By the time the flower-viewing banquet dispersed, the sky was nearing dusk.
The twilight fell like a fine, dense net, slowly enveloping the pavilions and towers of Shengjing, as well as the carriages and horses streaming out of the Princess's estate.
Lanterns lit up one after another along the streets, and the clamor of eateries and taverns drifted faintly through the carriage walls.
It was ordinary.
Peaceful.
A mortal world full of life that put one's heart at ease just by hearing it.
Pei Cijing leaned against the wall of the carriage, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade pendant in his sleeve. The warm, smooth touch of the mutton-fat white jade transmitted through the fabric, yet it burned so hot it made his heart flutter with panic.
Returning to Anle Residence.
In the inner chamber.
The candles were lit.
It was the pair of gilded goose-foot lamps brought over as part of Shen Ninghuan's dowry. The lamp bowls held clear apricot oil; the flames were steady, not glaring, washing the room in a warm yellow glow.
Pei Cijing sat in the armchair beneath the window.
His body leaned slightly forward.
He took out the jade pendant, resting it in his palm, the pad of his index finger stroking the scales of the swimming dragon carved onto the jade surface one by one. The carving was incredibly exquisite, the scales distinctly layered and slightly raised to the touch, gleaming with a warm, restrained luster under the candlelight.
He stroked it very slowly.
So slowly that he could almost count every single scale.
His complexion, however, was not as composed as his hand movements. His brows were furrowed, his lips pressed into a straight line, and his eyelashes drooped low, concealing the surging, volatile emotions in his eyes.
Husband?
Shen Ninghuan's voice came from the inner chamber.
She had just removed her hairpins and changed into a moon-white nightgown. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall as she walked out holding a cup of soothing tea.
She immediately noticed Pei Cijing's distracted state. Her footsteps paused for a moment before she approached, gently placing the teacup on the small table by the couch and sitting down next to him.
Ever since we returned from the Princess's estate, you have been weighed down by your thoughts. Shen Ninghuan turned sideways, reaching out to cover the back of his hand that held the jade pendant. Did something happen at the flower-viewing banquet today?
Her voice was soft and gentle.
Her eyes held undisguised concern.
Pei Cijing raised his head and met his wife's eyes, clear as water. The anxiety and unease that had been churning in his heart for half the day suddenly eased a little.
Having spent these days together, he knew exactly what kind of person his wife was.
Gentle on the surface.
But extremely assertive on the inside.
Smart, observant, and unflappable in the face of trouble. If it weren't for his transmigrator's knowledge that surpassed this era, and if it weren't for the system's assistance, he wouldn't be able to compare to his wife at all.
Pei Cijing gently placed the jade pendant in his hand onto the table, producing a soft thud. His voice was kept very low, almost reduced to a whisper. Today at the Princess's estate... I stumbled upon a massive secret.
Shen Ninghuan's brows twitched slightly.
She did not rush him.
She just looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.
Pei Cijing paused, as if weighing his words. After a long while, he slowly uttered a few words: The Ninth Prince... might be female.
Shen Ninghuan's pupils shrank slightly.
She froze, clearly not expecting such an answer. The astonishment on her face was plainly visible, but soon, that bit of shock was replaced by deeper curiosity and solemnity.
Female? she repeated, her voice unconsciously dropping lower. But the Ninth Prince has held the status of a prince since childhood. With so many eyes in the palace, the imperial physicians, the servants... how could they make a mistake?
Not an ordinary woman either. Pei Cijing knew this was hard to understand, so he explained further to his wife. The Ninth Prince likely has a congenital condition, referred to in medical texts as a hermaphrodite, appearing male on the outside but actually female on the inside. She has all the internal organs and meridians a woman should have.
It is just that her external genitalia developed abnormally, resembling a male organ, hence... her gender was misjudged.
If this condition was discovered in infancy, it might have been treated early. But in her case... she was clearly raised as a boy from a young age, and no one ever suspected a thing.
Pei Cijing stopped speaking at this point.
The news was too shocking.
He had to give his wife some time to digest it.
Of course, regarding the Ninth Prince's condition, there were many things he left unsaid.
For instance, he had a way to help the other party turn back into a normal girl. He only needed to remove the deformity, heal the wound, and supplement it with medicinal treatment. After a few months, she could be restored to her female body.
Her future marriage and childbearing would be no different from any ordinary woman's.
Although the surgical procedure required extreme precision, the medical environment of this era was primitive, and the post-operative care needed to be comprehensive. In short, achieving all this would be very difficult, but not impossible.
He possessed the certainty of a healer.
That was the confidence brought to him by his Divine Healer skill.
Shen Ninghuan listened quietly as Pei Cijing finished. The light and shadows in her eyes shifted, from shock to realization, to solemnity, and finally settling into a deep contemplation.
She did not press for more details.
Instead, she changed the subject, immediately grasping the crux of the matter: Who else knows about this?
My wife is indeed brilliant! Pei Cijing smiled bitterly. Someone in the Imperial Hospital must know. After all, whether one is male or female, the pulse cannot deceive people. But no one dares to speak of it.
