Chapter 36: Let's Pretend to Be Sick

When Pei Yanzhou entered the room, Lady Liang was reading. Hearing his arrival, she merely set the book aside. Noticing that Pei Jingxing had not followed him in, she asked, "You specifically sent Jingxing away because you have something to discuss with me, didn't you?"

Since she had addressed it so directly, Pei Yanzhou did not bother to lie or cover his tracks. After offering a formal greeting and taking a seat on the official's hat chair, he nodded and replied, "I was concerned about you, fearing you might be vexed and end up harboring resentment toward our cousin. Furthermore, I wanted to ask how you and our cousin intend to handle the Li family. Third Brother is honest and straightforward, so I didn't ask him to come along; instead, I sent him to oversee the preparations for your favorite dishes."

Lady Liang chuckled upon hearing this. She knew her own son best; his talk of "honesty" was a ruse. Pei Yanzhou had his own private motives, which was why he had distanced Third Brother. However, as she did not yet know what those motives were, and since he seemed to have no malicious intent—and could even be said to be acting out of consideration for Shanru—she chose not to press him for the truth.

Lady Liang followed his lead and asked, "And how do you suggest we handle them?"

There was no need for Liang Shanru to hide her actions, but since she had not spoken of them herself, Pei Yanzhou found it difficult to bring them up. Otherwise, she might think he was merely snitching and grow even more distant. However, having overheard Liang Shanru’s instructions upon his arrival, he understood she had no intention of letting the matter slide. Anything he did now would simply be the icing on the cake.

He continued, "The Li family’s status is not particularly illustrious. Their arrogance in Yangzhou stems solely from their reliance on the Duke of Changping’s estate. Even if we intend to settle the score with the Duke’s estate later, we must curb the haughtiness of the Li family’s eldest mistress right now, or she will think our family is easy to bully. Moreover, these matters are minor, but I fear they may spread. She frequently travels to the capital, and our cousin will soon be heading there as well. They might cross paths again, and if she were to say anything disagreeable, it would not bode well for our cousin."

Pei Yanzhou spoke at length, and Lady Liang understood him perfectly. Seeing him pause, she waved her hand. "Just tell me what you want to do. I understand these principles. You are doing this for Shanru’s sake; are you explaining so much because you fear I might think you are calculating, or that you are too intolerant of others?"

Pei Yanzhou smiled and denied it. "I must make things clear so that if our cousin asks, you will be able to explain on my behalf."

Lady Liang let out a nearly imperceptible scoff. "Did you run into Shanru when you arrived? What else was said?"

This time, he confessed frankly, "Our cousin advised me to worry less, saying that she has her own sense of propriety regarding her affairs and that she has you to make the decisions. She likely doesn't want me intervening too much. I think that because she has lived so cautiously over these past few years, she is afraid that if I am too kind to her, it might give rise to gossip once she returns to the capital, and she wishes to avoid such entanglements. But you know what kind of person I am. Even if it were a stranger suffering an injustice, I would find it hard to watch, let alone failing to stand up for my own cousin."

Lady Liang carefully reflected on this. Since marrying into the Pei family, she had practically watched Pei Yanzhou grow up. His temperament was impeccable. As for being a busybody… he was not the type, but he was inherently gentle and truly could not bear to see others suffer. Given Liang Shanru’s circumstances, it was entirely reasonable for him to feel pity and want to offer a helping hand.

As for whether there were other motives, she suspected there were. It was much like the Third Prince’s care for Shanru over the years; outsiders claimed it was out of gratitude for a loyal official, taking care of a descendant, but in reality, only he knew how much prestige and reputation he had gained in the military because of it. Besides, her brother had been close to him; he could not simply wash his hands of the matter the moment something went wrong, or who would be willing to follow him in the future?

Lady Liang was not unaware of this, but she felt there was no need to interfere. As long as it was good for Shanru, that was enough. Therefore, even though the smile did not reach her eyes, she agreed. "Your intentions are good, and Shanru harbors no malice. I will naturally explain your side to her. As I said before, she has only just arrived and has just encountered this trouble. Despite her calm appearance, she is only a girl in her teens; who knows how frightened and unsettled she may be inside? You spent only a few months together in childhood, so it is no surprise she is wary of you. Even with Third Brother, she may not be fully open. In time, she will realize you are truly looking out for her. You can rest assured."

Pei Yanzhou’s smile deepened. Liang Shanru had only this one aunt left; the Duke of Wei was an uncle in name only, not by blood. If the Third Aunt approved of his actions, that was enough. If she spoke for him in front of Liang Shanru often enough, in time, Liang Shanru would surely listen.

"Then, please, feign an illness," Pei Yanzhou said lightly.

Lady Liang had just been discussing Liang Shanru, and his sudden shift in topic caught her off guard. After a brief moment, she was amused. "And then you, in the capacity of the Heir to the Duke’s estate, will go to their door to demand an explanation? Wouldn't that also be bullying others with your status? I never knew you were capable of such things."

"One must use the appropriate methods for the appropriate people. If the Li family were reasonable, I would naturally treat them with courtesy," Pei Yanzhou raised an eyebrow slightly. "Whether they were conspiring with the Marquis of Changle to coerce my cousin, or if they were truly seeking a marriage alliance, I would not bother to hold them to account. But it is clear they are not a reasonable bunch. They bullied my cousin by relying on the power of the Duke of Changping’s estate first. Surely our family is not afraid of the Duke of Changping’s estate, are we?"

His attitude was more like he was challenging the Duke of Changping’s estate to a duel. Lady Liang quickly weighed the implications in her mind; if taken further, this would become a contest between the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince.

However, that was irrelevant. To outsiders, a young girl like Shanru would never be significant enough to set off a chain reaction. She was aware of these concerns, but others might not think so. She vaguely remembered her brother teaching her about "vested interests." To derive benefit was the most important thing. She felt that the more they made a scene, the more Shanru would shift from being unimportant to important. Whether now or in the future, there would always be someone stepping in to protect her because of these events. Even after they reached the capital, if others tried to scheme against her, she wouldn't even need to step in; someone would naturally resolve it for her.

"Very well, I shall feign a minor illness, and you will take Third Brother with you," Lady Liang decided. She then instructed, "The Li family is not entirely composed of fools. From what I saw and heard when I lived in Yangzhou, their current head of the family is certainly not a man who lacks clarity. I fear that for all these years, as the Li family has declined and his wife’s family has risen, he has had to swallow his bitterness and allow his wife and children to run amok. You and Third Brother are men; you can bypass his wife and go directly to him, telling him to bring his family to pay their respects and apologize in person!"