Husband, Be A Gentleman

Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

The following morning Xiao Hui and Xiao Zai returned to the manor.

Pei Jin was awoken by Xiao Hui and Xiao Zai's whistles outside the chamber.

Pei Jin got out of bed and reassured Yan Shi Ning. 'Wife, I'm going out for an inspection. After I come back we'll go to the Yan Manor to visit your father.'

Pei Jin kissed Yan Shi Ning, dressed and entered the horse carriage.

Inside the horse carriage Xiao Zai was eating a bowl of noodles while Xiao Hui glared at Xiao Zai.

'Ninth prince, have you eaten a morning meal?' Xiao Zai asked. 'Do you want to taste the noodles Xiao Hui cooked? It's delicious.'

'Do you think I'll let you eat my bowl of noodles if you didn't spit in it?' Xiao Hui asked.

Pei Jin patted Xiao Hui's shoulder. 'Xiao Hui, next time Xiao Zai spits, you can vomit and see if he'll dare to eat it.'

Xiao Zai smiled sweetly at Xiao Hui. 'Xiao Hui, I like your saliva.'

If Pei Jin wasn't a witness, Xiao Hui would have pushed Xiao Zai outside the horse carriage.

The horse carriage stopped in front of a locked shelter west of Pei Jin's manor.

Widow Li heard the door opened and turned her head to the door. Her eyes adjusted to the sunlight that shone into the dark room and she was shocked to see Pei Jin.

'Ninth prince,' widow Li said.

Pei Jin sat on the chair opposite widow Li and looked coldly at her. 'Widow Li, how did my wife's mother die?'

'Ninth prince, it was Princess Kang Hua's plan,' widow Li said in a shaky voice.

'Widow Li, you don't need to be anxious,' Pei Jin said. 'Slowly explain everything.'

'I was widowed before I was thirty years old,' widow Li said. 'Old nurse maid caught me in bed with her son-in-law and wanted to report me to the magistrate. I begged old nurse maid not to report me and promised her I would willingly be a work horse if she forgives my offence. Old nurse maid agreed on the condition I go to Xuan Qing and spy on big sister Dung Thi... old nurse maid setup coincidental meetings between me and big sister Dung Thi and that's how I became big sister Dung Thi and your wife's maid.'

Widow Li cried tears of guilt while she confessed. 'If Yan Jing sent letters to big sister Dung Thi, old nurse maid ordered me to intercept the letters and send them back to Yan Jing. For two years I listened to old nurse maid's orders because aside from sending back letters, I didn't have to do anything that would hurt big sister Dung Thi or your wife... Dung Thi was good to me and treated me like a blood sister. Your wife was a mischievous little girl, but she was filial and treated me like her aunt.'

Widow Li clasped her hands tightly. 'But three years ago after I sent back one of Yan Jing's many letters... Princess Kang Hua delivered me a bottle of herbs and a letter. She ordered me to put some herbs into big sister Dung Thi's bowl of soup each day... I didn't know what the herbs were but I suspected it was poison. I followed Princess Kang Hua's order and big sister Dung Thi was slowly poisoned... after a year the bottle of herbs was empty and big sister Dung Thi returned to the heavens.'

Pei Jin fisted his hands while he listened to widow Li's confession. 'Widow Li, what was in the letter that Yan Jing sent to my wife's mother?'

Widow Li pulled out an old letter she carried around in her pouch and passed it to Pei Jin.

Pei Jin read the old letter, 'Dung Dung, looking at the past I can only see my heavy conscience. Today I feel like I have received my retribution for abandoning you to take responsibility of a child I thought was mine. I don't dare to hope you'll forgive me. I only want you to return to me so I can compensate you for the rest of my life.'