The Powerful Minister I Forcefully Married Won't Warm Up; After Rebirth, I Give Up the Chase - Chapter 2

“Miss, this is already the finest yarn the manor has for undergarments.”

Yet, Nianxi  felt the inner garments were rough and scratchy, irritating her skin and causing her pain.

Having lived a second life, even her body felt more delicate.

In her past life, she was the Prime Minister’s wife, and her undergarments were made of the highest-grade linen gauze, light as a cloud, warm in winter and cool in summer—a single bolt was worth a thousand pieces of gold.

Now, she was merely a young woman yet to be married.

That night, she had vomited blood after being poisoned, and she never expected to wake up in her maiden chamber from years ago!

Nianxi remembered that when she was fifteen, her father was promoted and transferred to a capital official post. She moved to the capital with her entire family and fell ill for a long time due to the change in environment.

After half a month of dazed confusion, she finally accepted the fact that she had been reborn, returning from twenty-eight years old to fifteen.

Yes, she had been reborn.

Before she ever met Pei Jian.

“Are you truly not coming with me to the Scripture Discussion Ceremony, Sister?”

Outside the door, her elder brother, Wen Qingheng, asked through the window.

It was the third day of the third month, the Shangsi Festival.

The Chongming Tower was hosting a Scripture Discussion Assembly, inviting scholars and literary talents to compose poetry, practice calligraphy, discuss classics and philosophy, and brew tea.

Wen Qingheng had already enrolled in the Imperial College. His classmates would mostly be attending the discussion at Chongming Tower today. His sister, who had been influenced by their father and brother since childhood, previously loved such literary gatherings.

Nianxi, who was currently styling her hair, instructed her maid to prop open the window. “Brother, have you forgotten? I already promised Cousin Mu yesterday that I would go to Qushui to enjoy the spring outing today.”

Wen Qingheng, of course, remembered.

He just couldn’t give up, wanting to ask his sister one more time.

Seeing Nianxi dressed in a silver-patterned, pleated Ruyi skirt and a chignon with flowers, the spring light cast a thin halo around her. Her skin was translucent like jade, and she looked gentle and naive—certainly not in the male attire she used to wear for outings with him. He could only say, resignedly:

“You’ve been sick this whole month; a chance to go out and relax is good.”

The siblings spoke through the window, their conversation casual and natural.

The Wen family was simple: the Wen couple shared a deep love and had one son and one daughter after marriage. Wen Qingheng had always doted on his sister. While other young men found younger siblings annoying, he was different; he had loved taking the exquisite, doll-like Nianxi to play since they were little.

Nianxi pretended not to notice her brother’s disappointment, tilting her head back to smile. “Brother, you must perform well today.”

Reborn, she certainly wouldn’t walk the old path again.

In her previous life, she had gone to Chongming Tower and met the startlingly brilliant Pei Jian at the Scripture Discussion Assembly.

It was the first time she had seen such a composed, reserved, and handsome young man. On the discussion platform, he quoted extensively and articulated his views persuasively. Her young heart was inevitably stirred, and she was captivated ever since.

However, what she believed to be a meeting of minds was merely his compromise.

For Pei Jian, she had been passionate, dedicated, and struggled.

She tried her best but could not stop her love from gradually fading, moving from certainty to doubt, until it was completely extinguished.

In this life, she would not repeat the same mistakes.

Wen Qingheng, unaware of her inner thoughts, instead looked worried. “When you go to Qushui, remember to stick close to Cousin Mu. If… if you meet any despicable young men, do not give them a kind glance.”

During the Shangsi Festival, half of the young men in the capital went to Chongming Tower for the discussion; the rest mostly gathered by the Qushui pool, and many of them were the capital’s wealthy, unruly noble sons.

In Wen Qingheng’s view, it was extremely inappropriate for his beautiful, delicate sister to attend the spring outing at Qushui alone.

“Don’t worry, Brother,” Nianxi replied with a gentle, shallow smile, her dark eyes filled with meekness and tenderness.

Having been a dutiful Madam Pei  for ten years in her previous life, Nianxi only felt mentally and physically withered.

It had been too long, too long since she had tasted the flavor of love.

Now she was fifteen.

Unmarried, in the prime of her youth.

She absolutely must meet better young men and fully enjoy the feeling of being loved.

