Chapter 113: Adept at Acting
Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Adept at Acting
The man who saw them standing together strode over.
In broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of all, Xie Jinbai didn’t spare her a glance. Instead, he said to Shen Tingyu, "My apologies for the disturbance last night. It’s getting late, and I have important matters to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave."
"Of course," Shen Tingyu said with a slight nod and a cupped-fist salute. "This official respectfully sees Your Highness off."
Xie Jinbai grunted in acknowledgment. Before turning to board his carriage, his gaze flicked past Cui Lingyao.
His eyes were cool and detached, as if he were truly looking at an unrelated stranger.
There was no hint of the clingy affection he’d shown last night, when he had held her and refused to let go.
’Then again...’
’This man was always good at acting.’
’She remembered the day Li Wanrong joined the household. Hadn’t he acted just as coldly toward her in public then, while being so indulgent with Li Wanrong?’ Cui Lingyao couldn’t help but snort.
In truth, the sound was faint, but Xie Jinbai had excellent hearing.
The man, already about to step into the carriage, froze for an instant when he heard the snort.
He wanted to ask her what was wrong now, but with so many people watching, he ultimately decided against turning around.
The wheels began to turn slowly.
Soon, the carriage disappeared from view.
Shen Tingyu took the empty bowl from her hands. "Let’s get back in the carriage," he said. "We should be on our way."
He didn’t ask if she had decided to reconcile with Xie Jinbai.
Cui Lingyao, for her part, had no intention of bringing the subject up again.
After packing their belongings and extinguishing the bonfire, they made sure nothing was left behind before the convoy set out once more.
Over the next two days, the weather grew colder, with intermittent rain.
The landscape along the road was a picture of autumn desolation.
Treading over a carpet of withered yellow leaves, they arrived at Pingzhou City.
The day after Mrs. Shen died, the Duke Mansion had dispatched a messenger to ride ahead to the Pei Family in Pingzhou to deliver the news.
The Pei Family was one of Pingzhou’s prominent households, but it paled in comparison to the Duke Mansion in the Capital City.
Especially in recent years, the family had suffered a talent drought. After Pei Shu’s death, they had no one serving in the imperial court. Their most promising clansman was currently just a fifth-rank local official, and the family’s future was a constant source of worry.
When they received the news and heard that the eldest grandson of the Duke was personally escorting the coffin, they naturally didn’t dare to be neglectful.
They had calculated the likely date of arrival and had been waiting at the city gates every day for the past several days.
With Mrs. Shen’s coffin in tow, the Shen Family’s convoy was conspicuous. The Pei family spotted them the moment they entered the city and hurried forward to greet them.
Inside the carriage, Cui Lingyao was resting with her eyes closed when it suddenly lurched to a halt.
A moment later, Shen Er’s voice came from outside.
"Young Master," he reported, "the Pei family is here."
Cui Lingyao opened her eyes to see Shen Tingyu lifting the carriage curtain. "Who came to meet us?"
If it were only servants or junior family members, they wouldn’t need to exit the carriage.
But if...
"Several of the Pei clan elders. Two of them identified themselves as Miss Pei’s grandparents."
’The original owner’s grandparents.’
’She hadn’t seen them in three years, and now they had come to the city gate to welcome her personally.’
As their granddaughter, she couldn’t very well remain in the carriage without even showing her face.
Cui Lingyao straightened her dress, then took out a copper mirror to tidy the hair at her temples.
Shen Tingyu smiled as he watched her. "Do you have her memories from three years ago?"
"Her," of course, referred to Pei Shuyao.
Cui Lingyao replied, "I remember them, vaguely."
She wasn’t worried that the original owner’s grandparents would see through her disguise.
’Pei Shuyao’s grandparents had three sons and one daughter, and were blessed with a great many grandchildren. They hadn’t particularly doted on this one granddaughter who had lost her father.’
’They even resented her for not being a son, which meant their eldest son’s line had ended.’
’From start to finish, only Mrs. Shen had loved her daughter with all her heart.’
