Chapter Nine: Cultivating Oneself, Regulating the Family, Governing the State, and Bringing Peace to the World

Just as Steward Wang was about to step out the door, a clear, deep voice echoed through the hall.

"Uncle Shen, please forgive me for arriving late."

Everyone in the hall turned to look. In the dim courtyard, a man stood tall and straight before the entrance. Clad in elegant dark green robes, he appeared even more aloof and refined under the cold moonlight and pristine snow.

Seeing him, Master Shen hurried forward, his face full of concern. "Why have you come so late? Are you feeling unwell, nephew? If you were not feeling well, you should have simply sent a servant to inform us; there was no need to brave the freezing cold to attend this banquet."

Pei Zhi bowed, his demeanor exquisitely polite yet tinged with a sense of detachment. "Many thanks for your concern, Uncle. I am quite well; the layout of this estate is simply difficult to navigate, and with the roads dark and slippery, I was merely being cautious."

Hearing this, Master Shen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Pei Zhi was the legitimate son of the Pei family and the only heir of the senior branch. Noble families valued the purity of their lineage above all else; though the Pei estate was vast and boasted many descendants, only Pei Zhi could—and would—inherit it. Although he was only staying at the Shen residence temporarily, no one dared to let such a young master come to any harm.

As the sky darkened, the pleasantries ceased, and the family banquet held in honor of Pei Zhi officially began. Master and Mistress Shen sat at the head of the table. Shen Zhining sat beside her mother, but due to the separation of genders, Pei Zhi was seated beside Master Shen. Consequently, Shen Zhining and Pei Zhi ended up facing each other.

The night was deep, but the hall was brightly lit. Shen Zhining picked up a red shrimp, and while her maid Yuzhu peeled the shell, she lifted her gaze to look at Pei Zhi. He wore a cyan robe, his long hair tied high, and the vermilion mole at the corner of his eye was striking. With his red lips and white teeth, he was incomparably handsome. Setting aside the cold, aristocratic aloofness that seemed inherent to him, he looked like a figure stepped out of a painting. Even sitting there doing nothing, he exerted a sense of pressure on Shen Zhining.

Before she could bring the shrimp to her lips, Pei Zhi suddenly raised his eyes, and their gazes clashed. In the ensuing silence, it was Pei Zhi who spoke first.

"I hear you have been reviewing your studies in the library lately, cousin. I trust you have gained much from it."

Shen Zhining: ...

Recalling how she had spent her nights reading light novels by candlelight, while her copies of the Four Books and Five Classics gathered dust somewhere forgotten, she felt a twinge of guilt at his sudden inquiry.

Could he have discovered something? No, given his personality, if he had found out she was reading novels, he would have come to Fangfei Courtyard to catch her in the act long ago.

Shen Zhining took a deep breath to steady herself and replied, "It is thanks to your wise guidance the other day, cousin, that I now understand the meaning of propriety, justice, integrity, and honor, and the virtues expected of a woman."

She would never forget how bone-deep and piercing the pain of the whip he had used on her that day felt. Just thinking about it made her blood boil. She raised her head, meeting his gaze with unflinching composure. "After these few days of study, I have a question that has been troubling my thoughts, and I wonder if you would be willing to help me resolve it?"

Pei Zhi set down his teacup. Knowing full well she was setting a trap, he still fixed his deep, inscrutable gaze upon her. "Speak your mind."

"I wish to ask: women have the 'Three Obediences and Four Virtues,' yet I have scoured all the books and found not a single one that lists the 'Three Obediences and Four Virtues' that men should follow. Why is that?"

Shen Zhining spoke with such genuine emotion that Pei Zhi could not tell if she was truly ignorant or intentionally trying to embarrass him. She turned her face away in feigned indignation. "Throughout the ages, the 'Precepts for Women' have been the standard for female conduct, as if a woman is born only to serve her husband and raise children. If that is so, why are men allowed to serve their country while women are not even granted the right to take the imperial examinations?"

Pei Zhi kept his hands resting on his knees, noncommittal. Seeing him remain silent, watching her with a gaze that grew increasingly probing, Shen Zhining’s heart skipped a beat as she realized she had inadvertently let her guard down in her anger.

A second later, Pei Zhi looked away, his expression returning to its usual tranquil state. He took a sip of tea and said faintly, "It seems you have developed a capacity for critical thought in your studies, rather than merely following tradition blindly."

Shen Zhining’s face darkened. How could he dare call others conventional? He was the most conventional man under heaven! She stared at him for a long moment, the corner of her mouth curling into a mocking arc. "My thanks for the praise, cousin, but you have yet to answer my question."

Hearing her press the matter, Pei Zhi’s eyelashes flickered. He raised his eyes to look at her, his long, cold eyes filled with dark, swirling depths. The woman was resting her chin in her hands, head tilted slightly, exposing the delicate skin of her neck. Her fingertips toyed with a lock of hair, and her eyes danced with a mixture of playfulness and charm.

She looked up at him, a slight smile playing on her lips, which were as vibrant as roses. With every movement and expression, she was like a sprite beneath the moon, captivating and bewitching.

For a brief moment, Pei Zhi looked away.

"The 'Book of Rites' states that all men should take the cultivation of their character, the regulation of their families, the governance of their states, and the bringing of peace to the world as their own responsibility." His voice was stern and cold, devoid of any emotion.

Watching him recite those words with such solemnity, Shen Zhining could not help but let out a soft, mocking scoff.

Indeed, karma was a cycle. No matter how powerful Magistrate Pei became in the future, he still failed to achieve the goal of "regulating his family." In her past life, Pei Zhi had held immense power, yet for the three years of his marriage, he and his wife had been unable to conceive. It was said that Lady Pei had even spent half a year living in the Jinguang Temple, eating vegetarian food and praying for a child. Despite Magistrate Pei searching for every renowned doctor in the world, the vast Pei estate ultimately had no heir.

After her cold laugh, the hall fell silent. Only the crisp sound of Pei Zhi’s finger tapping against the rim of his white jade cup remained.

"Does your laughter mean you find my answer inappropriate, cousin?" His voice was cold, leaving no room to discern his mood.

Shen Zhining looked up, her lashes trembling uncontrollably. Thinking it over, she decided it was better to yield; life was hard-won, after all. The wise know when to submit.

She shrank her shoulders slightly and muttered, "You are quite right, cousin. I have been taught well today."

Hearing her voice soften so suddenly, Pei Zhi felt a sense of helplessness. It seemed his cousin was always like this—provoking him and then backing down, leaving him with no way to handle her.

Seeing that the tension between the two had dissipated, Master Shen happily raised his glass to smooth things over. "Today’s family banquet is also a farewell for Pei Zhi... Come, let us all have a drink. Is it not a joy to be together in such harmony?"

Hearing this, everyone at the table raised their glasses and drank the warm wine. After finishing her drink and eating a few more bites, Shen Zhining listened to the intermittent chatter at the table, but unable to eat any further, she excused herself, claiming she could not hold her liquor.