"Creak." The door was pushed open.
Pei Ying walked slowly into the room. After entering, she did not close the door and went straight towards the daybed by the window.
Huo Tingshan followed her inside, watching as she slowly walked to the daybed and lay down, seemingly intending to take a short nap.
"The spring chill is still sharp, Madam should go inside to sleep," Huo Tingshan said, noticing there was no quilt on the daybed.
Pei Ying, who had already closed her eyes, opened them. Her watery eyes held a trace of confusion. "Huo Tingshan, why are you still here?"
Having been rebuffed often, Huo Tingshan had grown somewhat accustomed to it. He stepped forward, picked her up, and carried her towards the inner bed. "I will leave once Madam is asleep."
"I was about to fall asleep," Pei Ying mumbled, her mind muddled, letting her inner thoughts slip out in a low whisper.
Huo Tingshan reached the bedside and set her down. "Alright, my fault. I offer my apologies to Madam right here."
Pei Ying rested her cheek on the brocade pillow, nuzzled against it, and slowly closed her eyes. "No need for apologies. You may go attend to your business..."
As she spoke, her breathing gradually evened out.
Huo Tingshan pulled the quilt over Pei Ying. His gaze drifted downward and paused on her feet.
Earlier, on the daybed outside, Pei Ying had taken off her embroidered shoes. Now, she wore only her stockings.
"Stockings worn outside are not clean, it is improper to wear them to bed. Madam, may I help you remove them?" Huo Tingshan asked.
There was no answer.
The man nodded slightly, reached for the white stockings, and with his slender fingers, hooked the tie at the top. A gentle tug loosened the thin ribbon.
The sleeping beauty, sensing something unusual on her feet, instinctively kicked her leg. Midway, it felt as if she had kicked against a solid wall of flesh.
Pei Ying had a dream. In it, she returned to her university days. One day, her dormitory organized an activity, a picnic. When they arrived at the spot, the place was truly beautiful, with lush, expansive green grass like a great carpet spread on the ground.
She and her three roommates wanted to find a good spot to lay out the picnic blanket, but as they walked, Pei Ying felt something was off about this grassland.
Each step sank unusually deep, as if into mud, the sun-baked earth hot and clinging.
Seeing her roommates moving farther away, Pei Ying pulled her foot out with effort, even putting some force into stamping on the mud that trapped her. Yet, after only a couple of steps, she was stuck again.
The mud seemed mixed with coarse grit, prickly and uncomfortable to step on.
Pei Ying couldn't help but mutter a few words of complaint.
A sigh, seemingly like a hallucination, seemed to drift over. "Since Madam is so compassionate, why not use yourself to redeem this patch of rotten mud? Don't go back."
When Pei Ying awoke, the sun had already traveled from east to west. Sitting up in bed hugging the quilt, she frowned, trying to recall what happened earlier.
She remembered that after the distilling apparatus was set up, they began distilling the liquor. Once it was ready, she offered some to Huo Tingshan, his son, and Chen Yuan in turn.
Those three drank a bowl with no issue. Nannan clamored for a taste, so she had tried a little herself.
Pei Ying only remembered the liquor being both pungent and fiercely potent, its kick very strong. As for what happened afterwards, trying to recall it was like looking through a layer of mist.
She seemed to have returned to the main courtyard with Huo Tingshan, chatting along the way... the content of their conversation...
Pei Ying racked her brains, vaguely remembering debating something about grass and ginseng with him. As for more than that, she couldn't quite recall.
"I hope I didn't say anything I shouldn't have," Pei Ying sighed mournfully. "I shouldn't drink next time. Alcohol leads to trouble."
"Madam, are you awake?" Xin Jin outside heard some movement.
Pei Ying acknowledged.
Xin Jin came around the screen. "Madam, you haven't had your midday meal yet. Shall we serve it now?"
Pei Ying, belatedly feeling somewhat hungry, nodded.
Xin Jin added in a low voice, "Madam, there is another matter. The young lady came by several times looking for you. Later, she simply left Shui Su here. Just now, after you woke up, Shui Su went back."
