After Marrying the Disabled Prince (BG) - Chapter 4: Pei Yuan

What met his gaze was a clean and beautiful face with willow-leaf-like brows, almond-shaped eyes, and skin as fair as snow. She looked young, not fully grown into her features, but her beauty was already striking. It wasn’t the kind of beauty that dazzled or bewitched. Instead, she had a gentle, non-threatening presence, her lips adorned with shallow dimples that added a soft charm.

She didn’t seem like she was here to cause trouble.

With that judgment, the taut string in Pei Yuan’s mind loosened slightly, and his hand, which had been gathering three-tenths of his inner energy, relaxed its grip.

His gaze shifted downward, and when he noticed Bao Ning’s bright red wedding dress, his pupils contracted. He abruptly recalled what Cui Feng had mentioned earlier that morning—that today was his wedding day. The bride was expected to arrive around midday, after which Cui Feng would return to the capital, leaving the new princess consort to serve him.

When Cui Feng spoke, her tone carried a trace of pity. “I heard your princess consort is a betrothed match, the daughter of the Duke of Rong’s family. A young lady like that, how could she be willing to fall into such a place? Who knows how she’ll treat you in the future… poor thing.”

Pei Yuan didn’t know if Cui Feng was pitying him or the unfortunate princess consort who had to marry him.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan let out a mocking laugh. It made sense. Given his current miserable state, he was nothing more than a useless cripple. Who would be foolish enough to willingly serve him? Everyone probably hoped for his swift demise. Even the maids sent by the Ministry of Revenue dared to order him around. How could a princess consort, of all people, be different? It was obvious she must be an unlucky illegitimate daughter forced into this marriage. She had probably cried countless times on the journey here and might already be scheming about how to escape. She must have come to his room first to scout the situation.

She should be thrilled, though seeing him in this half-dead state. Whenever he died, she’d be free.

…

Pei Yuan stared blankly at her skirt. Bao Ning, oblivious to his thoughts, didn’t notice that even the blanket had slid off him.

Fearing that Pei Yuan would catch a chill and worsen his illness, she reached out to pull the blanket back up, wrapping it around his shoulders. She asked again, “Are you very thirsty? If you can bear it a bit longer, I’ll fetch some water and boil it for you. Drinking cold water isn’t good. Can you tell me where I can find a well or stream?”

What a convincing act.

Pei Yuan snapped out of his thoughts, his expression twisting into one of disgust. He turned away from her hand and tilted his head back, draining the teapot’s contents in one go.

His hands were trembling so much that he initially missed the teapot’s spout, spilling much of the cold water down his neck. Pei Yuan seemed unfazed. After finishing the water, he tossed the teapot onto the table, wiped his mouth carelessly, and burrowed back into the blanket.

From start to finish, Bao Ning was thoroughly ignored. Feeling a bit awkward, she raised a hand and touched her nose.

After standing there for a while, she realized that letting the silence drag on wasn’t a solution. It would be better to start a conversation and try to establish a better relationship with him.

Bao Ning crouched down so that her gaze was level with Pei Yuan, who was lying down. In her gentlest voice, she began, “Fourth Prince, I am your…”

Before she could finish, Pei Yuan abruptly opened his eyes and snapped impatiently, “Why haven’t you left yet?”

Stunned by the harsh words, Bao Ning froze for a moment, feeling a pang of grievance.

She pressed her lips together and quickly adjusted her emotions.

She already knew what kind of temper Pei Yuan had. Now that he had fallen into such dire straits, it was normal for his mood to be foul. There was no need to get upset over this.

Having thought it through, Bao Ning smiled again, her expression bright and cheerful as she introduced herself. “My surname is Ji, and my name is Bao Ning. Have you heard of me? Ji Bao Ning.”

Pei Yuan gave her a peculiar look, his gaze complicated.

As expected, he didn’t respond.

Bao Ning figured that Pei Yuan probably didn’t know her. He used to be the Fourth Prince, a lofty figure, whose flamboyant personality meant he only associated with other equally arrogant young nobles, spending his days in activities like horse riding and archery. Perhaps he wasn’t even familiar with Ji Jia Ying, much less someone like her.

But none of that mattered. The past was the past. What was important was making the best of the days to come.

“From now on, it’ll just be the two of us,” Bao Ning said as she tucked Pei Yuan’s blanket a little more snugly. Resting her chin on her hand, she looked at him with crescent-shaped eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you. What would you like to eat later? I’ll make it for you.”

