Rebirth on the Day She Was Poisoned by an Aphrodisiac - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Kiss

The purpose of the selection was to identify talented individuals; those who excelled would be granted official government posts. Under the bright spring sun, the young men were dressed in tight-sleeved archery robes, their statures—tall, short, sturdy, or lean—evident at a glance.

Once the Empress arrived, the seating area fell silent. She was followed by a retinue of high-ranking officials. Since the death of Pei Kai and his son, the legitimate branch of the Pei family had no representation in court, though two generals had emerged from the collateral branches. Today, three to five scions of the Pei clan were on the field, with Pei Ming being the most favored.

Pei Chen, having let her anger simmer down, remained composed. She glanced at the field from time to time and whispered to Liyang: “The number of people befriending Pei Ming is not small.”

Pei Ming was skilled at socializing and often played the victim. He frequently used Pei Chen as a foil in his “performances,” leading outsiders to believe the only legitimate young master of the Pei manor was narrow-minded and intolerant. Over time, Pei Chen had become increasingly reclusive, while Pei Ming represented the Pei manor at gatherings and banquets, occasionally even showing his face before the Empress.

Liyang’s gaze flickered. She didn’t look at the field, but instead focused on the girl’s long, slightly upturned eyelashes. She didn’t answer, nor did she seem inclined to discuss it.

Pei Chen quickly realized her lapse. After experiencing something so humiliating, no one would want to bring it up again.

Liyang was a woman of few words, often maintaining a state of silence. Having lived with her for over a decade, Pei Chen knew her every gesture and promptly fell silent as well.

The competition consisted of many events. Archery and horsemanship were the basics, followed by blindfolded direction-finding. Pei Ming performed exceptionally well, earning repeated looks of satisfaction from the Empress.

Pei Chen let out a bored yawn. Meanwhile, the Third Princess, Mingyun, kept glaring at her with a mournful expression. Pei Chen knew she meant no harm; she just wanted to latch onto a “rich wife.” In her previous life, before Pei Chen was old enough to remember, the Third Princess had already left the capital. She returned occasionally, covered in gold; rumor had it she married into a family that “owned mines” and lived a blissful, harmonious life.

Halfway through the competition, Empress Mingzhao asked Liyang: “What do you think of Pei Ming?”

“In response to Your Majesty, my eyesight is poor,” Liyang replied expressionlessly.

Minglan added: “Pei Ming’s martial skills are decent.”

“What Big Sister and Second Sister mean is that Pei Ming’s skills are good, but his character is unknown,” Mingyun interjected sarcastically. She turned around to look for support, but the seat was empty—she’d forgotten the Fourth Princess hadn’t come.

A moment of awkwardness ensued as the Empress’s face chilled. She asked Pei Chen: “What do you think of your nephew?”

Pei Chen rose and said with a slight smile: “To answer Your Majesty, my nephew Pei Ming’s martial skills are indeed good. He also manages the household affairs. I am not fond of administrative tasks, so I do not see him often, but I frequently hear the stewards say that Nephew Pei Ming loves making friends. He is quite renowned for his hospitality and social circles.”

Liyang looked up, a flash of surprise in her eyes. Pei Chen’s words were a classic case of “praising with faint damm,” seemingly a compliment but actually a sharp reminder to the Empress that Pei Ming was busy building a faction.

Sure enough, the Empress’s expression darkened as she stared coldly at Pei Chen. The others looked at each other, not daring to speak. Pei Chen stood straight, her thin back revealing a rare sense of fortitude.

After a long pause, the Empress finally said: “Sit down.”

From then on, no one dared to speak out of turn. Even the chatterbox Mingyun sensed the atmosphere and kept her mouth shut.

Halfway through, the Empress left due to urgent business. Liyang followed, and Minglan scrambled after them. Mingyun, however, pulled Pei Chen aside.

“Young Master, this Princess feels you have improved much. Let us marry; I won’t look down on you anymore.”

Pei Chen saw stars before her eyes and ignored her. After a few steps, Mingyun caught up. Pei Chen said impatiently: “Have you considered that if your Big Sister is… ‘with child,’ what would our engagement even mean? Are the two of you going to marry me together?”

Mingyun stopped in her tracks. “My Big Sister doesn’t like you. Think about it—if you marry a woman that cold, your house will be covered in three feet of ice.”

Pei Chen broke into a small run to get away from “Third Aunt.” The world felt peaceful again.

Watching Pei Chen run like a rabbit, Mingyun was dazed for a moment. The sickly wretch has suddenly become quite sharp…

The Princess’s Manor

Pei Ming had taken first place in every event, and the Pei manor was hosting a banquet for the young nobles. Pei Chen left early, heading to the Princess’s manor to ask for a steed.

Halfway there, a heavy rain began to fall. The carriage stopped at the manor gates, and the frantic servant borrowed an umbrella from the residence.

Despite the umbrella, the hem of Pei Chen’s robes was soaked. By the time she saw Liyang, she looked like a drowned rat. Liyang was dressed in fine silk, her figure graceful. Pei Chen tidied her robes, though her hair was completely drenched.

Liyang took a seat, a faint, phantom-like smile playing on her lips. “I am curious. Young Master Pei was a fool for seventeen years—how did you suddenly become so clever?”