This time, she would make herself happy.

…

The Imperial College

Pei Jian rose before daybreak, lighting a lamp to read at his desk.

These past years, he had been exhausted by official duties, and his academic knowledge had grown rusty. Fortunately, he still remembered the questions for the upcoming Palace Exam. To secure the top honor was not difficult for him this time around.

It was just that so much time had passed, he had almost forgotten his days studying at the Imperial College.

Back then, after leaving the palace, a servant from his manor informed him that his wife was gravely ill. Before he even arrived home, another servant reported that his wife had already passed away.

Sitting in his carriage, Pei Jian felt his heart instantly crushed by a heavy hammer. Both shocked and enraged, he spat out a mouthful of blood and his vision went black.

When he awoke again, he was lying in a room at the Imperial College.

For him, rebirth was neither good nor bad.

In the past, he was the powerful Prime Minister. But he was exhausted by daily public affairs, taking down one political opponent after another, unable to relax for a moment.

Now, he was just a small student at the Imperial College, but he possessed an extra decade of experience. As soon as he entered officialdom, he could suppress his opponents faster and more ruthlessly, reaching the peak and holding supreme power.

Therefore, he quickly and calmly accepted reality.

When the sky was bright outside, Pei Jian put down his books, opened the door, and came face-to-face with Gu Ci, who was preparing to return to his room.

Students at the Imperial College were given one day off every ten days, and for the rest of the time, all students were required to live in the dormitories. The courtyard had four rooms, and Gu Ci lived next door to Pei Jian.

The dormitories were simple, and washing was done in the communal washing room in the courtyard. Gu Ci had just finished his washing.

“Shi-zhang (- Pei Jian’s courtesy name), are you really not going to Qushui?” Gu Ci winked at him. “I heard your cousin is going today, too.”

The two had grown up together.

After Pei Jian’s parents passed away, Gu Ci’s mother, Lady Wang, took great care of him. Gu Ci’s father and brothers were stationed on the border year-round, so Pei Jian and Gu Ci were like true brothers.

“Yes,” Pei Jian replied.

Gu Ci was used to Pei Jian’s reticent nature. He preferred martial arts to literature, so he definitely wouldn’t go to the Scripture Discussion at Chongming Tower. “Don’t worry, your cousin is my cousin; I won’t let any blind scoundrels covet her.”

Qushui was a place for floating wine cups and was known for creating romantic stories where men and women fell in love.

“No need,” Pei Jian immediately refused.

He had no romantic feelings for Cousin Xu. In the days since his rebirth, he had more free time, and his mind kept repeating one question—

Why did Wen Nianxi want a divorce from him?

He and Wen Nianxi had known each other for nearly thirteen years and were married for ten. He believed he had given her the best life—surrounded by servants and enjoying a life of luxury.

But women were always greedy.

They wanted prestige and status, and they also wanted a considerate husband.

Pei Jian couldn’t help but frown.

Suddenly, someone clapped him on the shoulder.

Gu Ci raised his voice and asked, “What are you thinking about? You’ve been strange since you fell.”

For some reason, Gu Ci felt that Pei Jian had possessed an inexplicable aura of authority these past two days.

Pei Jian recovered his thoughts, remaining composed. “What about the other two in the courtyard?”

“Qin Lang  probably hasn’t woken up yet. The newcomer, Wen Qingheng… it seems he went back to pick up his younger brother? They say his younger brother also wants to go to the Scripture Discussion Ceremony.”

Pei Jian and Gu Ci were both handsome and outstanding young men, generous and refined. At nineteen years old, they had long since captured the hearts of many young ladies in the capital, yet both were self-disciplined. Gu Ci was cheerful, but Pei Jian was more reserved.

It was only at this moment that Pei Jian recalled a small, important detail—Wen Qingheng’s so-called younger brother was Wen Nianxi.

Soon, they would meet for the first time.

Pei Jian walked out without expression.

The path ahead had been clearly planned on the very first day he was reborn.

Nianxi was not a competent Prime Minister’s wife. And he had too much to do; he didn’t want to waste energy on women anymore.

Nianxi, she must first learn to be sensible.

Standing atop the Chongming Tower, Pei Jian instinctively searched for that familiar, graceful silhouette.

However, Nianxi never arrived.