Chapter Forty-Eight: Why Not Offer Myself in Marriage?

Jiang Bo’s retreat was nothing if not thorough. Not only did he recall the men sent to pursue the Gongsun sisters, he himself departed Ji City under the pretense of traveling for business. Pei Min had foreseen his withdrawal: with the poison now in the hands of the Gongsun sisters, it was nothing more than a vial of toxin—whether they used it to harm others or to poison rats and pests, it was no concern of his. But if it ended up with Xue Ne, the matter would be entirely different. Should Xue Ne catch wind of what they were plotting, Princess Taiping’s downfall might not be certain, but he himself would surely pay a dreadful price—one that could endanger both himself and his family.

Jiang Bo had no choice, and Pei Min gave him none.

To err on the side of caution, Pei Min didn’t immediately have the Gongsun sisters leave the Li residence. Instead, he sent them meals and advised them to stay a few more days, wary of possible deceit.

Two days passed. Pei Min watched Jiang Bo’s movements carefully; all remained calm and quiet. The man had indeed withdrawn completely, and Pei Min was finally at ease.

That night, Pei Min slipped into the Li residence and brought the news to Gongsun You and Gongsun Xi.

Gongsun You took it well. Serene by nature, she spent her days in the Li residence reading, practicing swordplay, and refining her sword dances. Far from being troubled by her confinement, she found herself advancing in mind and skill alike. Gongsun Xi, however, restless by temperament, had already grown unbearably bored. Besides practicing swordsmanship—silently, for fear of detection—there was little she could do, and the days crawled by. Had it not been for the trouble she herself stirred up, and her sister’s ever-watchful presence, she might have dashed out long before. Upon hearing they could leave that very night, she was so overjoyed she nearly cried out.

Fortunately, Gongsun You, knowing her sister’s nature well, caught her in time and kept her from alarming the guards outside.

Even so, Gongsun Xi’s eyes sparkled with impatience. “When can we leave? I can’t stand another moment in this place.”

Pei Min replied, “If you don’t mind, you can come to Yuan’s residence with me tonight. You can make do in my room for now.” The South Street, though less dangerous since the departure of Li Wuyi, was still a den of rogues and ruffians. Even with their skills, the sisters risked being spotted if they tried to leave the Li residence during the day—and could easily be mistaken for Khitan or Xizhou spies and dealt with accordingly.

They could only leave at night, but with the curfew in effect, inns closed, and patrols along the streets, the Yuan residence was their only refuge.

Gongsun You clearly understood this and nodded. “We must trouble you again, Master Pei.”

Pei Min smiled. “If you don’t mind, neither do I. I can squeeze in with Brother Yuan or Brother Yan for a night; it’s no trouble at all. Tomorrow at dawn, I’ll see you out of the city. Though the matter is settled, it’s not wise to linger—best avoid complications.”

From her belt pouch, Gongsun You produced a small green porcelain vial. “This is the poison. I am but a woman and know not how best to deal with it—I leave it to your judgment.”

Pei Min took it. The vial was finely made. He pulled the stopper and caught a sweet, fragrant scent—he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if one took a sip? The thought flashed through his mind and he laughed inwardly at his own recklessness. He re-corked the bottle and slipped it into his robe. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Let’s let it be. Princess Taiping’s influence is fearsome, perhaps even greater than the Emperor’s. If I took this poison to accuse her, who am I? The first to die would be me, no question. Reporting to the Grand Commander is an option, but he has always treated me well—I can’t send him into the fire.”

He added silently, “After all, the Grand Commander is only that—a grand commander!”

Xue Ne, a tiger among generals, was well suited to guarding the borders, but compared to his father Xue Rengui, or the previous generation’s Pei Xingjian and Liu Rengui, he fell far short—in both ability and reputation. If men like Xue Rengui, Pei Xingjian, or Liu Rengui—those famous ministers and generals elevated by Emperor Gaozong—were alive today, even Empress Wu would not have dared claim the throne, no matter her boldness. History records that when Emperor Gaozong died, Empress Wu sought to seize power. At that time, Liu Rengui was Prime Minister. He openly cited the example of Empress Lü’s downfall, his words so sharp it was as if he was scolding Empress Wu to her face, warning her she would come to no good end if she persisted. With her temperament and methods, anyone else would have had their clan exterminated, yet Liu Rengui’s prestige at court was unmatched—even Empress Wu had to offer personal explanations, insisting she acted only because the Emperor was in mourning and unable to issue decrees, and she repeatedly promised not to repeat Empress Lü’s mistakes.

It was only after Liu Rengui, the one man who could hold the line, died that Empress Wu dared to seize power and bully her sons.

If Xue Ne possessed the stature of Liu Rengui or his own father, Pei Min would not hesitate to entrust him with such a matter, letting him stabilize the court. But he did not. Exposing the affair now would only plunge the court into greater chaos. Xue Ne was no adept at political intrigue; drawn in, he might not emerge unscathed. Telling him could well do him more harm than good.

So Pei Min kept this in mind, choosing not to rush into the spotlight and bring trouble upon himself and others. Yet he had no intention of discarding the poison—who could say if it might not prove useful at some critical moment?

Gongsun Xi grew more anxious when she saw they were not yet setting out and urged them again and again.

Pei Min agreed; he led the Gongsun sisters out of the Li residence in silence and brought them to the Yuan household. He did not inform Yuan Lüqian or Yan Gaoqing—not out of distrust, but simply because it was unnecessary. The sisters would be gone by morning; why involve others?

That night, Pei Min used the pretext of seeking Yan Gaoqing’s advice on political matters. Their conversation carried on half the night, and it was only natural that they ended up sharing a room.

Gongsun You and Gongsun Xi lay side by side, unable to sleep for thoughts of their imminent departure. They spoke of their journey in Ji City, each reflecting on it in her own way.

“When we return home, how should we face Uncle Wang?” Gongsun Xi asked. She had never gotten along with Wang Wan, who was sharp-tongued and petty, but thinking of a neighbor of more than a decade now dead, she could not help but feel a thousand emotions.

Gongsun You sighed softly. “We should tell the truth. I believe Uncle Wang, in spirit, will not blame us—we did our best. This journey has shown me the dangers that lurk in people’s hearts, but also the nobility of righteousness and loyalty. It was not in vain. Xi, after all Master Pei has done for us, how ought we to repay him?”

Gongsun Xi grinned mischievously. “Perhaps I should offer myself to him?”

“Nonsense!”

With the danger behind them, the sisters began to play and tease each other atop their bed.