Chapter 14: Pomegranate Part 1

Seeing Cao Xian leading everyone away, looking as proud as a peacock, Huo Jingzhao hastily bowed to him. “Thank you, Steward Cao. I will certainly soothe the Little Young Master…”

Once the people were far away, he slowly caressed the medicine bottle. His ink-black eyes surfaced with a hint of restrained, cold melancholy.

The summer heat was unbearable, the sun blazing high. Yet the terraces and waterside pavilions of the Pei Manor enjoyed a cool breeze. Looking closely, it turned out the maids along the corridor were carrying silver basins of ice, cooling the person inside the pavilion.

“Lianyi, this is the most famous masterpiece from the capital right now! Priced according to the mane hairs, each one is worth ten thousand taels of gold!”

Looking at the elegant back before him, Shi Chengji fumbled in his haste to pull out his gift, showing off a Painting of Galloping Horses.

Pei Lianyi had no reaction at first. Only when Cao Xian entered the Pavilion and reported, “It has been done,” did he slowly turn around and say coolly, “Ziying sustained some minor injuries while out and is still in bed resting. He can’t receive guests. Family Head Shi’s visit to check on him comes at an inconvenient time.”

He was dressed in a jade-green robe with a gathered waist and floral clusters. As he sat down, his entire being seemed to shimmer with a vitreous light, even more alluring and captivating than the sleeping lotuses in the pond.

Hearing the dismissal in his tone, the entranced Shi Chengji was silent for a long moment. Then he put away the painting scroll and said, “Lianyi, you know perfectly well who I came to see…”

Pei Lianyi didn’t respond, only took a sip of tea.

Seeing this, Shi Chengji hastily had his servant bring over a brocade box. “Lianyi, if you don’t like the painting, you at least have to look at this.”

As he spoke, he opened the box and explained, “These are freshly picked Pomegranates from Nan’an City. I specifically had them packed in ice and sent non-stop for half a month. Look at the quality, how beautiful they are.”

Hearing this, Pei Lianyi reluctantly raised his eyes.

Rongchu City was plagued by heavy summer rain and harsh winter cold. The soil was constantly damp and stifling, incapable of growing any decent Pomegranates.

Nan’an was a small country to the south, where it was spring-like all year round. The Pomegranates cultivated there were renowned nationwide. But due to the rough, dangerous journey and the difficulty of transport, few outsiders were willing to spend the manpower and resources to bring them back.

Even a wealthy and powerful family like the Pei Manor would not give its subordinates such a foolish task as “travel through sword mountains and fiery seas just to buy Pomegranates.”

Now, looking at the plump, red fruits on the table, Pei Lianyi didn’t move. He merely nodded slightly, and a maid immediately stepped forward to peel a Pomegranate.

He was a beauty raised in vermilion gates and embroidered households. Even seeing the most precious and rare things, he wouldn’t show much of a reaction. Being able to accept them was already very good.

“I’m glad you like them, Lianyi…”

Shi Chengji, reassured, was about to sit down next to him when a deep voice sounded behind them. “Miss Pei Lan, could I trouble you for a basin of ice?”

Shi Chengji immediately jumped up, turning his head to meet Huo Jingzhao’s dark, cold eyes.

“Young Master Huo?! What brings you here? The Master is currently receiving a guest…!” Pei Lan outside the pavilion was also very surprised and quickly tried to warn the man.

“Ah… My apologies, truly. This one had no intention of disturbing you.” Huo Jingzhao offered an apologetic smile and softened his tone. “But it’s so hot. I’m going to Ziying’s room to see him and thought I’d bring him a basin of ice to cool off.”

His words were gentle and polite, but Shi Chengji felt a shattering storm within those dark pupils, making his hairs stand on end even under the scorching sun.

“Ah? But the Little Young Master’s room already has…”

“Jingzhao, come here.”

Pei Lan was about to say the Little Young Master’s room already had ice when Pei Lianyi suddenly opened his mouth to interrupt her.

“Master Pei, you have something for me?” Hearing this, Huo Jingzhao walked into the pavilion and asked.

Gazing at his heroic brows, Pei Lianyi, who had just ordered the man to go see his son, felt rather uncomfortable. Suppressing the inexplicable, dull ache in his chest, he avoided Huo Jingzhao’s gaze and pointed at the pile of gifts on the ground. “You came at a good time. Even though you haven’t formally entered the household yet, you can’t simply be idle during your time here. Sort through these paintings today. Keep the ones that are presentable. For the unsuitable ones, have someone either throw them away or send them to the Chamber of Commerce.”

