear."
The man lowered his gaze, his eyes settling on her red lips, "Then I must ask my lady not to spare her capital."
Pei Ying noticed his gaze and her heart skipped a beat. Before she could even put down the jade chopsticks in her hand, the long arm around her waist tightened slightly. A large, rough hand traveled up along her spine and finally came to rest on the nape of her neck.
With a rustle of fabric, he drew her close and leaned down to kiss her red lips.
In the adjacent private room.
After Meng Ling'er excused herself and slipped away, only Huo Mingji and Lei Jingque remained in the room.
Today was their second outing together. The first time was to a silk shop, today was a river cruise. On the day at the silk shop, she and Lei Wusi had already begun their covert rivalry. Today's cruise was even more intense; the painted boat they were on happened to bump into another vessel.
With many boats on the river, some friction was unavoidable. Experienced boatmen, seeing dense traffic ahead, would naturally slow down.
Therefore, the collision wasn't severe, but Lei Wusi, who had been standing at the edge of the boat, fell into the water.
Hearing the splash, a thought flashed through Lei Jingque's mind. Leaving only the words, "I'm a good swimmer," she jumped into the river under the slightly stunned gazes of the Huo siblings.
Yuzhou was a region of waterways. Her father commanded elite naval forces, and as his legitimate daughter, she had learned to swim in her childhood. Retrieving someone from the water wasn't difficult for her.
She was also well aware that Lei Wusi, also a young lady from Yuzhou, most likely knew how to swim as well. As for why the other had suddenly fallen into the river, the reason wasn't hard to guess.
Precisely because of this, Lei Jingque felt things should not continue to develop in the usual manner.
Lei Wusi's features were somewhat more delicate and charming than her own. Young men admire beauty; based on appearance alone, it was possible the Eldest Young Master Huo might not choose her.
So, why not take advantage of this moment alone to be direct?
"Young Master, you must be aware that your father and mine intend to form a marriage alliance. On this trip, my Third Sister and I have come for your sake." Lei Jingque looked calmly at the young man sitting opposite her.
Huo Mingji's brow moved slightly, somewhat taken aback by her bluntness. Young ladies' faces were usually thinner, and they were more shy about discussing their own marriages. She, however, was direct.
Huo Mingji nodded, indicating he was also aware of the intricacies involved.
Lei Jingque continued, "If the young master has not yet set his heart on Wusi, perhaps you could consider me. Your esteemed father has a boundless future, and the responsibilities on your shoulders, young master, will only grow heavier. I can fully support you in accomplishing anything, from managing finances and expanding resources to overseeing the household affairs. If, in the future after your father achieves his success, discord arises between us and we can no longer live together, all I would ask is for you to grant me a private guard capable of ensuring my safety. I will speak well of you before your father and mother, allowing you to give me a letter of divorce without any fault on your part. I will then disappear from your life forever, and you may later marry another noble lady from a prominent family. If you find this arrangement uncertain, I am even willing to sign a formal agreement with you."
Listening to the first part, Huo Mingji's expression remained neutral, but upon hearing the latter, genuine surprise flickered across his face, and for the first time, he regarded the young lady before him with a scrutinizing gaze.
Today, she wore a pale purple round-collar ruqun dress with subtle patterns, her cloud-like hair simply tied up with a sandalwood hairpin. The young woman's features were cool and elegant, with delicate arched eyebrows and a shapely nose. Her eyes held a distant calmness, and her tone was remarkably gentle and measured.
Her countenance now was composed, tinged with an indescribable placidity, utterly devoid of the shyness expected of a sixteen-year-old maiden. Even when mentioning the letter of divorce at the end, she remained exceptionally calm.
"Why go to such lengths?" Huo Mingji couldn't help but ask.
Her father was the Governor of Yuzhou. Although Governor Lei of Yuzhou might not wield as much influence as his own father, he was still a provincial governor and commanded the renowned elite naval forces.
Marrying him would be an advantageous match for her, but he knew it wasn't so advantageous as to require her to swallow needles to this extent.
Why would she lower her stance so profoundly?
Having experienced numerous schemes and intrigues, Huo Mingji's first instinct was that she must have some ulterior motive.
He did not consider matters of affection. Firstly, her expression showed no trace of bashfulness, clearly indicating she was discussing a contract; secondly, born into families like theirs, romantic love was considered useless, elusive, and a luxury.
Huo Mingji privately believed he would never meet someone who could make him become like his father—utterly and completely devoted.
Huo Mingji pressed further, "What is it that you seek?"
Without clarifying what she truly desired, he would not agree. Lei Jingque understood this well, so the young woman spoke openly: "Given my mention of a divorce letter, if I were to say I seek your family's future rise to power, you likely wouldn't believe me."
Huo Mingji reached out to refill her teacup. "Then speak the truth. It is better for both you and me."
"I lost my mother at six. Within a year, my father remarried. My stepmother treats me with indifference. My father is always busy, my elder brother is preoccupied with becoming a worthy heir, and my two younger brothers play and frolic, enjoying the affection of our parents. For me, the warmth of home is gone, never to return as it once was." Lei Jingque recalled her first day arriving at the Governor's mansion in Luoyang. "Your family is very good, truly. It made me feel as if I had returned to my early childhood, utterly at ease. Had I not heard beforehand, I would have thought Madam Pei was your birth mother, and you and Ling'er were full siblings."
At the end, Lei Jingque smiled slightly, her features instantly becoming vivid. "Perhaps these words sound absurd to you and may even cause you some displeasure, but they come from the depths of my heart, without a shred of falsehood. To be honest, what moves me more than you is your current mother, Madam Pei."
In the small private room next door.
Huo Tingshan looked at the beautiful woman in his arms, who was still catching her breath. He raised his thumb and gently wiped it across her increasingly radiant red lips. "How is it that I never noticed before, my lady, that besides being attractive to men, you also hold a particular charm for young maidens?"
