Chapter 097
Chapter 97: This Surnamed Pei Must Be Pei Yu
Yun Wan Ning gurgled contentedly, milk bubbles clinging to her lips as she gave her nanny a sweet little promise. But she hadn’t expected that the very first note of her heart voice would awaken Madam Yun from her sleep.
Even so, with the nanny tending to her daughter, Madam Yun was still drowsy and didn’t get up. She simply kept her eyes closed to rest a while longer.
“You’re such a good little miss,” the nanny chuckled softly, amused by her tiny charge’s expressions. She couldn’t help but reach out and gently stroke Yun Wan Ning’s chubby cheek.
She’d always known her young miss was extraordinary. Even as an infant, she could understand words. Not at all like other babies.
Once the little one had eaten her fill, the nanny, wanting to let Madam Yun rest well, picked her up and quietly left the room. Before going, she gave a few instructions to a waiting maid.
“Miss Little Tao, I’ll be taking Fourth Young Miss with me. When Madam wakes, please let her know.”
“Yes, this maid understands.”
Just as she stepped out of the courtyard, she ran into Yun Wan Yao.
“Greetings, Third Young Miss.”
The nanny quickly bowed in greeting, while Yun Wan Ning enthusiastically waved her small hands to greet her too.
[Good morning, Elder Sister.]
Yun Wan Yao returned the greeting politely, then reached out to hold Yun Wan Ning’s tiny hand. She said with a smile, “Little Sister is up so early.”
[Yes yes yes, Elder Sister is also up quite early.]
“Are you going to visit Madam? Madam didn’t sleep well last night and is making up for it now. Why don’t you wait until later to see her?” The nanny’s tone was gentle. Although she usually wouldn’t overstep and speak too much to the young mistresses of the house, after some hesitation, she still voiced her concern in a low voice.
[That’s right, that’s right, Elder Sister, Mother was very tired last night. Better to visit her later.]
[Hehe~]
Yun Wan Yao had originally been wondering what could’ve made their mother so exhausted, but as soon as she heard her little sister’s teasing laughter, a realization hit her, and her cheeks turned pink.
“Alright then, I’ll stay and keep Little Sister company. I’ll go see Mother in the afternoon.”
[Hmm? What’s she blushing for all of a sudden?]
[It’s freezing cold today. Don’t tell me she’s blushing from the heat?]
[Wait—could it be that Elder Sister figured out why Mother is catching up on sleep, and that’s why she’s blushing?]
[Hehe, it must be that.]
[Wow, Elder Sister is so pure. Just the thought alone made her blush. Isn’t she just too adorable?]
Yun Wan Yao: “…”
Once they reached the nanny’s room, the nanny handed Yun Wan Ning over to Yun Wan Yao before going off to catch up on her own sleep.
Yun Wan Yao sat on the edge of the couch, playing with little toys to entertain her baby sister, though her thoughts wandered.
[It feels like it’s been a while since I last saw Big Brother and Second Brother. I wonder what they’ve been busy with lately.]
[A few days ago, Su Qian Xue tattled to Madam Su. Knowing her temperament, she definitely won’t let things go easily. Even though Big Brother and Second Brother are very capable, I still hope they’ll stay cautious.]
[Also, does Elder Sister even know what Su Qian Xue’s new mission is?]
Yun Wan Yao: “…”
No, no, no. She didn’t know anything!
She knew absolutely nothing.
“Young Miss, Young Master Pei has arrived at the manor. He says he’d like to see you,” came a sudden report from Hua Wu, her personal maid.
Yun Wan Yao blinked in surprise. Then her face lit up. “Big Brother Pei? Wasn’t he stationed at the border? When did he return?”
She was so delighted that she scooped Yun Wan Ning into her arms and kissed her chubby little face.
“Little Sister, play by yourself for a bit, alright? Elder Sister will be right back.”
She knew her baby sister could understand her.
Yun Wan Ning opened her big eyes and clutched tightly at the collar of her sister’s robe.
[This one surnamed Pei must be Pei Yu.]
[Elder Sister, Pei Yu is no good. He’s being all attentive now because he likes you.]
[But even though he knows you’re already engaged, he still gets close to you at every turn, without any sense of propriety.]
That thought struck Yun Wan Yao like lightning. Her gaze flickered with disbelief.
What?
Big Brother Pei liked her?
He already had a fiancée—and they had a very good relationship, didn’t they? How could he possibly like her?
No, no, that wasn’t the point. Based on past experience, whenever Little Sister spoke so seriously about someone, it was never just about romance. There must be something far more serious going on.
She needed to hear it all—just what else had Pei Yu done that was even worse?
