"So don't offend the royal family. You have to know who you can offend and who you can't. Those who know this live longer."
These words were full of profound meaning, and Yu Zhi's heart sank: "I will serve Fourth Miss well."
The warning had one meaning, but preventing her from bringing risks to her grandson as a descendant of the Liu family was another.
She only understands the first level now, but she will understand the second level sooner or later.
Compared to her most beloved grandson, the granddaughter was naturally the old lady's most precious treasure.
"Take this booklet."
The beautifully bound album was placed on the table. In front of the old lady, Yu Zhi dared not flip through it, but held it carefully in her arms and tactfully took her leave.
On the way back to Qinghui Courtyard, the wind and snow intensified, and Yuzhi's mind was filled with thoughts of "the Liu family of Jinghe".
When Xi Xi mentioned the Jinghe Liu family to her before, she didn't think much of it. To be precise, she didn't dare to think much of it. It sounded like a very powerful family, and she didn't dare to think about what she could possibly have to do with it.
But the old lady brought it up tonight.
The grandfather and grandson, even when chatting idly, would always talk about their shared family and surname.
The Liu family of Jinghe naturally bears the surname Liu.
My mother's surname is also Liu.
As Yu Zhi thought of the old lady's words about "the entire family being destroyed," she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine and shivered.
"Aunt?"
"It's alright." Yu Zhi steadied herself and strode through the wind and snow.
"Miss, your aunt has returned."
Wei Pingxi lay on the soft couch, feigning sleep: "How does she look?"
His expression was no different from usual.
"Go down."
Agate withdrew.
The fourth young lady secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although she had a general idea of what her grandmother would say and do when she summoned Zhizhi, she couldn't help but worry that Zhizhi would be harmed.
Such a delicate person couldn't even withstand the storms she provided, let alone the bloodshed outside or the awe-inspiring power of the emperor.
Yu Zhi stepped into Qinghui Courtyard, her bright smile returning to her face.
"You're back?"
"You're back." Yu Zhi put down the picture album wrapped in red cloth.
"Go wash up."
"Um……"
The fourth young lady is very clean, and with the cold wind and snow outside still on her, she absolutely cannot go to her bed.
Yu Zhi turned and went into the bathroom. Wei Pingxi's languid body suddenly straightened up, and he took a few steps to the table and picked up the picture book.
She opened the picture book and clicked her tongue softly.
Is this the gift that Grandma gave to Zhizhi?
The gift is a bit too much; it might embarrass someone who is easily embarrassed.
The fourth young lady turned the pages one by one, reading with great interest, marveling at how much her grandmother doted on her, finding such things for her.
Her gaze lingered on a particular page, and a smile played on her lips: This looks pretty good.
He lost track of time while looking at the picture book until he heard a noise from the bathroom. Wei Pingxi then alertly put the picture book back in its original position and continued to rest on the soft couch.
Yu Zhi walked barefoot on the wool blanket, her slender white legs seemingly glowing in the candlelight. Her delicate body was wrapped in a pure white undergarment, making her graceful and slender.
Seeing that the fourth young lady was sleeping soundly on the soft couch, she became curious, so she untied the red silk and opened the booklet inside.
As soon as she opened the beautifully bound picture book, her face flushed red.
Logically speaking, after being a concubine for several months, she was no longer the innocent flower girl she once was. However, the explicit scenes she saw still made her throw them away as if they were hot potatoes.
Regardless of whether it was a gift from the old lady or not, her heart skipped a beat as the picture album arced beautifully in the air.
This must not be seen by the Fourth Miss.
Yu Zhi rubbed her flushed face, bent down to pick up the booklet from the wool blanket, and tried to 'cover up the evidence'.
Bending down, his fingertips barely touching the edge of the picture book, Wei Pingxi opened his eyes and asked knowingly, "What are you picking up?"
Suddenly someone spoke, startling Yu Zhi so much that her legs went weak and she almost knelt down.
The fourth young lady yawned lazily: "Come on, let me take a look."
Yu Zhi, still shaken, cried out, "No, no, no, I can't show it to you!"
"..."
If you don't want to look, then don't look. You could have just changed your approach and fooled people. Instead, you chose the method that would most likely provoke rebellion.
Wei Pingxi stood up: "What if I insist on seeing it?"
Yu Zhi was unaware that she had already flipped through the booklet, and quickly hugged the picture book in her arms tightly: "This was given to me by the old lady. If you want to see it, go ask the old lady for it again."
Her voice softened, and she whispered, "I really can't show it to you..."
She wanted to get a good night's sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Moreover, having done it during the day, coming again at night might... She secretly glanced at the Fourth Miss: it might be seen as indulgence.