“It’s because I slept with you,” Pei Chen replied bluntly. After a brief attempt at fixing her appearance, she looked directly at Liyang. “Your Highness, we have a common enemy. Why can we not stand together?”

Liyang said nothing, weighing the benefits of this alliance. The Empress Dowager seemed to ignore politics, but half the court had received her favors. This meant that if Pei Chen worked hard, she would have a brilliant future.

Especially since the Empress had posthumously granted a Marquis title after Pei Kai’s death. By right, that title should have gone to Pei Ming, but the Empress Dowager disliked Lady Chen and had blocked the succession. If Pei Chen continued to present herself as the legitimate heir, the Marquisate would belong to her. At that point, Pei Ming would have no standing in the Pei family.

While she was thinking, Pei Chen studied her boldly. Liyang’s features were exquisite. Compared to her state years later, her skin now was like a peeled egg and her eyes were like a painting. What was most striking was her composed expression, free of the gloom of the future.

Years later, Princess Liyang would be tortured by the Love Poison, looking like a bright moon obscured by dark clouds, losing its original luster.

Liyang looked up, her cold eyes emitting a chilling light. Pei Chen did not flinch; instead, she gave a slight smile. “The Third Princess is interested in me because of the wealth of the Pei and Gu families. Does Your Highness not feel tempted?”

She held the resources of both families. Though the Pei family was currently struggling, the Gu family had the Empress Dowager in the capital and the School for Women. The Yuhang branch of the Gu family was highly prestigious in the Jiangnan region. The support they could offer would be substantial.

In her previous life, Liyang hadn’t competed, allowing the Eighth Princess to become the Empress while she served as an advisor. In truth, Liyang herself was fully capable of taking the throne.

Pei Chen took a step forward, tilting her chin up proudly as she met Liyang’s icy eyes. “Your Highness, in terms of both emotion and logic, marrying me is not a losing deal for you.”

“Pei Chen, you could restore your identity as a woman. If you marry me, you must live as a man for the rest of your life.” Liyang stared into the girl’s feverish eyes, her thin lips moving slightly. “There are many beauties; why fixate on me?”

Pei Chen adopted a cold, arrogant stance. “Having tasted your flavor, Your Highness, no other woman can catch my eye.”

“Impudent!” Liyang exploded in anger, her cold aura radiating outward.

Pei Chen curled her lips into a lingering smile, her fingertips slowly grazing her sleeve. To deal with a woman as calm and self-possessed as Liyang, one had to use “rogue” tactics. She took another step, closing the distance between them, and stared directly into Liyang’s eyes.

“You were the one who asked me to help you. Now that you are saved, you’ve left me haunted by dreams of you, yet you want to kick me aside? There is no such logic in this world. If I were to tell the Empress…”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Liyang was both ashamed and furious, her eyes shimmering with unshed moisture. Her voice was like frost: “If you dare speak a word, I will surely kill you.”

“Is that so? A Princess controlled by someone else has no right to vie for the throne. Your Highness, where do you get the courage to discard me?” Pei Chen’s eyes gleamed with an obsessive light. Her face was pale, her elegant brows furrowed—a picture of peerless arrogance.

In her past life, she was an orphan. In this life, she was a legitimate heir with a powerful background. She would not be timid.

“Your Highness, I like you and I love you, so naturally I wish to give you the best things. But I also hope you see clearly—I am not a burden.”

Liyang trembled. She suddenly thought of that simple, obsessive girl from her past. On the night before her death, the girl had come to take her away, speaking an endless stream of kind words.

That night, under a high moon, the little girl stood outside the room holding a flute, rambling on about where they would live, how they would live, and how the journey would be safe.

Liyang had intentionally ignored her. The porcelain-like little girl was beautiful and refined, her snow-white skin flushed with a vivid glow. It made one want to reach out and touch her.

Liyang hadn’t made a sound, so the girl kept talking until her throat was dry, then played the flute for half the night. Fed up, Liyang had pulled the girl into the room. To her surprise, the girl laughed brightly, dropped the flute, and hugged her hand.

“Your Highness pities me, doesn’t she? Since you pity me, please come with me. Forget the wealth and imperial power; we only need each other.”

“But the daughters of my Great Zhou have been slaughtered by rebels. How can I forgive you…”

“I did not harm them. All I can do is take you away and start over.”

“Xi-er, do you know why Xiang Yu refused to cross the East River?”

Pei Xi’s eyes had been misty with tears. Her lips were pressed into a thin line. “I am sorry…”

In the next moment, Pei Xi had hugged her with all her might, her lips grazing Liyang’s ear. Liyang had tried to resist, but Pei Xi’s vulnerable state made her unable to refuse.

Pei Xi had grown up under her watchful eye and had no ties to the rebels. Liyang had felt guilty toward the late Emperor and the ancestors, but then Pei Xi had done the unthinkable—she had kissed her on the lips.

It was cautious, yet filled with a burning fire. The body temperature of a fifteen-year-old girl was startling, like charcoal burning in winter.

Pei Xi had kissed her with a feverish, devout intensity, treating her like a goddess.

And just as Liyang was about to give up her struggle, Pei Xi’s hand had reached for her collar.

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