TL: Hua
The next day, Pei Xiting was woken up by the sound of knocking on the door. He turned over, grumbling sleepily, “Are you in a hurry to hold a funeral? Get lost.”
“Ying Ziyu asked someone to send you a message, saying he saw Ma Bi.”
Pei Xiting’s eyes opened with a “whoosh,” then he rolled out of bed and hurried to open the door.
“Here,” Yuan Fang handed the note to Pei Xiting. “A little beggar brought it.”
The note had delicate small characters with brief content: 【Ma Bi is in Little Spring Garden.】
“The real Ma Bi is already dead. This Ma Bi should be the thug who kidnapped Third Bai— Captain Shang.” Pei Xiting called out, but Shang Xifeng didn’t seem to be here at the moment, so he instead called out to the Crown Prince in the next room.
The Crown Prince was clearly already awake, wearing a simple, plain white robe, his hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, as beautiful as cold jade.
It is said that clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. The Crown Prince didn’t rely on clothes, but when appreciated, he had a unique charm.
Temperament is something that is truly ingrained in one’s bones.
Pei Xiting’s sleepy eyes suddenly opened wide, and he greedily took another look at the beauty before him, then stepped forward to hand over the note, saying, “The fake Ma Bi has appeared. Following him, there’s hope of finding Third Bai.”
“Captain Shang has not returned,” the Crown Prince said.
Pei Xiting had made up his mind to show his abilities in front of his direct superior and the person he was pursuing. Even if he didn’t achieve merit, he had to establish a hardworking image. Hearing this, he took the initiative to say, “Then I’ll go take a look. It just so happens that today I’m helping Ying Ziyu redeem himself.”
Yuan Fang went to fetch water for the young master to wash up. Pei Xiting went back to choose a robe, and while putting it on, he chatted with the Crown Prince, who was standing in the corridor, “Your Highness, your taste in choosing clothes is quite good. I really like that water-red one.”
As dawn broke, the rain stopped, and the courtyard was filled with the scent of grass and trees after the rain. The wisteria flowers outside the corridor were adorned with raindrops, occasionally blown away by the wind.
The Crown Prince stood in the corridor, admiring the scenery. Hearing this, he hummed in acknowledgment and said objectively, “Your skin is fair; it suits you.”
Pei Xiting sat down in front of the door with socks and a small stool, saying, “Then do you think I enhance the clothes, or the clothes enhance me?”
The Crown Prince heard a series of footsteps behind him, turned sideways to look, and saw Pei Xiting lowering his head to put on socks, his right foot still bare. That foot was also fair and delicate, the ankle slender enough to be held in one hand. Pei Xiting pulled the clean socks up, causing the loose and thin silk trousers to slide up, revealing a section of slender, straight calf.
“…” The Crown Prince’s gaze flickered slightly, then he withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the wisteria flowers.
The flowers were still the same flowers, but for some reason, they were slightly blurred.
A moment later, Pei Xiting was ready and about to go out, but he keenly caught a glimpse of the slight darkness on the crown prince’s right sleeve. He walked over and said, “Your Highness, do you chant scriptures every time you twirl your prayer beads? Or do you just twirl them for fun?”
The Crown Prince’s fingers stroking the prayer beads paused. He turned his head to look at Pei Xiting and said, “What does it have to do with you?”
Pei Xiting didn’t mind, cupped his hands in salute, and turned to leave.
The “master and servant” pair left the courtyard. Yu Shaoyun jumped down from the roof, took a few steps into the corridor, and said, “Your Highness, are we going or not?”
The Crown Prince withdrew his gaze, his fingertip brushed against a prayer bead, and he said softly, “Heying is with the Bai family, and Pei Xiting is also quite concerned about this matter. Why should I go?”
Yu Shaoyun asked, “Did Your Highness send Pei Xiting to Ningzhou solely for painting?”
“Painting is his duty. As for the rest, if he wants to get involved, then let him,” the Crown Prince paused. “Shaoyun.”
This tone, with three parts consideration, three parts confusion, and four parts hesitation—in short, the tone of needing his advice and suggestions. This is so rare that it made Yu Shaoyun’s whole body tremble. He subconsciously stood even straighter and said solemnly, “Your subordinate is here!”
“The effectiveness of these prayer beads,” the Crown Prince shook his sleeve, revealing the string of black glass beads, his tone somewhat light, “is not as good as before.”