Wei Pingxi made it clear that he was determined to see, forcing the beauty to retreat step by step until she had nowhere left to go. Yu Zhi collapsed onto the carpet, tears welling in her eyes, and cried out, "Why are you like this..."
"What about me?"
"Domineering, unreasonable, and bullying!"
The fourth young lady showed no sign of being scolded. She reached out to help her up and said in a gentle voice, "If you don't want me to see it, then you should cover it up. Don't disappoint your grandmother's good intentions in giving you this gift."
Yu Zhi blushed and secretly cursed her.
"You must be tired, go to sleep early." Wei Pingxi led her to the bedside.
She lifted the bed curtains, undressed, and lay down first.
Yu Zhi thought about it for a while and originally wanted to use the picture album as a table leg, but since it was a gift from the old lady, she didn't have the courage to do so. Instead, she put the picture album into a hidden compartment in the dressing table, intending to keep it hidden from the world.
After finishing all that, she carefully climbed into bed—the fourth young lady was already asleep.
When she was asleep, the Fourth Miss was gentle and harmless, like a true fairy descended to earth. Yu Zhi lay down beside her in her undergarments, covered herself with the quilt, and fell into a strange dream.
In my dream, I returned to the year she was five years old, when pear blossoms fell like rain.
Her mother was hiding in the house, crying bitterly. She thought her mother was crying for her father, so she ran over to comfort her. Her mother hugged her tightly and wouldn't let go, sometimes saying that she was born well, and sometimes saying that she shouldn't have been born so well.
She was speaking incoherently, which frightened her mother.
In her dream, it seemed as if an invisible giant hand was approaching her, like the claw of a monster in mythology.
She called out to her mother, but her mother was far away. Yu Zhi struggled anxiously and looked up suddenly, only to see the monster slowly revealing its ugly form, with the words "Empress Dowager" shining brightly on its forehead.
She was so frightened that she lost her voice, and her back was soaked with sweat.
Wei Pingxi clutched his calf, which had been kicked and was in so much pain that he wanted to curse.
Whose concubine does acrobatics while sleeping?
Her concubine not only performed martial arts moves with pinpoint accuracy, but this time she had improved, kicking and stomping at her as if she owed her something in a past life.
I'm so angry.
She was so angry she couldn't sleep.
"Wake up!" she shoved Yuzhi.
Yu Zhi woke up crying, her eyes blurry with tears, a sight that evoked pity in me.
Having finally woken up from a nightmare, Yu Zhi felt a sense of grievance, as if she had escaped a terrible nightmare and was being disliked. She sobbed and threw herself into her arms.
Holding Wenxiang in his arms, Wei Pingxi's anger subsided slightly. He stroked her back and was surprised to find her inner shirt covered in cold sweat. The pent-up anger in his throat dissipated, and he said softly, "Were you having a nightmare?"
Yu Zhi didn't speak, she just kept crying.
The sobs were faint and weak; an uninformed person might have thought that the Fourth Miss was busy even at the fourth watch of the night.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here."
When the Fourth Miss is gentle, it's hard for most people to resist. Yu Zhi is no ordinary person; she's currently in tears and doesn't even notice the rare tenderness of her bedmate.
"Don't be afraid." Wei Pingxi kissed her forehead.
Inside the room, a lamp sat on the table, its shade protecting the flickering candlelight and illuminating a corner of the room.
A beautiful woman shedding tears always evokes pity. Wei Pingxi was not heartless after all. She herself had experienced nightmares and had personally experienced the fear and helplessness in her dreams. She treated Yu Zhi very well.
"I'm not afraid anymore..."
She kissed away his tears.
Yu Zhi only remembered holding her and asking her to protect her; she even forgot to resist when Wei Pingxi took off her clothes.
"You can't wear a sweaty undershirt, lest you catch a chill."
Holding the naked beauty in her arms, she had no malicious intent to bully her. She hummed a little tune from Lingnan Prefecture to lull Yuzhi to sleep, so much so that when Yuzhi woke up, she thought it was a dream.
A nightmare.
A beautiful dream.
She woke up early, just as dawn was breaking.
When she finally realized something was wrong, the lingering memories of last night came rushing back. Yu Zhi looked at the face so close to hers and was surprised by the tenderness of the Fourth Miss during the night.
Her face flushed. Even though she had lain naked next to the Fourth Miss more than once, some things would change over time.
For example, her heart pounding at this moment.
It's incredibly noisy.
Wei Pingxi hadn't slept well all night. He lazily opened his eyelids and gave a cold snort: "You're awake?"