"..."
Yu Zhi's back tensed up as she racked her brains, trying to figure out where she had given herself away. The more she thought about it, the more helpless she felt, and all she could think of was that "little country bumpkin."
"Want to eat it? I'll teach you." Wei Pingxi didn't want to make her cry, so he held the long chopsticks and began to speak eloquently: "This is 'Immortal's Delicacy,' and the most exquisite part of the whole dish is..."
She was clearly a southerner herself, and she spoke of those strange and unusual dishes with great familiarity. When Yu Zhi tasted the thinly sliced venison that she had personally cut with a silver knife, her eyes lit up with a smile.
Wei Pingxi patiently explained to her how to eat each dish, and her shy concubine smiled brightly.
Whether it was the Fourth Miss's rare gentleness and patience or Yu Zhi's rare beauty, the crowd gradually quieted down.
They all stared at the two who seemed to be getting along well.
"Try this one too, is it good?"
Yu Zhi's eyes were wide open, her taste buds were fully satisfied, and her eyes sparkled: "Delicious!"
"You won't feed me when I'm hungry, so I'll feed you when you're starving..."
Yu Zhi smiled and fed her.
Halfway through feeding them, she froze—why was everyone staring at them?
After chewing, Wei Pingxi blinked his long eyelashes and said, "Grandparents, Mother, Uncle and Aunt, Cousin, eat quickly, or it will get cold."
Her face was calm and composed as she held a pot of fruit wine in her hand and filled a porcelain glass.
Fortunately, Yuzhi had eaten her fill and was now acting as a beautiful and quiet vase, maintaining her composure.
"My dear grandson treats his concubine very well..."
After a satisfying meal and while enjoying some snacks and tea, Madam Yan sat facing her daughter and asked, "Have you checked? Does she look like that?"
Madam Wei gently twirled her prayer beads: "I've investigated; they're from the Liu family of Jinghe."
The old lady was taken aback and muttered to herself, "No wonder she looked familiar. Only 'Jinghe Liu' could have such a face. Does Pingxi know her?"
"You should know that her people have tracked down the Liu family."
"Jinghe Liu," the old lady sighed, "If we talk about the pride of scholars in the world, our Yan family was no match for the Liu family back then. Your father still remembers Liu Zicheng's brilliance and is still upset that he couldn't protect him."
"Unexpectedly, his descendant became Pingxi's concubine."
Life is a cycle, full of unexpected twists and turns. To be willing to become someone's concubine shows one has reached the end of their rope.
“If it were any other family’s daughter, I might not be so worried. But the Empress Dowager is still alive. If she finds out that the Liu family’s descendants haven’t all died out, it might cause trouble for Pingxi.” The old lady said slowly, “For both moral and practical reasons, we have to help the Liu family, but…”
"Is Mother worried that Pingxi will be bewitched by that woman and lose his true love?"
"After all, it is 'Jinghe Willow'."
No matter how many years have passed, there will always be emperors who ruin their countries because of beautiful women. Speaking of all the bewitching concubines in the world, half of them came from the Liu family.
"The women in their family seem to possess a magical power that makes people forget life and death..."
Madam Wei laughed and said, "Mother, you think too highly of her. Perhaps you don't understand Pingxi. She is my daughter, and no one knows her character better than me. At most, she'll get tired of playing with her in two months and let go. Let her get tired of it on her own, so she won't complain to me later."
"I hope so." The old lady stared at her hands as she fiddled with the prayer beads. "Aren't you tired of worshipping Buddha yet?"
"Just for peace of mind."
The mother and daughter chatted over tea, while Wei Pingxi soaked in the hot spring to wash away the lingering taste of the meal, looking languid.
After leaving the pool, Yuzhi helped her change into brand-new clothes: "Shall we go play?"
“Go. Why not go?” Wei Pingxi looked down at her as she bent down to adjust the belt around his waist, his hand unconsciously stroking her soft, long hair. “Do you want to change into men’s clothing?”
"Change into men's clothing?"
Yu Zhi had never worn men's clothing before, and she was curious about what it would look like: "Can I wear it?"
"If I say it's okay, then it's okay."
Fifteen minutes later, Emerald entered the room carrying a new set of clothes.
Dressed in white robes with a jade belt and wide sleeves, Wei Pingxi enthusiastically tied up her hair and inserted a hairpin, saying, "Come and see."
Yu Zhi walked to the mirror and stood there. She saw that the person in the mirror had red lips and white teeth, fair skin and a refined air. Even if she was dressed in men's clothing, it was easy to tell that she was a woman.
"This isn't right, your eyebrows and eyes are too alluring." Wei Pingxi took out an eyebrow pencil and pressed down on her shoulder: "I'll draw your eyebrows, don't move around."
Since ancient times, eyebrow drawing has been a pleasure in the boudoir. Yu Zhi's face flushed slightly, and she remained completely still. Her charming willow-leaf eyes gazed at the serious and focused Fourth Miss, her heart pounding.
"I will keep my concubine in my room to look at her properly and not let outsiders see her. However, it is not practical to not let her see her at all. You are not someone who is ashamed to be seen. You will go out eventually."
"The later the better, so you don't attract a swarm of annoying flies to my home."
Her attitude was rude, but Yuzhi really wanted to laugh.