“Little Sister, what’s with that expression? Do you not like Big Brother Pei?”
Yun Wan Yao asked with a light laugh, half-teasing.
[Yes yes yes, don’t like him at all.]
[I don’t like just anyone, you know.]
[Elder Sister, in the storyline, he returns from the border and accidentally discovers Mo Yuan Hao’s connection with Su Qian Xue. But instead of telling you, he chooses to team up with Su Qian Xue.]
[Their goal? To help Su Qian Xue monopolize Mo Yuan Hao, while he gets you.]
[If he truly loved you, it might be forgivable. But the real problem is, while working with Su Qian Xue, he gradually falls in love with her.]
[And once that happens, the partnership no longer serves his interests.]
[So he turns around and starts goading you into competing with Su Qian Xue for Mo Yuan Hao.]
[You had finally given up on Mo Yuan Hao, ready to let go for good, but he keeps twisting your thoughts, making you believe that Mo Yuan Hao still has feelings for you.]
[Naively, you think that if you persist, you can win him back.]
[And so, under Pei Yu’s constant manipulation, you spiral into self-destruction—clinging to Mo Yuan Hao, scheming against Su Qian Xue—until you become the thorn in her side that she wishes she could tear out.]
[This draws the fury of Lin Xing Xuan and Gu Heng.]
[Later, you seek out Father’s old comrades, Uncle Shen Tu and Uncle Lu Wu, and move them with your pitiful state, convincing them to assassinate Su Qian Xue.]
[But against the female lead’s halo, they naturally fail. Though Su Qian Xue is only lightly injured, the sight of her hurt sends Pei Yu into a panic.]
[So he devises a vicious plan.]
[He finds Xu Qing Qing and bribes her into drugging you, causing you to be violated by beggars.]
[There, in the alley, as it all unfolds, countless passersby witness the scene and word spreads like wildfire. Your reputation is utterly ruined.]
[Mo Yuan Hao uses this opportunity to break the engagement. Everyone cheers. No one spares a shred of pity for you.]
[With the marriage canceled, you lose your last bit of protection. The wicked grow bolder.]
[Pei Yu then approaches Gu Heng and Lin Xing Xuan to help sell you off to a remote mountain village.]
[In truth, the tragic end you meet in the storyline—Pei Yu is the greatest culprit behind it all.]
[And when you’re gone, he even turns on Father’s old comrades, using his knowledge of their whereabouts to betray them without hesitation.]
Those men who had once fought by his side, those loyal subordinates who went into hiding hoping to avenge their commander—every last one of them was ruthlessly slaughtered through schemes he helped Mo Yuan Hao devise.
Later, all because his fiancée had spoken a few harsh words about the central phoenix—the female lead—he orchestrated the exile of her entire family. On the road to banishment, she was captured and violated by bandits, meeting a tragic end.
Could someone so heartless and cruel, so cold and treacherous, truly be any kind of decent man?
Though the plot had now collapsed, I still believed one thing remained unchanged: a person’s true nature.
His venomous ways were not shaped by fate—they were born of his own desires.
In the original timeline, he had committed such unspeakable sins just to earn the favor of the central phoenix. Now, driven by his ambitions, he was just as capable of other atrocities that defied the heavens.
Compared to him, Mo Yuan Hao seemed almost kind. At least Mo Yuan Hao merely ignored elder sister; he hadn’t personally lifted a hand to carry out such cruel and ruthless acts.
[Ai, how could I have forgotten? Since elder sister was reborn and carries a system, surely she already knows what a monster Pei Yu truly is.]
[There’s no way he’ll be able to hurt her this time—what was I so worried about?]
Having anxiously gone on for half a day in her thoughts, Yun Wan Ning suddenly remembered this important fact. Embarrassed, she released her grip on Yun Wan Yao’s collar, nearly crying at her own foolishness.
[Sigh, I really was worrying for nothing. Elder sister, you’d better go quickly.]
[Wait… why has elder sister’s face suddenly turned so pale?]
[Just moments ago, she looked so happy. Now it seems she’s about to cry…]
[What’s going on?]
[Could it be that elder sister had forgotten how wicked Pei Yu truly is, and only remembered just now—right after hearing his name?]
[Aiya, elder sister, don’t be sad. You’ve been reborn! Surely you can handle that beast now.]
[You could even go tell Father. He dotes on you so much. Just find a reason—any reason—and he’ll have that man thrown out of the army.]
[The Pei Clan is full of cunning foxes. Pei Yu is just from a side branch. The clan only keeps him around because Father favors him. If Father stops supporting him, the clan will toss him aside without a second thought.]
