The Slender Waist-Chapter 297 - 206: Disavowal After the Fact

The storm finally stopped by noon the next day.

After the rain, the sky cleared, and birds flitted cheerfully through the damp woods, chirping incessantly. A mist lingered over the river, and the sky was as clear as if it had been washed.

But Zuo Zhong and others noticed that the Great General’s mood didn’t seem too good.

He came out with a cold face at dawn. Although he did not get angry, this was definitely not the relaxed and content look that should have followed satisfaction.

A few guards speculated in private, puzzled and at a loss.

It was the observant Jiu You who noticed several scratch marks on the General’s nape, clearly the work of a lady, skin broken, presenting a rather distressing sight.

Could it be that the two of them didn’t have a pleasant time last night?

They didn’t dare to ask, they could only wait.

It wasn’t until noon that they sent food into the room.

The handmaidens saw Feng Yun leaning against the soft cushion at the head of the bed, her eyelids half-closed, her complexion like porcelain and jade, and her lips like crimson cherries. Her demeanor was languid, with a hint of exhaustion, like a cat that hadn’t gotten enough sleep, exquisitely beautiful to an inconceivable degree.

As women themselves, they were also spellbound by her beauty.

"Madam looks even more beautiful than yesterday," one remarked.

"Is that so?" Feng Yun said, thanking with a word and extending her hand to Qingmei, "Thank you for the trouble."

Qingmei hurried over to help her dress and wash up, and then to eat.

It wasn’t that Feng Yun liked to lord over people—in fact, she really could not muster any strength. The soreness from being invaded by such a massive presence left her feeling as if she had fallen apart, making even walking difficult.

By the time they departed the villa, the sun was already halfway up the sky.

Feng Yun looked around at the group of familiar faces as if nothing had happened. With grace and propriety, she smiled and greeted everyone in turn, though a faint blush on her ears betrayed her inner discomfort.

Pei Jue remained silent, extending his hand to her.

Upon seeing this, Chunyu Yan remarked, "It’s freezing. How cold it must be to ride a horse. Brother Wangzhi, how can you not show a bit of tenderness for the fairer sex?"

He seized the opportunity to needle Pei Jue before calling over Sang Jiao,

"Bring the carriage around; make sure to take Madam back to Chunpei Academy."

Sang Jiao glanced at Pei Jue’s face, cold and indifferent as a god of death, and felt a shiver down his spine.

He thought his master really knew how to court a beating.

Was last night’s skirmish not to his satisfaction, that he had to provoke the tiger further?

Fortunately, while Pei Jue’s face was not pleasant to look at today, he seemed not to want to quarrel, giving Sang Jiao a glance before passing the horse’s reins to Ye Chuang.

"General, the carriage has arrived."

Sang Jiao had yet to turn away when they heard the sound of a carriage approaching from outside the estate.

Shortly after, with a command of "halt," it stopped at the entrance.

"Madam, please get into the carriage."

Feng Yun glanced at Pei Jue.

Quite considerate.

In such cold weather, if he held her again on the horseback to face the chilling wind, she probably would indeed fall apart before reaching Xinzhou.

She slowly bowed to Chunyu Yan, bidding farewell, then took a deep breath and slowly made her way to the carriage.

To avoid embarrassment in front of others, she had to endure the discomfort in her body and not let it show.

But Pei Jue clearly didn’t think so.

He expressionlessly grabbed her arm and scooped her up in his arms with a swing, stepping up into the carriage.

As the curtains were drawn, shutting out those inquisitive gazes, Feng Yun finally let out a comfortable sigh and slumped down.

The carriage was fragrant, warmed by a charcoal stove, and lined with thick blankets.

Pei Jue sat across from her, silent from beginning to end, aloof as if he were a stranger.

This man truly was taciturn.

Feng Yun leaned closer to inspect his complexion and brushed her nose lightly against his high, straight nose, "Don’t be angry anymore. I didn’t do it on purpose."

Pei Jue slightly lowered his eyes, gazing at the docile woman before him, faintly pursing his lips, still not uttering a sound.

A sulking man, a solid block of wood.

Feng Yun narrowed her eyes, sat down, and gently pinched his rough fingers, sighing softly like a spoiled child, "It still hurts."

Pei Jue wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her in close to find a comfortable position, allowing her to lean against him, though his body was tensely rigid like a great rock.

Feng Yun curled up in his embrace, feeling as though oppressed by a heavy gloom. Though they were pressed tightly together, she could not feel his warmth, leaving her both irritated and amused.

"General, don’t be upset. I’ll think carefully about it when I get back; maybe I’ll remember it then?"

Pei Jue gave her a glance.

It seemed he was very angry with her—silent throughout the journey, he dropped her off at Chunpei Academy and left without looking back.

Xiaoman and Daman were waiting at the entrance, both a bit anxious at the sight of the General’s stern, intimidating expression.

"Is the lady well? Xiaoman has been worried sick."

"Mhm," Feng Yun replied, not in the mood to elaborate, nodding, "I’m fine."

"Was it the General who found the lady?" Xiaoman asked.

Once again, Feng Yun nodded, letting Xiaoman help her onto the soft couch. She didn’t feel like moving or talking.

Xiaoman inquired, "Is there something troubling the lady?"

Feng Yun, lacking strength and with her legs limply hanging down, shook her head.

"Prepare some water, I want to take a bath."

A bath could relieve fatigue and also help clear her mind.