Pei Ying's heart skipped a beat. "Did Nannan say what it was about?"
Xin Jin shook her head. "But this servant observed her expression; it seemed rather grave."
"Alright, I understand." The suspicion in Pei Ying's heart grew stronger.
Perhaps she had misspoken while drunk, or behaved improperly, and her daughter had noticed.
The midday meal had been kept ready and was soon served. Not long after the dishes were laid out, Meng Ling'er arrived.
"Mother, I heard the liquor was quite strong. How are you feeling now? Any discomfort?" Meng Ling'er asked.
Pei Ying smiled and shook her head. "After a nap, I'm fine."
Meng Ling'er was about to say more when she saw the meal before Pei Ying, which had not been touched much. So her words changed to, "Mother, please eat first. After you finish, I have something I wish to discuss with you."
Pei Ying's hand, holding the chopsticks, paused. "Just as well, I also have something to discuss with you, Nannan."
Since the evening meal would be served not long after, Pei Ying did not eat much and soon finished.
After Xin Jin cleared away the dishes, only the mother and daughter remained in the room.
The atmosphere became inexplicably heavy.
Pei Ying spoke first. "Nannan, I must first apologize to you."
Meng Ling'er's lips pressed tightly together.
"I promised you I would not remarry for at least three years. Now, due to certain circumstances, I must break that promise. It is likely that in August of this year, I will marry Huo Tingshan," Pei Ying said softly.
Pei Ying lowered her lashes, her gaze fixed on the table, finding it somewhat difficult to face her daughter.
Though she said 'at least three years,' the time she kept her promise was only a single winter.
"Mother, will you be marrying him as his principal wife?" Pei Ying heard her daughter ask.
Contrary to her expectations, the girl's tone was quite calm, without the sobs she had imagined.
Pei Ying looked up and then nodded.
Meng Ling'er forced a smile. "As the principal wife, that is good. The General has power and influence, now controlling three provinces. You marrying him as his wife means no one will dare bully us mother and daughter in the future."
Pei Ying: "Nannan..."
Meng Ling'er averted her gaze, speaking on as if to Pei Ying, and also to herself. "The times are more chaotic now than last autumn. I heard from Mr. Gongsun before that even Chang'an seems unstable. Mother, you are so beautiful. Even if you didn't marry the General, others would inevitably cling to you. It's better to find a secure one and be his proper wife."
Meng Ling'er's speech began to quicken. "Father left in early autumn last year. If Mother remarries this August, it's almost a year. That's much, much longer than the mother of young Miss Yao who lived not far from our old home."
Pei Ying was left speechless.
Meng Ling'er's gaze returned, her voice much lower. "Actually, I'm just a little afraid. Afraid that after Mother has a new family and new children, you won't have time for me anymore."
Pei Ying rose from her seat and moved to sit beside Meng Ling'er, putting an arm around her daughter. "Leaving aside that I am already in my thirties and unlikely to bear more children, even if I could, I have no such intention. Nannan, I will not have new children. Having you is more than enough. No one is as important as you. You are my pillar, my only pillar."
Meng Ling'er turned to look at her mother. In the eyes of the person before her, she saw emotions so intense they were overwhelming. Some of it she couldn't understand, but that didn't stop her heart from trembling at that single glance.
Pei Ying gently touched the little girl's cheek. "No one will ever be more important than you."
If it weren't for this daughter, who was identical in both appearance and personality to her modern one, she would have given up long ago.
Perhaps on the very first day, or maybe the day she was seized by the minor official, she would have taken her own life.
The hole in her heart seemed to be slowly mending. Meng Ling'er couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth. "Really?"
"Naturally, it's true," Pei Ying said earnestly.
Meng Ling'er leaned against Pei Ying's shoulder and asked softly, "Mother, you said before that you had to marry the General for certain reasons. What exactly were those reasons? Can you tell me?"
Pei Ying pondered for a moment.
It was actually somewhat embarrassing to say, but having just managed to soothe her daughter, she didn't want to dampen her spirits again.