Today the Ninth Prince suffered a sudden abdominal pain, which was actually a woman's menstrual cramp. Observing her appearance and pulse, I grew suspicious and took a few extra looks. Unexpectedly... I was spotted by the Sixth Prince.
He sighed.
He then recounted his entire conversation with Li Chengyu in the waterside pavilion to Shen Ninghuan, leaving nothing out.
From Li Chengyu's probing to his own evasion, and finally to the hint that twins look exactly alike, as well as the jade pendant given as hush money.
Not a single word was omitted.
After finishing, he let out a long breath of stale air, as if unloading a thousand-pound burden. He leaned back into his chair and raised a hand to rub the space between his brows.
Wife, his voice carried a rare, undisguised exhaustion and bewilderment. This matter... seems to be resolved, but I still have some worries in my heart.
He closed his eyes.
The system gave me a great piece of gossip, 2599 points, bringing my balance straight to four thousand... but this gossip is deadly!
If this gets exposed, let alone me, the entire Marquis's estate and the Shen family will probably be implicated...
I still need to find a good escape route...
Grandfather mentioned in his letter last year that he discovered three gold mountains overseas and said he would leave one for me. If it really comes to that, perhaps... I can only take my family and flee overseas.
These inner thoughts.
Shen Ninghuan heard them loud and clear.
She looked at the lingering worry between his brows. Her heart softened, yet she also found it somewhat amusing. Nothing bad has necessarily happened yet, but he is already thinking of fleeing, and even eyeing her grandfather's gold mountain.
She really didn't know what to say...
But she didn't point it out.
She merely held his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her voice was warm and slow, yet it carried a comforting power as she said, Husband, you do not need to worry too much! From Ninghuan's perspective, there was nothing wrong with your response today. The sudden appearance of the Sixth Prince was not something anyone could control.
Shen Ninghuan paused, her gaze deepening.
According to what you said, this Sixth Prince is not someone who acts recklessly or impulsively. Since he already knows, he will surely make arrangements moving forward, whether it is secretly seeking a doctor to treat the Ninth Prince, or finding a way to cover it up. In short... this matter will most likely be handled and contained within a very small circle.
She looked at Pei Cijing, her eyes clear and resolute: He will not let this blow up!
"Why?" Pei Cijing asked instinctively.
"Because if this blows up, it will bring nothing but harm to him, to the Ninth Prince, and to the entire royal family," Shen Ninghuan said slowly. "The Sixth Prince is a smart man, and a smart man... would not do something so foolish that harms others without benefiting himself."
She reached out, her fingertips lightly tapping the jade pendant on the desk.
"Since he has accepted your favor and given you this jade pendant as a token, he is telling you plainly—he has taken over this matter and will bear the consequences. As long as we keep our mouths shut, we will be perfectly safe."
"Furthermore..."
The corners of Shen Ninghuan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a very faint yet meaningful smile.
"Who is to say this matter is a curse for us and not a blessing?"
"The Sixth Prince is the legitimate son of the current Empress. His reputation in the court is growing by the day, and his future... is limitless." Shen Ninghuan lowered her voice further, almost to a whisper. "Although you didn't say it explicitly today, you gave him a monumental hint. He will remember this favor."
"If we ever need it in the future, this jade pendant... might just buy us his protection."
Watching Pei Cijing's eyes gradually light up, she softly added, "Of course, the premise is—we must truly be able to keep the secret."
Pei Cijing fell silent for a moment.
Then.
He let out a long, slow breath.
The shoulders and back that had been tense all afternoon finally relaxed completely. He reached back and held Shen Ninghuan's hand; his palm was warm, carrying a thin layer of sweat.
"You are right, my wife," his voice returned to its usual relaxed tone, even carrying a hint of a smile. "I was overthinking it—always expecting the worst outcome, but forgetting that in this world, fortune and misfortune always go hand in hand."
He paused, then muttered softly, "Still... we should figure out an escape route. It's better to be safe than sorry. You can never be too careful..."
Shen Ninghuan couldn't help but laugh.
She shook her head but said nothing more.
She simply stood up, walked behind him, and reached out to gently massage his tense temples. The pressure was neither too light nor too heavy, just right.
Pei Cijing let out a comfortable sigh, leaned back against her, and closed his eyes.
The candlelight burned quietly.
From outside the window came the faint sound of the night watchman's clapper—it was the second watch of the night.
Under Shen Ninghuan's gentle massage, Pei Cijing's breathing gradually became steady and long, and his furrowed brows smoothed out. The soul-stirring fear and anxiety of the entire afternoon finally dissipated at this moment.
He fell asleep.
He slept very deeply.
Shen Ninghuan stopped her movements and looked down at his peaceful sleeping face, her eyes softening.
After a long time.
She gently withdrew her hands, took a folded light blanket from the side, and carefully draped it over him. Then, she walked to the desk, picked up the mutton-fat white jade pendant, and examined it closely against the candlelight.
The jade was warm and smooth.
The carved dragon was incredibly lifelike.
She looked at it for a moment, then gently tucked the jade pendant into a hidden compartment at the very bottom of her jewelry box.
With a soft click.
The box was closed.
Let this secret stop with just the two of them as husband and wife for now!