Hearing this, Shi Chengji couldn’t sit still. “Lianyi, all the paintings I sent are priceless treasures…!”

Before Pei Lianyi could respond, Huo Jingzhao bent down and lifted the chest.

The chest was quite large and heavy, yet he hoisted it onto his shoulder with ease. With a relaxed expression, he said to Pei Lianyi, “Whatever Master Pei tells me to do, I will do.”

He was wearing a form-fitting, dark gray summer tunic. As he exerted himself, the thin fabric stretched taut instantly, outlining his lean, powerful physique.

Inadvertently catching a glimpse of his waist and abdomen, Pei Lianyi’s lips trembled. He couldn’t control himself and lowered his head. “Alright. Go on.”

Huo Jingzhao responded with a soft “Oh” and carried the chest past Shi Chengji.

Shi Chengji’s mouth hung open. “Lianyi, those paintings were expensive…”

“What of it? You’ll just send more anyway.” Watching Huo Jingzhao walk out, Pei Lianyi’s expression remained cool.

“You’re right… forget I said anything, forget I said anything! Come, have a taste…”

Listening to the conversation behind him, Huo Jingzhao’s face completely darkened. After walking a couple of steps, he seemed to remember something. He turned back, took the ice basin from the maid, and then strode away from the Waterside Pavilion.

“Young… Young Master Huo?” Watching the man leave without a backward glance, Pei Lan’s hands froze mid-air, her face filled with unconcealed shock.

She didn’t know why, but she felt the usually gentle and refined Young Master Huo had been especially rough just now. His expression had been cold and terrifying too.

Ah, maybe she was just dizzy from the heat. She must be seeing things.

Shielding her head from the blazing sun, Pei Lan shook her head.

Striding out of the Waterside Pavilion and entering the backyard, Huo Jingzhao coldly looked at the paintings in his hands. His handsome face twisted slightly.

He suddenly swung his palm. Strong Internal Energy surged from his palm, instantly shattering the ice in his hand.

Ice blades and fine silver fragments overlapped under the harsh light, reflecting Huo Jingzhao’s face, full of menace.

Even after doing this, he couldn’t bear the fire in his heart. He clenched his right fist and viciously pounded it against a tree.

He only used thirty percent of his strength, yet it smashed a deep crater into the thick tree trunk. A tremendous boom suddenly echoed above the manor.

Back in the Pavilion—

Shi Chengji stood up in surprise. “What was that sound?”

Cao Xian glanced towards the backyard and replied unhurriedly. “Young Master Huo is new here and hasn’t learned the manor’s layout yet. He probably ran into a tree.”

Shi Chengji burst out laughing. “Hahaha! Lianyi, your live-in son-in-law is quite a character…”

Pei Lianyi, however, stared at the rippling water, frowning slightly.

When Huo Jingzhao arrived at the Side Courtyard, Pei Ziying was in the middle of throwing a tantrum with his maid.

“Little Young Master, the Master has ordered this servant to watch you drink it all…”

“I won’t drink it—I won’t! It’s so bitter…! I want Father! Why hasn’t he come to see me!”

With that, he smashed the medicine bowl in the maid’s hand with a loud bang.

“Ah—Little Young Master…!”

“Get out—Get out!”

The maid was startled by the scalding liquid and hurried away with the broken bowl.

Ever since waking from his severe injuries, Pei Ziying had been confined to his room. The bitterness of the medicine and the boredom of recuperating aside, what he found hardest to accept was that his father, who had always doted on him, could be so cruel as to not visit him.

Thinking of the man who had stopped the punishment for him that night, Pei Ziying squeezed his soft pillow, his small face flushing red.

“Refusing medicine? Don’t tell me you want another chicken leg?” At that moment, a tall figure appeared at the doorway.

“You… what are you doing here?!” Upon suddenly seeing the man he was just thinking about, Pei Ziying immediately wrapped himself in his cotton blanket.

Huo Jingzhao raised an eyebrow and smiled, stepping inside.

“Wh-Who said you could come in?” Pei Ziying’s tone changed.

Huo Jingzhao placed the medicine bottle on the table, his voice betraying no emotion. “Master Pei told me to come apply medicine for you.”