’If Mrs. Shen hadn’t been gravely ill when Cui Lingyao arrived, passing away just a few days later, she would have likely been the third person to realize she wasn’t Pei Shuyao.’
Once she had arranged her clothes, Cui Lingyao accepted Shen Tingyu’s hand and stepped down from the carriage.
A group of people stood not far away.
They all appeared quite elderly. The two in the center were the very grandparents from her memories.
Cui Lingyao walked forward. Tucking her chin slightly and crossing her hands over her waist, she performed a curtsy. "Shuyao greets Grandfather and Grandmother."
As she was traveling, she wasn’t ornately dressed. She wore a simple, light-colored dress, and her hair was styled plainly with only a single, unadorned hairpin. Not another piece of jewelry could be found on her.
Despite her plainness, she was still eye-catching as she stood there.
Her air of calm composure was not something an ordinary family could cultivate.
One would be hard-pressed to find another like her in all of Pingzhou City.
The granddaughter they hadn’t seen in three years now stood before them, poised and graceful. It was as if she were a completely different person; even her simple curtsy was performed with stunning elegance.
’The Imperial City truly molds a person,’ the grandmother thought. ’Even the trueborn daughter of a Duke could not be more graceful.’
Old Madam Pei was stunned for a moment before she hurried to help her granddaughter up. "Quick, raise your head. Let your grandmother have a good look at you."
Cui Lingyao did as she was told and raised her head.
Old Madam Pei studied her face for a long time, her eyes growing brighter and brighter. Finally, they reddened with tears. "You look just like your father," she choked out.
Her breathtakingly talented eldest son.
A quick-witted maidservant behind the old madam swiftly offered her a handkerchief.
Mr. Pei patted his wife’s shoulder. "There are too many people and prying eyes here," he said to his granddaughter. "It’s not the place to talk. First... first, let’s bring your mother home."
The other Pei clan elders also appeared perfectly amiable.
Cui Lingyao agreed in a low voice, bowed to them, then turned and was helped back into the carriage by Shen Tingyu.
Outside, Mr. Pei’s gaze flickered over their clasped hands.
Once they were back in the carriage, Shen Tingyu said, "When we get to the Pei Family’s home, don’t perform the formal kneeling rites."
He knew her true identity and couldn’t bear to see her kneel and kowtow to anyone.
She was taken aback by his sudden comment.
Then she remembered that as a junior member of the Pei family returning after many years, it was proper for her to kowtow when formally greeting her elders.
Cui Lingyao couldn’t even remember the last time she had kowtowed to anyone.
’There’s no custom of kowtowing in modern society.’
’In Great Yue, as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Mansion, she had only ever needed to curtsy, whether to her parents, her brothers, or guests. She had rarely even had to kneel, let alone kowtow.’
’Only when she had made a grave mistake, or on her parents’ birthdays to show respect, would she ever kowtow.’
’Beyond that, she had never kowtowed to anyone—not even the Empress.’
In this new life, the only time she had kneeled was to pay her respects at her mother Mrs. Shen’s memorial altar.
The thought of performing such a grand bow to the old Pei couple now made Cui Lingyao genuinely reluctant.
She frowned. "Won’t they say I’m being arrogant and disrespectful?"
"I’ll handle it," Shen Tingyu said with a small smile. "You just need to stand quietly beside me."
’He didn’t want her to suffer the slightest grievance.’
’He had already considered things she hadn’t even thought of herself.’
’He was determined to protect her completely, as her fiancé.’
Cui Lingyao’s heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. She lowered her gaze and said nothing.
Soon, the carriage came to a stop once more.
They had arrived at the Pei Mansion.
The lacquered-red main gates stood wide open.
Mr. Pei and Old Madam Pei, having returned ahead of them, stood at the entrance with their children and grandchildren to welcome the procession.
Several other Pei clan elders who had heard the news had also hurried over.
Cui Lingyao alighted from the carriage. Flanking Mrs. Shen’s coffin with Shen Tingyu, one on each side, she stepped through the main gates of the Pei Mansion.