In the end, Pei Ying told her.
It was related to a certain rumor, and she also mentioned the previous incident where Prince Huikang had taken a fancy to her.
Meng Ling'er's face changed dramatically. "Such a thing happened? Why didn't you tell me, Mother?"
"I didn't want to worry you, and the matter is already resolved," Pei Ying said with a smile.
The little girl's brows furrowed and then relaxed, repeating the motion twice before saying, "If there's a next time, you must tell me."
"Alright, alright, alright," Pei Ying agreed.
Meng Ling'er pouted. "That sounds like you're just humoring me. Fine, at least you agreed."
After clinging to Pei Ying for a little while longer, Meng Ling'er stood up. "Since Mother is about to marry the General, I should go and... well, connect more with that young master Huo... my future second brother."
She planned to subtly inquire about the Huo family's situation. If there was a favored concubine in the General's household who had borne children and was also shrewd, her mother might suffer some hidden losses.
Meng Ling'er left.
Pei Ying watched her daughter's retreating back and shook her head helplessly.
...
Pei Ying thought perhaps Huo Tingshan had sensed from certain clues that she had come clean with her daughter. Tonight's dinner wasn't served separately as usual; instead, they all gathered in the main hall.
Besides her and Huo Tingshan, there were the two younger ones.
Huo Tingshan spoke first. "This dinner is to celebrate today's great success in wine-making. Once Madam's rice wine goes on sale in Chang'an, we'll hold an even grander family feast."
Hearing his last two words, Pei Ying's eyelid twitched. She stole a glance at her daughter sitting below, only to see the little girl smiling cheerfully, showing no sign of rejection on her face.
Huo Tingshan asked Pei Ying, "Has Madam decided how much to sell a jar of the rice wine for?"
Pei Ying had indeed thought it through. "For a jar the size of the one Colonel Chen took, twenty taels."
As soon as she quoted this price, a sharp intake of breath came from below.
"T-twenty taels?" Huo Zhizhang was shocked.
Nowadays, an ox only cost two taels of silver. Twenty taels could buy ten oxen.
In previous years, Youzhou's finances were tight. His father had scurried about everywhere to save money, leading troops to raid bandits one day and searching throughout Youzhou the next, looking for powerful families he could squeeze money from.
The family treasury was often empty. His monthly allowance was only five hundred copper coins, which was a quarter of a tael of silver. Calculating based on his old allowance, it would take him over six years to save enough to buy one jar of wine.
"Yes, twenty taels. The price is indeed steep. But as long as it's currently unique in the world, paired with some attractive packaging, there will definitely be buyers," Pei Ying said with a smile. "The soap was also ten taels a piece initially, and later it still sold well."
Huo Zhizhang naturally knew about the soap. When he secretly came to Bingzhou this time, he had brought a piece with him.
"Aunt Pei, you're amazing. How did you come up with this distillation technique? Won't our family have good wine to drink every day from now on?" Huo Zhizhang exclaimed in admiration.
Huo Tingshan scoffed. "Read more books. Do you think everyone is like you, monkeying around all day? It's one thing that you're not as good as your elder brother, but now we have a new sister in the family, much younger than you, and even she knows to study with her tutor. Yet you remain idle and still have the nerve to hint at wanting good wine? You're thick-skinned and sturdy, and it seems your face is no exception."
Huo Zhizhang closed his mouth sheepishly.
Hearing a certain phrase, Meng Ling'er felt a surge of joy in her heart.
Pei Ying's eyebrow twitched. Who teaches a child like that? This comparative method is not advisable; it could easily make Huo Zhizhang resent Nannan.
Immediately, Pei Ying said, "Everyone has their own strengths. Perhaps Zhizhang has remarkable talent in other areas. General, don't be too impatient."
Huo Zhizhang was wide-eyed.
He was both surprised that Pei Ying spoke up for him and shocked that she dared to contradict his father at this juncture. What was the difference between this and tugging on a tiger's whiskers?