"Don't laugh, I won't care if it's crooked."
"..."
Yu Zhi obediently cooperated with her, but no matter how the Fourth Miss painted, she was never satisfied. Bored while waiting, she asked, "Why is my admirer such an annoying fly?"
She remembered it perfectly well: there were many men and women in the Great Yan Dynasty who admired Miss Wei.
“Calling it a fly is being polite, but calling it a dog—” Wei Pingxi snorted, “You know what I mean.”
Yu Zhi unconsciously curved her eyebrows.
She really liked the fourth young lady who eased her embarrassment, drew her eyebrows, and kept secrets from her.
"I told you not to move."
Wei Pingxi twirled the eyebrow pencil between his fingers, then lifted the beauty's chin with two fingers: "If you can't draw it well, why don't you go out wearing a veil?"
"Won't you give it a try? I promise I'll be honest."
"How honest can you be?" The fourth young lady suddenly kissed the beauty's lips: "I've been staring at you for a while and I really want you."
Yu Zhi didn't know how to respond, and hesitated for a long time before saying, "It's still daytime now..."
"Wouldn't it be clearer during the day?"
"don't want……"
"Alright then, let's go out and have some fun."
"..."
Yu Zhi was momentarily taken aback by her sudden change in being so agreeable.
She moved her weak legs and watched as the fourth young lady turned around to find a veil to cover her face, her throat bobbing slightly.
"Miss, several young gentlemen have come looking for you."
"Let them wait outside the courtyard."
Wei Pingxi picked up a piece of silk veil and examined it: "This will do."
She put it on Yuzhi, examined it for a few moments, and said with satisfaction, "Not bad, I like it."
Wearing a veil, Yu Zhi's watery eyes revealed a hint of joy. Even before stepping out of the door, she was already looking forward to the scenery outside.
"We can't leave yet."
She held Yu Zhi's slender waist, and Yu Zhi's expression gradually changed from confusion to understanding. Miss Wei smiled and said, "How about just once?"
Yu Zhi slowly placed her arm around her neck; the veil concealed her face, allowing only her shy eyes to be seen.
“No, you lean on the windowsill…” Wei Pingxi adjusted her posture, her lips slightly parted as she uttered words that made her blush.
Time passed slowly, and the four brothers waiting outside the courtyard were unaware of what was happening inside. Soon, snow began to fall, and Yan Ruxiu wondered, "Why hasn't my cousin come out yet?"
"Who knows? Let's wait and see."
"Is my cousin really that good at martial arts? Or is my brother just kidding me?"
"What good would it do you to scare me? Do you think I'm that bored?" Yan Ruqing immediately told him about her trip to the Wei family to support her cousin.
"In the blink of an eye, Old Master Wei was angry that I had offended his grandson and tried to cripple my meridians. How dangerous that was! Just then, a golden leaf flew through the air and blocked the old man's attack, which gave me a chance to survive."
"A gold leaf? Using a gold leaf to save someone, that's quite impressive internal strength. Did your cousin save your brother?" Yan Ruxiu asked with curiosity.
“Exactly!” Yan Ruqing straightened up: “My cousin’s martial arts skills are above mine, so if you go to find her, be prepared to be defeated.”
"Wouldn't it be more exciting to be defeated?" Yan Ruxiu and Yan Ruying's eyes lit up.
"Hmph, don't cry when you lose too badly."
"Don't cry, don't cry! The more amazing your cousin is, the happier we are!"
A faint, intermittent sob drifted into the inner room. The fourth young lady, having tasted the pleasure briefly, patiently helped the beauty put on her panties: "Did I... hurt you?"
“No…” Yu Zhi’s face was flushed, and she was on the verge of sobbing: “Hold me…”
"Okay, I'll hug you." Wei Pingxi turned her over so she would face him. Seeing her eyes red from crying, he felt a pang of pity: "Didn't you say you felt better? Why are you still crying?"
Yu Zhi nestled into her arms, her voice slightly hoarse: "I couldn't help it..."
She couldn't resist touching her.
I can't help but like it, and I can't help but want to cry.
She always felt that every time she came, it would be one less time. If she left the Fourth Miss, the Fourth Miss might have many more women, but she only ever had one.
"Take your time, and then wear a veil when you go out with me?"
"Hmm..." Yu Zhi took a deep breath of the agarwood fragrance emanating from her, her head feeling slightly dizzy.
"They're out! They're out!" Yan Ruqing shouted.
"Huh? She's wearing a veil?"
"With so many people around, it'll be quieter if you wear one." Wei Pingxi held Yu Zhi's hand: "I don't need to wear one."
The four Yan brothers were all shrewd and astute. After careful consideration, they dared not keep their eyes on their cousin's concubine. Their cousin was beautiful and had an ethereal air about her, but they didn't expect her to be so jealous.
How jealous must she be to mind if someone else glances at her concubine?
We can't afford to mess with them.
Yu Zhi's blush hadn't faded yet as she intimately entwined her hand with the Fourth Miss's. If she wasn't mistaken, the Fourth Miss had just used this very finger...
Her breath hitched.
Having just gone through that incident, she couldn't walk fast, but fortunately Wei Pingxi was considerate and strolled leisurely with her along the long streets of the capital.