[He hasn’t even taken control of the Pei Clan yet. If he’s cast aside now, he won’t have a chance to rise.]
[Elder sister’s eyes are so red it’s breaking my heart. Should I just take care of Pei Yu now and be done with it?]
[My spiritual power may not be strong enough to crush him, but I can still erase his mind and turn him into a halfwit.]
Right now, her spiritual power could extend two li outward. From the wet nurse’s courtyard to the front hall, the distance was no more than that.
As soon as the thought formed, Yun Wan Ning shut her eyes, prepared to release her spiritual power. But just as she did, Yun Wan Yao called her name. Her spiritual power instantly withdrew.
[Right, right, I mustn’t release my spiritual power in front of elder sister. Her system might notice.]
Yun Wan Yao stared at her: “……”
It seemed her little sister had truly decided she possessed a system.
“Little sister, that Pei Yu… no, Pei Yu is no good. Stay here and play for a bit. Elder sister will go ‘chat’ with him and come back soon, alright?”
Since her little sister was so certain she had been reborn, Yun Wan Yao figured it was better to hint at the truth. It might set her mind at ease.
[As expected, elder sister knows what Pei Yu is really like. That’s why she looked so sad earlier.]
[But now, she seems steadier. If that’s the case, I’ll let her handle it for now. If she can’t manage him, I’ll step in.]
[Alright, elder sister—go on.]
“Alright…” Yun Wan Yao nearly said it aloud, but caught herself just in time. She reached out to gently stroke Yun Wan Ning’s little face, kissed her on the forehead, and carefully tucked her under the covers.
“Hua Wu, the little one’s wet nurse didn’t sleep well last night and is resting now. Stay here and play with Fourth Young Miss, and be sure she doesn’t roll off the bed, understand?”
“Understood, young miss. Don’t worry, this servant will watch Fourth Young Miss carefully.”
“Mm. Good.”
Having entrusted Yun Wan Ning to Hua Wu’s care, Yun Wan Yao pressed another kiss to her small hand before stepping out the door.
The moment she left the room, tears spilled from her eyes.
Pei Yu… her father treated him like a son. She had always seen him as an elder brother. But he—he turned out to be such a vicious man?
Little sister was right. Even if the plot bound him to the central phoenix, forcing him into love and madness, that was no excuse.
The story could twist fate, but it could never change a person’s nature.
And his nature… was to be heartless, cruel, and utterly unscrupulous.
Such a man was unworthy of her father’s trust.
Wiping away her tears, Yun Wan Yao drew in a long breath and lifted her chin, a faint smile curling her lips as she strode toward the front hall.
Since he could once push her into such a pit for the sake of his beloved, then she had every right to seek her own justice.
Front Hall.
After offering tea, the steward stood quietly off to the side. Seated in the guest chair, a man dressed in a sleek black uniform lifted the cup and spoke with a faint smile.
“I’ve been away from the capital for quite some time. Steward Liu, has Sister Yao mentioned me at all during my absence?”
The steward: “……”
[Seriously? I run this whole estate, and you think I’ve got time to track whether the young miss brings up your name? What, does she sit around gossiping about you to the servants?]
Though his heart was full of disdain, Steward Liu kept a polite smile on his face.
“Young Master Pei, young miss has been staying in the women’s quarters until recently. She only returned after Fourth Young Miss was born.”
“These days, what with the birth and all the added responsibilities, the manor’s been in a frenzy. This old servant barely gets a glimpse of the young miss, let alone knows who she talks about.”
Any fool could see this Pei lad was smitten with their young miss. But their young miss was already promised—to be the future Princess Consort of Prince Qi. How could she go around mentioning some outsider?
Even if she had spoken of him, Steward Liu would never admit it.
The young miss’s reputation must remain spotless.
Besides, that Pei brat really ought to know his place. Compared to Prince Qi, he was nothing. How dare he dream of marrying a phoenix?
If the duke hadn’t favored him, he wouldn’t even be allowed through the manor gates. And yet here he was, daring to covet the young miss.
The steward inwardly scoffed. He truly looked down on Pei Yu—but none of it showed on his face.
Hearing his reply, Pei Yu furrowed his brows, a flicker of disappointment passing through his eyes.
“I see. Sister Yao likely wouldn’t speak of such things to her servants.”
Steward Liu: “……”
What’s that supposed to mean?
You looking down on me now?
For the record, I’m very close with the young miss. She calls me Uncle Liu every time she sees me. And here you are, calling me a mere servant.
If I’d known you were this arrogant, I wouldn’t have served you that tea.
Now thoroughly irritated, Steward Liu’s expression cooled.
“Well then, Young Master Pei, please make yourself at home. This old servant has duties to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”