Huo Tingshan turned to look at Pei Ying. Seeing her delicate brows slightly furrowed in disapproval, he suddenly laughed. "This rebellious son has been mischievous since childhood. I truly haven't discovered his strengths. As his mother from now on, feel free to scold or discipline him as needed, Madam. Don't hold back. If he dares to disrespect you, I'll deal with him personally."
Pei Ying: "...Let's eat. The stir-fried meat today is very good. Everyone, have more."
After the meal, Huo Zhizhang, who had just been scolded, didn't dare linger and slipped away quickly.
Once outside the main hall, Huo Zhizhang suddenly remembered something. "Oh no, I forgot to tell Father that Aunt Ning is coming to Bingzhou to visit relatives."
The young man turned back, just in time to see Meng Ling'er also coming out, and hesitated.
Going back now didn't seem appropriate. Forget it, he would tell his father tomorrow. Aunt Ning probably wouldn't arrive immediately tomorrow anyway.
After the two younger ones left, only Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan remained in the main hall.
Pei Ying's eyes flickered. "General, when you escorted me back to the main courtyard today, did you encounter anything... unusual?"
Huo Tingshan knew immediately upon hearing this that she didn't remember—or perhaps her memories from being drunk were not very clear.
She was testing him.
"What does Madam mean?" Huo Tingshan asked.
Pei Ying studied him, but the man's expression was normal, revealing nothing.
Not being able to tell might also mean she hadn't made a fool of herself.
Still feeling uneasy, Pei Ying decided to ask one more question. "That is... did I say anything strange or nonsensical?"
"Yes," Huo Tingshan nodded.
Pei Ying's heart skipped a beat. "W-what did I say?"
"Madam said..." Huo Tingshan slowed his pace, watching as she looked at him nervously.
Her almond-shaped eyes clearly reflected his figure.
The man curled his lips. "Madam said I am in the prime of my life, and all that previous talk about being practically half a century old should be completely disregarded."
Pei Ying: "..."
Pei Ying was speechless. How could this man still be hung up on age?
However, hearing his words put her mind at ease somewhat.
He didn't ask, nor did he mention anything else. It seemed she hadn't said anything inappropriate while drunk.
Huo Tingshan: "By the way, my lady, you mentioned before about making the rice wine packaging more beautiful. I think it would be better to establish a connection between its packaging and the soap. Let's continue using the 'Pei Family' name for this as well, call it 'Pei Family Fine Brew'. The 'Pei Family' name has already gained recognition through the soap. Reusing it for the wine will quickly shorten the time the nobility spends observing and hesitating."
His reasoning made sense, but Pei Ying had other concerns. "But won't that be too ostentatious? The soap alone is enough to make people envious."
A hint of a smile lifted the corners of Huo Tingshan's narrow eyes. "Now that I hold three provinces in my grasp, my lady has the capital to be ostentatious. Besides, if merely selling them some fine brew is considered ostentatious now, then what would you call it in the future when they come to kowtow to you? 'Ostentatious' wouldn't even begin to describe it."
Pei Ying was speechless.
He was spouting wild words again.
However, Pei Ying had to admit he had the right to be audacious. "Then let's continue using 'Pei Family'. We might need to use it again in the future, so we might as well create a trademark."
"What is a trademark?" Huo Tingshan asked with keen interest.
Pei Ying explained to him: "It's what you just mentioned, General—the common element between the two packages. It could be stylized text or a pattern. In the future, when goods are placed on shelves, people will see that mark and know the product belongs to the 'Pei Family' series."
Huo Tingshan stroked his bearded chin. "This trademark idea is excellent."
Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, he took Pei Ying's hand and led her towards the door. "My lady, regarding the trademark, I have an idea."
"Huo Tingshan, slow down." Pei Ying couldn't keep up with his strides.
The man slowed his pace and clicked his tongue lightly. "I might as well carry you."
"Stop talking nonsense." Pei Ying averted her eyes.
Huo Tingshan led her to the study, spread out paper, and began grinding ink.
Pei Ying watched from the side. "What are you planning to do? Redesign the trademark?"
The previous packaging for Pei Family soap featured a specially designed 'Pei' character. Huo Tingshan had written it, and Pei Ying had later stylized it slightly.