Xiaoman looked at her puzzledly, then went to make arrangements. When the water was ready, she helped the person into the cleansing room, stripped off the clothes, and saw the snow-white body of the young lady marked with those spots and crimson stains. Her mouth agape, she was so shocked she nearly cried.

"The General is too rough. How can the General treat a lady like this? It’s just, it’s beastly..."

Feng Yun squinted slightly as she immersed her body into the warm water of the tub.

"No... I’m the beast."

At the time of the incident, her consciousness was not very clear; upon waking, it was as if poison had soaked her brain, her entire memory fragmented. Countless pieces mixed with those from her previous life, blurred and unclear, as if she had been ensnared by an indecently romantic dream...

Was it she who forced Pei Jue?

He had been unwilling at first, but later...

It could be considered half-hearted consent.

But what might have angered Pei Jue the most was probably not that.

It was that this morning, when she woke from her stupor, she knew nothing at all.

What she said, what she had done, she couldn’t remember anything.

As if the demoness who had clung to him, demanding him again and again last night, wasn’t her.

She vehemently denied everything that happened last night, and if it weren’t for her body reminding her, she probably wouldn’t even admit that she had been intimate with him.

At that time, Pei Jue was so angry his face went stiff, revealing the full extent of the scratch marks on his back, as if he had been severely bullied by her...

To deny everything afterward, she really was acting like a scumbag.

Thus, it was only natural for Pei Jue to be sulky.

But since she couldn’t remember clearly, she wouldn’t acknowledge it, no matter how angry it made him.

Feng Yun let out a low chuckle, which was suddenly interrupted by the warmth that started trickling beneath her. Her expression grew solemn.

He had done it many times inside her last night, which was completely different from their previous life.

Before, she had begged him and he would not give in; why was he so unrestrained now?

She was puzzled and had tentatively asked that morning.

He had just said, "Antidote."

And then he looked at her with a cold face, "Isn’t it what you wanted?"

Unable to continue asking, Feng Yun then convinced herself with that same reason. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Maybe it was an idea from that odd doctor, Puyang Jiu?

-

Beiyong Army camp.

Puyang Jiu, elbows on the edge of the desk, leaned forward with interest to scrutinize Pei Jue’s countenance.

"Your look is stern, seemingly angry but not quite, like someone who came to collect a debt but ended up getting beaten instead. Such a pitiful sight..."

He hissed in confusion.

"Usually your face is long enough, but now you’ve got what you wanted, why aren’t you happy? Didn’t you have your fill?"

Pei Jue gave him a cold glance and remained silent.

Puyang Jiu grew even more curious, "Did Sister-in-law leave you unsatisfied?"

Pei Jue looked up, "You may leave now."

Puyang Jiu hooked his lips into a smile, "People should come forward when they are needed, and move away when they aren’t. Pei Wangzhi, I’m the poor soul you dug out of bed in the middle of the night. You sure have the heart to mistreat me."

Seeing that Pei Jue still ignored him, he stretched lazily, yawned, turned around and said, "Well, two bottles of Pearl Charms and Jade Gates won’t last a lifetime; there’ll come a time when you need me. Oh, by the way, my father just sent me two new prescriptions, and I found one of the secret recipes quite intriguing..."

"She refuses to acknowledge it," Pei Jue suddenly said in a deep voice, cutting him off.

Puyang Jiu didn’t catch on for a moment.

"Refuse to acknowledge? Acknowledge what?"

Pei Jue’s lips moved, struggling to articulate his thoughts.

Instead, he fixed Puyang Jiu with a piercing gaze and asked, "Does one forget the actions taken, the words spoken when the poison takes effect, after the antidote is applied?"

"This..." Puyang Jiu had never experienced the poison himself, nor did he have any experience with it, how would he know?

"What can be ascertained now is that the poison can indeed be alleviated through the union of Yin and Yang. But the phenomenon you’ve mentioned, Brother, is something I’ve never heard of before, quite peculiar..."

He eyed Pei Jue and ventured softly, "Could it be that Sister-in-law is too embarrassed to admit it?"

"I don’t know." If she truly couldn’t remember anything, that would be one thing...

Except, she still remembered the "Le Zhengzi-crafted" goat hairbrush; the moment she awoke, she frantically searched everywhere for it.

Then she treasured it like a precious item, storing it in a box, blissfully unaware of what he had used that brush for...

Dark clouds gathered in Pei Jue’s eyes as he stared at the writing brush on the desk. Suddenly irritated, he grabbed the brush holder and tossed it aside, out of sight, out of mind.

Puyang Jiu, unsure of how a few writing brushes could have offended him, stroked his chin and shook his head in thought.

"Such a peculiar poison. How about I go see Sister-in-law later and ask her in detail?"

Before he finished speaking, Pei Jue’s gaze flung at him like a knife.

How could a man like Puyang Jiu ask about matters of the bedchamber?

Seeing Pei Jue’s unsatisfied look, Puyang Jiu offered a few words of comfort and then added, "In my opinion, no need to fret over this. The best medicine cannot cure instantly. Perhaps if Wangzhi feeds her a few more doses, she might gradually recover..."

"Get out!" Pei Jue looked at him coldly.

"Fine. I’ll go find Sister-in-law."

Puyang Jiu left briskly, and as he looked at the glaring sunlight, he suddenly let out a breath of relief.

Damn it, no matter what, at least the deed was done, his hard work wasn’t in vain. From now on, he no longer had to worry about his brother’s matters below the belt.