Pei Yuan let out a cold laugh, closed his eyes, and refused to look at her again.

His left leg was injured, and because it hadn’t been properly cleaned or treated, the deep wound had festered, exposing the bone. The pain forced him to lie on his right side, facing Bao Ning directly, leaving him no way to avoid her.

Too tired to bother with her, Pei Yuan decided it was easier to just shut his eyes and block her out.

After a while, Bao Ning sighed softly and stood up to leave.

The sound of the door closing reached Pei Yuan’s ears. Only then did he open his eyes, a trace of mockery flashing through his gaze.

This woman’s scheming skills are truly remarkable. Those fake, sweet words… Did she really think they would move him to tears of gratitude?

As he thought this, however, the hunger in his stomach stirred.

Pei Yuan reached behind him and pulled out an oil paper package. Unwrapping it, he found half a rotton pancake. It had been sitting too long, and with the cold winter air, the oil on the pancake had solidified, making it look greasy and unappetizing.

Cui Feng didn’t pay much attention to him. Add to that the lack of supplies here, and her cooking was terrible, daily meals consisted of corn porridge with a pinch of bitter salt, barely enough to get by. Pei Yuan couldn’t stomach it and had been relying on the occasional snacks and meals his younger brother Pei Yang sent him every few days.

Pei Yang was his fifth brother, a thirteen-year-old who was the emperor’s youngest son and greatly favored since childhood.

Pei Yuan had always been good to this younger brother, personally teaching him horse riding and swordsmanship. Pei Yang, in turn, was very close to him. After Pei Yuan’s downfall, his former drinking buddies had all disappeared, scrambling to distance themselves from him. Only Pei Yang still cared, visiting every three to five days with some food.

By now, it had been five days since Pei Yang last came. The heavy snow had blocked the roads, and this place was remote, making the journey difficult for him.

Pei Yuan took a bite of the scallion pancake, thinking that he should prepare some food himself later to save for the next day.

As for that woman earlier, he neither trusted nor relied on her. Her words might sound nice, but just wait—she’d be crying and begging to leave within three days.

Thinking about it, Pei Yuan’s gaze grew even colder.

She should leave quickly, saving him from further disturbance.

…

Bao Ning dragged the dowry chest back into the room from the courtyard. Her dowry wasn’t much—just two large chests, one of which had been prepared with private savings by Concubine Xu out of pity for her.

In addition, Bao Ning had brought a small chest of her own.

When she saw the wedding gifts prepared by the Ministry of Revenue for Pei Yuan that day, Bao Ning had already gauged his current situation. Fearing that even the basic necessities might be lacking here, she brought along some supplies of her own: a few pounds of pork, a sack of white flour, a sack of fine rice, and some miscellaneous vegetables and medicines.

Because of these items, she had been mocked extensively by Ji Jia Ying and Ji Liu Xiang.

At first, Bao Ning thought she might have been overthinking things, but now it seemed her foresight was a blessing. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have anything to eat tonight.

The wedding dress was too cumbersome. Bao Ning searched through her wedding boxes and pulled out a set of everyday clothes to change into, instantly feeling much lighter.

After some thought, she grabbed a cloth and went to patch up the hole in Pei Yuan’s window.

This man had a temper and no regard for consequences. If he was going to lose his temper, so be it, but why smash the window? Now that it was broken, wasn’t he the one suffering from the cold?

Shaking her head, Bao Ning turned to continue searching for a water source. No matter how bad the mood, food still needed to be made.

As she glanced back, Bao Ning suddenly noticed a narrow path, about a foot wide, between the east side of the hut Pei Yuan lived in and the fence. Curious, she walked over to take a look. To her surprise, there was another small courtyard beyond.

Overjoyed, Bao Ning lifted her skirt and squeezed through. At the center of the courtyard stood a well with a pulley system. To the east of the well was what looked like the entrance to a root cellar, covered by wooden planks. To the west was a small vegetable plot that had clearly been cultivated before, though it now lay barren, with only rows of soil ridges remaining.

It was only then that Bao Ning realized the entire setup of the house was shaped like the character “日”. The fence formed a large courtyard, with two small huts in the middle dividing it. Narrow paths on either side of the huts led to the rear courtyard.

A well, a root cellar, and even a vegetable plot—when spring arrived, life here could be much easier.

Bao Ning quickly forgot about the unpleasantness of Pei Yuan snapping at her earlier. She went to the west wing, grabbed a candle, and lit it to see how much food was stored in the cellar.