“How can that be?” Yu Shaoyun stepped forward in surprise, staring at the prayer beads. “Isn’t this the treasure of Baohui Zen Temple? So useless!”
The Crown Prince glanced at Yu Shaoyun in an indescribable way and said, “You believe this too?”
“Isn’t it? Then did we buy a fake?” Yu Shaoyun exclaimed angrily. “That bald donkey dared to swindle Your Highness’s money. I’ll chop him in half when I get back!”
“Even if the story of the temple treasure is just to fool the foolish, I’ve carried it with me for so many years, and this is the first time I’ve felt it gradually losing its effect,” the Crown Prince said softly under the foolish man’s resentful gaze. “In the past, I wore it every day, but most of the time it was just as a hand-held ornament. There were few times when I truly needed to use it as a ‘magic weapon’ to ward off evil and calm the mind. But in these two months, I’ve needed it more and more. The more I need it, the more useless it becomes.”
Yu Shaoyun knew of His Highness’s “illness.” Hearing this, he thought for a moment and said softly, “Your Highness, haven’t you reached a certain age? Why don’t… why don’t you indulge in some pleasure?”
The Crown Prince silently looked at Yu Shaoyu.
“After all, you are a man full of vigor and vitality. It’s not a good idea to keep holding it in. Now that you feel this bead is useless, perhaps you’ve reached the limit of your endurance and are about to explode.” Yu Shaoyun said hesitantly, supporting his fist with his palm.
The crown prince didn’t scold him and said, “Then who should I look for to indulge pleasure?”
“You don’t want to take concubines, so you can only find someone outside.” Yu Shaoyun rubbed his chin, suddenly remembering something. “By the way, could it be because of that Chun Sheng?”
The Crown Prince said, “What does it have to do with him?”
“You suddenly said today that these beads are ineffective. I thought about it, and among the people you’ve seen recently, only that Chun Sheng is a stranger.” Yu Shaoyun asked softly, “Were you hooked by his singing and had some other thoughts?”
The Crown Prince really didn’t understand and sincerely asked, “Facing Chun Sheng, where should my thoughts come from?”
“Chun Sheng is a famous singer in Ningzhou, very outstanding in appearance. Moreover, he comes from Little Spring Garden, with many charming tricks. Although you are not a lecherous person, you have little experience. It’s possible that you were temporarily blinded by him on the boat that night,” Yu Shaoyun analyzed.
“Before Pei Xiting boarded the boat that night, I only looked at Chun Sheng once, which was no different from how I looked at the wonton stall’s boss. Later, Pei Xiting came up,” the Crown Prince said. “Do you think that with Pei Xiting there, I would still look at Chun Sheng?”
“Huh? Wait a minute,” Yu Shaoyun was a little confused. “Between Pei-wenshu’s presence and you looking at Chun Sheng, what necessary connection is there between these two? You can’t look at Chun Sheng when Pei-wenshu is there? Why?”
The Crown Prince said, “According to your previous statement, if I were blinded by beauty, then naturally I should be blinded by Pei Xiting, because he is better looking, isn’t he?”
“If we’re talking about appearance, Pei-wenshu is probably unmatched, but Chun Sheng knows things that Pei-wenshu doesn’t. You should see how Chun Sheng walks, the way he twists his waist—”
As Yu Shaoyun spoke, he twisted around the Crown Prince with his hands on his hips. Others have a soft water-snake waist, but Yu Shaoyun looked like a poisoned snake that had gone mad.
The Crown Prince’s gaze was cold, making Yu Shaoyun’s heart turn cold. He lost the confidence to show off his figure and honestly continued to stand still.
“It’s not because of Chun Sheng,” the Crown Prince said after a moment of silence. “It’s because of Pei Xiting.”
Yu Shaoyun was stunned. “Ah?”
“Recently, every time I see him, I need this string of prayer beads. Every time I need to use these prayer beads to restrain myself, it’s when he’s around.” The Crown Prince’s expression was as usual, but his tone was slightly heavy.
Yu Shaoyun thought for a moment and said, “Could it be because you like his words, and therefore you like his person a little more?”
“When purely liking a person, does one need to restrain desire?” The Crown Prince asked, “That kind of instinctive, physical lust?”
Of course not. Yu Shaoyun’s eyelids twitched, and he said, “Now that Your Highness has noticed something is wrong, why do you still keep Pei-wenshu by your side? If you don’t want to, you should distance yourself from him immediately.”
