Chapter 34 (2/2)

‘Luckily I haven’t done anything to offend you,’ Gentleman Su said. ‘Otherwise I wouldn’t know I was dying slowly.’

‘Of course you have offended me,’ Pei Jin said. ‘Each time you send a new dress here, you raise the price.’

‘What offence?’ Gentleman Su asked. ‘My money is your money. Think of it as me helping invest your money. Look at the profits I’ve given you all these years. But you haven’t even thanked me once. Of course after you succeed, remember to let me become the treasurer. At that time it doesn’t matter how much money is in the palace, I’m certain I’ll help you double it.’

Pei Jin laughed. ‘Do you think it’s easy to be a treasurer?’

‘How hard can it be?’ Gentleman Su asked. ‘I think you’re father-in-law does have brain. What do you want me to do next? Do you want me to send gifts to the Yan Manor?’

‘For now let my father-in-law find out on his own,’ Pei Jin said.

‘I understand,’ Gentleman Su said. ‘I’ll choose a good day to show the accounting books of dresses, shoes and jewellery Lady Yan bought. It’s a large sum, Yan Jing wouldn’t have that many silver taels. He’ll ask me to look for Princess Kang Hua… she’ll ask me to look for Yan Jing and he’ll wonder why she’s a pauper. What about Lady Yan’s fake pregnancy?’

‘I want Yan Shi Ting’s pregnancy to be exposed in front of imperial father,’ Pei Jin said. ‘So I need to wait until the crown prince and Yan Shi Ting’s wedding day. But I haven’t thought of a way to expose her without leaving a trace.’

‘You can borrow someone else’s dagger,’ Bei Dou said.

‘Whose dagger?’ Pei Jin asked.

‘Xiao Dou is right,’ Gentleman Su said. ‘How can this news spread to seventh prince?’

One of Pei Jin’s guards, Xiao Ping entered Bei Dou’s chamber.

‘Ninth prince, I found out who owns Fu Qing,’ Xiao Ping said.

‘Who?’ Bei Dou asked.

‘Seventh prince,’ Xiao Ping said.

Pei Jin smiled and looked at Bei Dou. ‘Bei Dou, it appears tonight you’ll need to climb walls.’

Bei Dou’s goose bumps warned him that he would also be taking three warm baths that night.

Yan Shi Ning didn’t ask what Pei Jin did during the day. All she knew was the MF Pei Jin ate her in bed from night to dawn. Each morning she would wake up with a sore waist, back, neck and thighs. After a few nights rolling on the bed with him, she began to adjust to the different positions. But she hadn’t adjusted to waking up late in the mornings, neither did her temper. Because she overheard a new rumor spread throughout the imperial city, gentle ninth prince’s wife loves to sleep and doesn’t wake up until midday.

Yan Shi Ning thought her gentle lady image was ruined. How could a gentle lady wake up at midday? So that night she carried a blanket and pillow to sleep in a different chamber. But the following morning she woke up and saw the MF Pei Jin laid next to her. Afterward he ate her until midday.

Finally Yan Shi Ning couldn’t hold back her temper and gave Pei Jin three conditions if he wanted to sleep with her.

‘Only once a day?’ Pei Jin asked.

‘Yes,’ Yan Shi Ning said.

‘Each time no longer than half a shichen hour?’ Pei Jin asked.

‘Yes,’ Yan Shi Ning said.

Pei Jin held Yan Shi Ning’s shoulders and shook her body. ‘Wife, wake up. Don’t dream anymore.’

Yan Shi Ning felt pitiful, day or night there were red kiss marks all over her body.

Pei Jin pulled the blanket over his and Yan Shi Ning’s naked bodies. He watched her fall asleep. He knew she wanted a carefree life so he wanted to give her a carefree life. He was willing to silently help her chase away her shadows.

***

End of Chapter Thirty-Fou