Despite his words, he made no move to apply the medicine. Instead, he sat down at the table.

Pei Ziying shamefully covered his wounded area and stammered, “I… don’t… don’t need… you to do it.”

Huo Jingzhao casually unfurled a painting and began examining it slowly.

Stealing glances at the man’s upright, handsome profile, Pei Ziying asked quietly, “Why… did you help me that night?”

“…” Huo Jingzhao continued looking at the painting.

“I, the Young Master, am asking you a question! Answer me… ugh!” Before Pei Ziying could finish, the man rose and walked towards him.

“You…” Looking up at Huo Jingzhao’s sharply defined jawline, remembering the scene during the Dragon Boat Festival when he dove into the water to save someone, a peach-blossom pink hue flew to Pei Ziying’s youthful, tender eyelids.

Examining his face, which bore seventy percent resemblance to Pei Lianyi’s, Huo Jingzhao’s breath hitched slightly. He lifted his right hand, pressing his palm against the top of the bedframe. He stood there for a moment, then threw the medicine bottle to Pei Ziying and said in a deep voice, “Because I don’t want, on our wedding night, after taking off the clothes, to find my wife’s body covered in scars.”

“Wh-what wedding night…” The marriage isn’t even settled yet! Pei Ziying was dazed, murmuring shyly.

By then, Huo Jingzhao had returned to the table, rubbing the dry painting paper with his fingers.

“You dared to represent the Pei Manor in the Dragon Boat Race. You’ve got some skills.” It seemed he had underestimated this poor man before. Pei Ziying came back to his senses, looking proud.

“Master Pei wanted me to compete. I had to obey.”

“Why are you taking so many paintings?”

“Master Pei said to sort out the useless ones and throw them away.”

Pei Ziying sat up straight and snorted lightly. ” ‘Master Pei’ this, ‘Master Pei’ that. You really listen to my father, don’t you?”

Huo Jingzhao countered calmly, “Is there anyone in this manor who dares not listen to him?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Ziying walked over to him, fiddling with the messy scrolls on the table, and said smugly, “You sorted them wrong.”

Huo Jingzhao’s entire heart had flown to the Waterside Pavilion. How could he have the mind to sort paintings? So he followed Pei Ziying’s lead and asked, “Wrong how?”

“I used to watch Father organize the paintings in his study. He said that for these paintings, ones with a red official seal in the bottom left corner all go to the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber will find a way to return them to those officials.”

“Paintings with a yellow seal in the bottom right corner also go to the Chamber of Commerce. They’ll sell those. As for the ones with no seals, they’re mostly works by unknowns. But Father keeps all of them in the manor. I don’t really understand why, but Father says this saves him a lot of trouble…!”

Pei Ziying stood with his hands on his hips, speaking proudly.

Hearing his words, Huo Jingzhao flipped over the corner of a painting scroll and indeed found a mark in the corner.

Red was an official seal, yellow was a private seal. He figured that some government officials, restricted by their status from doing business openly, used the Pei family to handle such transactions.

It was a thankless task. But Pei Lianyi had secretly found the best method, allowing both the officials and the Chamber of Commerce to profit, while also keeping the Pei family safe.

The fact that the Pei Manor could stand so long under the covetous watch of the imperial court and other families relied not just on ancestral accumulations, but also on Pei Lianyi’s exquisite, seven-orifice clever heart.

Thinking of how Pei Lianyi navigated between officials and merchants with that face and body, the nameless fire within Huo Jingzhao burned even hotter. He fiercely crumpled the painting paper, about to tear the painting in two.

“Hey… you… what’s wrong with you?”

Although the man still appeared gentle and kind, Pei Ziying felt an immensely deep pressure filling the room.

Huo Jingzhao came to his senses and silently released his hand. He turned his head to stare at him. “Your injuries haven’t healed yet. You shouldn’t be recklessly getting out of bed.”

Is… is he worried about me? Pei Ziying bit his lip. Whether from shyness or bravado, he declared, “These little injuries are nothing. In the past, Father would even beat me with the Ferule…! That really hurt.”

Huo Jingzhao’s pupils shook. “You said… what does your father use to beat you?”

“The Ferule.” Pei Ziying blushed. “The Ferule in my father’s room isn’t like the ones elsewhere. He had it custom-made according to his height and hand length. It’s long and thick, and even inlaid with white jade…”