Lifting the wooden plank, a damp, earthy smell mixed with the distinct scent of cabbage and radishes greeted her. It wasn’t unpleasant.

Bao Ning tied her skirt up at her waist, carefully holding the candle as she climbed down the ladder. Relieved that the flame remained steady, she reached the bottom and turned her hopeful gaze around. In the corner, she found a few large cabbages and a half-cut red radish. A few rotting vegetables lay there forlornly. The overflowing stores of dried goods and cured meats she had imagined were nowhere to be seen.

Feeling a bit let down, Bao Ning sighed. But then she thought, at least there were still a few cabbages. That wasn’t bad. Tonight, she could make a thick, hot dumpling soup. That would be warm and comforting.

She had always been good at consoling herself, finding joy even in tough situations. No matter how unpleasant something was, she would soon forget it. Madam Tao, Tao Shi, used to say she had no ambition, but Bao Ning didn’t understand what ambition was. She simply felt that being happy and content like this was enough to make life rich and flavorful.

Bao Ning picked up a large cabbage, blew out the candle, and climbed back up the ladder.

The kitchen was too small and right next to her bed, making it inconvenient to wash vegetables there. Bao Ning decided to fetch water and crouched by the well to clean the cabbage.

It was the end of winter and the beginning of spring, the chill still sharp and biting. The well water was so cold it felt like it could pierce her bones. Bao Ning’s hands turned red from the cold as she washed the cabbage. When the cold became unbearable, she shook off the water, tucked her hands under her stomach to warm them, and began examining the little courtyard.

She started planning what to plant when the snow on the ground will clear in about half a month. Onions were a must, and chives too because stir-fried eggs with chives were delicious. She’d also plant cabbages, chili peppers, and fennel greens. Oh, and cucumbers for the summer—they’d be refreshing. Speaking of refreshing, grapes could be planted as well. They could grow into a vine-covered trellis, providing shade in the summer…

…

Mid-February, the days grew shorter, and the sky darkened early. Even before the hour of Shen passed, the light had already dimmed somewhat.

Pei Yuan reached for an outer garment, draped it over his shoulders, and with great effort, stood up, intending to go to the kitchen and make a meal.

Due to that accident, Pei Yuan’s left leg was paralyzed. He could feel pain, but it was utterly useless. To stand, he had to rely on a wooden cane, making every step an ordeal. From the eastern wing to the western wing’s doorway a short distance of just a few steps, Pei Yuan was already sweating profusely. Perhaps due to overexertion, he could feel the recently healed small wounds on his body reopening, threads of pain creeping up his spine. Pei Yuan lowered his head and glared at his own legs with disgust, his eyes filled with gloom.

This crippled, useless self… even I dislike it. Who else could I expect to like me?

Before pushing open the door to the western wing, Pei Yuan hesitated for a moment. He wondered, what if she hadn’t left and was still inside?

Pei Yuan stood at the doorway for a while. Seeing no movement from within, he reached out and pushed the door open.

Sure enough, the room was empty.

Pei Yuan chuckled self-deprecatingly. Of course, I was overthinking.

The fire striker was on the table. Pei Yuan picked it up and held it in his hand, struggling to crouch down and ignite the stove.

This seemingly simple act of crouching was a monumental challenge for Pei Yuan. His leg was injured, and his left leg was numb and unresponsive, making it difficult to bend. To crouch, he had to tightly grip the cane to maintain balance, lest he tilt to one side and fall. The cane was merely a thick piece of dry wood, not sturdy, and seemed ready to snap under the pressure. Beads of sweat covered Pei Yuan’s forehead. He exhaled heavily, tossed the cane aside, and reached out to support himself on the stove. But his arm was too weak. His hand slipped, and he ended up collapsing onto the ground.

His wounds completely tore open, and the intense pain made Pei Yuan’s vision blur. He tilted his head back, a muffled groan escaping his throat.

…

When Bao Ning entered with freshly washed vegetables, Pei Yuan was struggling to stand.

Hearing the sound behind him, Pei Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned to look.

Bao Ning was also staring at him in surprise. “Your Highness, why are you out here…?”

Her gaze dropped to Pei Yuan’s limp and unsteady left leg. That leg, powerless and paralyzed, was bent into an oddly distorted and awkward position.

Pei Yuan had no time to feel joy at her unexpected appearance. Seeing where her eyes had landed, his expression darkened instantly.

His knuckles whitened as he gripped the cane tightly. With reddened eyes, he bellowed, “Look one more time, and I’ll gouge out your eyes!”