Chapter Fifteen: Young Lady, Please Maintain Your Dignity

Delicate and fragile, Zhi Ning Shen was no match for a man honed by years of martial training. Carried effortlessly by him, she had no way to resist; even the two feeble punches she managed to land on him felt like mere tickles.

In the blink of an eye, Luoxue brought her to Pei Zhi’s carriage.

Standing outside, Luoxue respectfully clasped her hands and announced, “Young Master, your cousin has arrived.”

The carriage door slowly opened, revealing through the fine bamboo curtain a figure of austere, icy restraint.

“Get in,” the man’s voice was cool and deep, like the surface of a lake bathed in moonlight—serene and profound, reflecting the myriad scenes of the world.

Though his features were obscured by shadow behind the curtain, Zhi Ning Shen, standing outside, felt a prickling unease.

Her fingers curled instinctively.

Facing the noble and graceful man inside, she dared not take that step.

Noticing she remained still, Pei Zhi lifted his eyelids and said indifferently, “Does my cousin expect me to personally come out and invite you in?”

A heaviness settled in Zhi Ning Shen’s heart.

Blessing or curse, fate was unavoidable.

Clenching her teeth and steeling her resolve, she lifted the bamboo curtain and took a seat beside Pei Zhi.

The interior of the carriage was wrapped in silk, with cushions far more comfortable than those in her own carriage. Even the tea on the table was this year’s freshly brewed Yunwu tea.

Having been an empress in her past life, Zhi Ning Shen couldn’t help but silently curse the extravagance—others flaunted their wealth openly, but Pei Zhi’s fortune was discreet yet immense.

He had even adorned the window frames with jade pieces! Not to mention that the Yunwu tea was priceless and scarce, nearly impossible for ordinary people to obtain.

“A waste beyond measure!” she sighed deeply and closed her eyes, doing her best to ignore the man beside her.

Pei Zhi seemed unfazed by her change in demeanor. He lifted a cup of tea from the table, slowly swirling its contents. The steam veiled his handsome face in mystery.

Amid the fragrant mist, Zhi Ning Shen suddenly recalled that night when Pei Zhi stood beneath the umbrella, his expression cold and disdainful—he wouldn’t even let her touch the umbrella... Such a fastidious man, now sharing the same space with her—how would he behave?

Curious, she opened her eyes and glanced sideways at Pei Zhi’s reaction.

A small golden censer burned incense that made her feel nauseous, but the man sitting inside merely lowered his eyes to read the book in his hands, calm and unruffled.

The silence around was eerie, broken only by the occasional rustle of turning pages.

Having not slept all night, Zhi Ning Shen found herself growing drowsy in the quiet carriage, though reason warned her against it. Yet her body betrayed her and relaxed bit by bit.

Leaning back to find a comfortable position to drift off, a low voice startled her upright.

“I heard that you’ve been diligently studying in the study lately. Have you made any progress?”

Pei Zhi slowly set the book down and tapped the table twice with his fingers.

Rolling her eyes inwardly, Zhi Ning Shen turned her face away. “The profound wisdom in books is far beyond me. I merely read to pass the time. Progress? That’s hardly the word.”

So he woke her just to ask that?

She was speechless.

Pei Zhi’s expression remained indifferent, seemingly unaffected by her words. He went on, “I admit I was somewhat harsh at the ancestral hall that day. But as you journey to the capital, I hope you’ll remember my counsel: a woman should always be dignified and graceful.”

Zhi Ning Shen: ...

She would have preferred if he hadn’t mentioned that. The memory of her running away, only to be dragged back by him, still filled her with rage. Her father hadn’t said a word, yet Pei Zhi jabbered incessantly, insisting on strict discipline. According to the sages Pei Zhi read, was she supposed to stay locked in her room, never stepping outside, to be considered a proper woman?

She would never forget the hateful expression on Pei Zhi’s face when he whipped her with that whip.

Suppressing her nausea, she lifted her head, gritting her teeth as she glared at him. “Indeed, cousin, it is my utmost fortune to receive the guidance of Master Pei.”

Pei Zhi’s gaze swept coldly over her, his eyes as indifferent as ever. Though he knew she was mocking him, he did not take offense.

After all, he had gone too far that day.

But thinking of her past flirtations with other men, her free and untamed spirit, he could not help but feel the urge to control her.

Once again, the atmosphere plunged into silence.

After falling asleep, Zhi Ning Shen seemed to have dreamt a long dream.

She dreamt herself adorned with pearls and jade, riding in a palanquin carried by palace maids. The imperial garden in spring was her favorite retreat in that deep palace. That day, after leaving the Hall of Diligent Governance, she had intended to stroll through the garden but unexpectedly encountered Pei Zhi.

It was the first year he had been promoted to Chief Minister, and their relationship was not yet as fraught as it would later become.

She sat high in the palanquin, radiant and dazzling, winning the flattering smiles of every courtier—except Pei Zhi.

He stood quietly among the blooming flowers, his face indifferent and aloof, exuding an irritating detachment.

She summoned a maid to call Pei Zhi over, ready to humble this newly appointed minister with a sharp tongue. Yet, to her surprise, he chose to kneel in punishment in the garden rather than offer her even a word of flattery.

Later... she dreamed of Lady Pei entering the Changchun Palace with a cup of poisoned wine, telling her that drinking it would secure the Shen family’s elders a lifetime of peace.

Trapped and powerless in the palace, Zhi Ning Shen ultimately believed Lady Pei’s words and drank the poison. In her final moments, she inhaled a familiar fragrance at her nose.

Suddenly, the carriage jolted, pulling Zhi Ning Shen from the nightmare.

She broke into a cold sweat, dazed, feeling something soft beneath her body.

Reaching out to touch it, the softness and warmth made her think she was still dreaming—until a warm breath brushed her ear, jolting her fully awake.

She lifted her eyelids and took in her surroundings.

The man’s blue robes spilled like silk over the carpet. His profile, as picturesque as a painting, was now but a finger’s breadth from hers. He sat there, noble and refined, exuding the untouched dignity of a powerful family.

And this untouchable Pei Zhi—at this moment—Zhi Ning Shen lay collapsed in his arms.

In that instant, the world seemed to freeze, and the pounding of heartbeats thundered like an explosion.

Breathing felt strained and difficult for Pei Zhi, caught between startled panic like a frightened bird and a reluctant longing like a parched soul tasting rain after a long drought.

The sweet, soft fragrance unique to Zhi Ning Shen made his Adam’s apple tremble, and even the pale skin of his neck flushed with a blood-red hue.

Watching the woman still lying unmoving in his arms, Pei Zhi slightly turned his head, his eyes icy cold.

“Miss Cousin, please maintain your dignity.”