Now that they were creating a proper trademark, Huo Tingshan felt a single 'Pei' character wasn't sufficient. There were countless families with the surname 'Pei' under heaven; in the future, someone might try to profit using the 'Pei Family' name.
Others making money was one thing, but if merchants trading on the name sold inferior goods, it would tarnish the reputation of the 'Pei Family' brand.
"Let's add some patterns to make it easier to distinguish 'Pei Family' products in the future," Huo Tingshan said, picking up his brush.
He first wrote the previously designed 'Pei' character, then began drawing anew below it.
Pei Ying stood beside him watching. When she saw the outline taking shape under his brush, she couldn't help but ask, "Why are you drawing this?"
"What's wrong with it? It's an auspicious creature," Huo Tingshan replied, his wolf-hair brush not pausing.
Pei Ying looked at the rabbit hugging the 'Pei' character and really couldn't see where it resembled an auspicious creature.
Huo Tingshan had his reasons. "Foxes are too flashy, wolves too fierce, tigers too ferocious, dogs too dull. A rabbit is just right—approachable yet still clever. Besides, the 'Pei Family' brand belongs to you, my lady. Using a rabbit to represent a woman is quite fitting."
"That's a stereotype," Pei Ying chided him.
The meaning of those four words wasn't hard to grasp. Huo Tingshan raised an eyebrow. "Fine, consider it my stereotype. If my lady can't think of a better trademark for now, we'll tentatively use the one I've drawn."
Pei Ying looked down at the rabbit on the paper.
The man wrote excellent calligraphy, and she hadn't expected his painting skills to be lacking either. Upon closer inspection, it seemed he had incorporated a trick or two from her previous Q-style drawings, rendering the rabbit plump and quite endearing.
Pei Ying truly couldn't think of anything better at the moment. "Let's go with this for now. I'll think about it more when I return later."
Huo Tingshan set down his brush. "As my lady wishes."
Pei Ying remembered the wine. "Oh, General, distilled rice wine generally tastes better after being aged for about two months."
"That works out perfectly. We can load it onto carts and send it to Chang'an now. By the time it arrives, it will be just right for drinking." Huo Tingshan's tone suddenly shifted. "In the future, when I'm not around, my lady should not drink."
Some people could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, while others become muddled at the first taste. She was clearly the latter.
Pei Ying looked at him suspiciously. "General, were you perhaps deceiving me before?"
Huo Tingshan was inwardly amused; she was quite sharp. But his expression remained calm. "I was merely reminding you, my lady."
Pei Ying was half-convinced, half-doubtful.
After finishing the trademark, Huo Tingshan, using leisure as an excuse, pulled Pei Ying into playing two games of chess.
They each won one, ending in a draw.
Perfectly satisfied, Pei Ying went back to sleep.
The bright moon rose high. After the night reached its deepest, ink-black hue, it slowly began to dilute as if water had been poured into it.
The night passed in the blink of an eye.
The next day, shortly after Pei Ying finished her breakfast, Xin Jin informed her that a guest had arrived at the residence.
And it was a female guest.
"A female guest? Did she come alone?" Pei Ying asked, reminded of Cheng Chanyi from before.
Xin Jin lowered her voice. "She came alone, no gentleman was seen accompanying her. But don't worry, my lady. I just heard that the Second Young Master has gone to receive her. This female guest seems to be his aunt."
His aunt, meaning his mother's sister.
Pei Ying hesitated. "I see..."
Someone from Huo Zhizhang's maternal family had surely come to talk with her nephew. Moreover, this woman's sister was once Huo Tingshan's wife, so she probably wouldn't want to see Pei Ying either.
But with a female guest at the door, it would be impolite for her not to receive her.
Pei Ying sighed. "Xin Jin, help me with my makeup. I'll make it quick."
In the main hall.
Ning Qingying was warmly inquiring after her long-unseen nephew. "Zhizhang, the last time I saw you was four years ago. Who would have thought that in just four years, you'd have grown so tall and handsome. How have you been all these years?"
"Quite well, everything has been smooth," Huo Zhizhang replied.
Ning Qingying sighed. "I heard that neither you nor Ming Ji are married yet. Ming Ji is already nineteen this year, why is there still no movement? I remember when the General married your sister, he was only sixteen."
Huo Zhizhang merely smiled. "Father has his own plans."
He understood his father's ambitions, which was why neither he nor his elder brother were in a hurry to marry.
Just like the year before last, when the Governor of Ji Province, Yuan Ding, wanted to match his eldest daughter with his elder brother, intending to form a marriage alliance with Youzhou. At the time, he thought it wasn't a bad match—a strong alliance was acceptable. But his father promptly refused.
Looking back now, Yuan Ding was dead, the Yuan family had collapsed, and Ji Province was already in his father's grasp. It truly wasn't a suitable match, and it was fortunate his father hadn't agreed then.
To prevent his aunt from asking further about his and his brother's marriages, Huo Zhizhang changed the subject. "By the way, Aunt, how long do you plan to stay in Bingzhou for this visit?"
"It's not decided yet. No one is rushing me to return anyway." Ning Qingying gave a bitter smile. "Zhizhang, your uncle passed away some time ago."
Huo Zhizhang was taken aback. "How could that be? How did he pass?"
Ning Qingying took out a silk handkerchief to wipe her tears. "His drinking habit was severe. He often drank in winter. That night, he got drunk, got up in the middle of the night to use the outhouse, and accidentally collapsed in the snow. I didn't find him until the next day... he had frozen to death."
Huo Zhizhang was silent for a moment, finally only able to say, "What's gone cannot return. Please take care of yourself, Aunt."
"Ah, a senior monk once read my fortune long ago. He said my destiny is too noble, that ordinary men cannot withstand it. I didn't believe it then. Who would have thought I've married three husbands now, and not a single one lived long." Ning Qingying frowned.
Huo Zhizhang recalled the past.
Back then, not long after his own mother passed away, his aunt's first husband coincidentally also died in an accident. At that time, the Ning family had suggested that his father marry his late mother's younger sister to care for young him and his older brother.
However, when his father came to ask him and his brother, he was too young and cried uncontrollably. His father, thinking he was unwilling, declined the Ning family's proposal.
After that, his aunt quickly remarried, this time to an official in Youzhou. Five years later, that official reportedly died from a sudden illness.
Another year passed, and his aunt married for the third time, to a Military Supervisor in Youzhou's Northern Defense. Yet, after only a few years, his third uncle-by-marriage was also gone.
"Aunt, you are naturally beautiful. Even now you look no more than twenty. You will surely find a suitable gentleman in the future," Huo Zhizhang said awkwardly.
Ning Qingying shook her head, tears falling. "With a destiny like mine, any ordinary man who takes me as his wife gains nothing but harm. Why should I bring misfortune upon them?"
Huo Zhizhang didn't really believe in such supernatural talk, but since his own aunt said so, he could only reply, "You will meet the right one in time."
"Zhizhang, your aunt has a favor to ask of you." Ning Qingying lifted her gaze.
She possessed an elegant, lotus-like beauty, with bright, expressive eyes and a cool, somewhat aloof demeanor. Now, with the beautiful woman in tears, she appeared even more pitiable.
Huo Zhizhang hurriedly said, "There's no need for the word 'favor.' Please speak freely. If it is within my power, I will certainly not refuse."
Ning Qingying: "A woman must eventually marry to have a place of shelter. But I have nowhere to go now, Zhizhang. Your father is no ordinary man. He is a rare hero, a golden carp destined for greatness, needing only a storm to transform. I wish to enter your father's household. I dare not aspire to the position of wife, only to be a concubine. I will mention this to your father later, and I hope you can support me when the time comes."
Pei Ying stood at the entrance of the side corridor, having overheard Ning Qingying's words. She felt stuck, unable to advance or retreat.
She had been standing there for a few moments, just as she decided she should turn back, a long arm encircled her from behind.
"Why is my wife standing here?"