“If you avoid trouble, you will never be able to solve it.” The Crown Prince stroked the prayer beads, his eyes drooping. “Just one Pei Xiting; he won’t hinder anything.”
Yu Shaoyun said, “That’s for sure.”
*
Pei Xiting sneezed, gently rubbing his nose, and then pushed open the door in front of him.
Ying Ziyu was sitting by the window, and upon hearing the sound, he immediately stood up and gestured for Pei Xiting to come to his side. Pei Xiting walked up to the window. Ying Ziyu said, “Ma Bi is in a room on the first floor and hasn’t come out yet.”
Ying Ziyu’s room was on the third floor. Pei Xiting looked down and saw a courtyard with three-story buildings, much quieter than the front.
“What is this courtyard?” he asked.
“It’s like a guest house in Little Spring Garden. Some guests who stay longer don’t want to live in the male courtesan’s rooms, so they live in this courtyard,” Ying Ziyu said. “I was embroidering by the window earlier when I saw a man walking through the corridor. It was Ma Bi. I remembered that you had asked about him before, so I asked someone to send you a message. There are often some little beggars on the street who can’t read but are quick on their feet, more clever than ordinary children. They can run errands if you give them money.”
“You did very well, thank you,” Pei Xiting said. “I will help you redeem yourself today. You can pack your luggage and leave with me to avoid being troubled.”
Ying Ziyu took a deep breath and bowed solemnly, then turned to pack his bags.
Yuan Fang walked behind Pei Xiting and stood still, following Pei Xiting’s gaze to look at the room in the corner of the right corridor on the first floor, and said, “Do you want me to go down and see—there’s someone.”
He pressed Pei Xiting’s shoulder, and the two of them hid behind the window at the same time, standing more discreetly.
Pei Xiting peeked out and saw a man wearing plain clothes but with a gold ring walking through the corridor. He lingered in front of that room for a moment, looked left and right, and pushed the door in.
But then, a man wearing tight-fitting clothes and a mask discreetly approached the room and hid in the corner next to the room.
“It’s Xifeng.” Pei Xiting recognized the masked man.
Shang Xifeng should be with the Bai family. So that man who entered the room was either deliberately dressed plainly and low-key, or he was wealthy but could not dress extravagantly, like a merchant.
Could it be someone from the Bai family?
Shang Xifeng was, after all, a Longhe Guard. His vigilance was needless to say. He had long noticed that someone was watching him. He looked up at the small building ahead to the left and met Pei Xiting’s eyes behind the window.
The two exchanged glances and continued to watch their respective targets.
After a while, the door opened. The man who entered later appeared. Pei Xiting called Ying Ziyu over, and Ying Ziyu shrank to one side with just one glance, biting his lip and saying softly, “It’s Third Master Bai.”
Pei Xiting raised an eyebrow slightly.
It seems that there is indeed a traitor in the Bai family, not a servant, but Third Master Bai.
Shang Xifeng followed Third Master Bai. Pei Xiting continued to stare at that room and said, “What is the relationship between Third Master Bai and the main branch of the family?”
“Third Master Bai is not steady and is not as valued as his elder brothers in the family. Despite this fact, he still doesn’t care about anything and spends his days seeking pleasure. Although there are no rumors of discord among the brothers, how can outsiders be sure if the rumors are true?” Ying Ziyu said.
The door was suddenly knocked on. Ying Ziyu glanced at Pei Xiting, walked to the door, and asked, “Who is it?”
The door was gently pushed open, and Ying Ziyu met a very handsome face. He subconsciously grabbed the side of the door and said, “Sir, there is a guest in my room.”
“Yes, I’m looking for your guest.” Yu Shaoyun stepped over the threshold, his tall figure covering Ying Ziyu, forcing the latter to retreat two steps subconsciously and bump into Yuan Fang.
“It’s fine.” Yuan Fang signaled Ying Ziyu not to worry, stood aside, glanced at Yu Shaoyun, and said nothing.
Sure enough, the next moment the Crown Prince entered the room, his veiled hat concealing his face. Immediately, Yu Shaoyun retreated and closed the door.
Pei Xiting’s attention was still fixed on that room. Feeling someone approaching him from behind, he only thought it was Yu Shaoyun. “Guard Yu didn’t protect the young master closely but ran here…”
The faint scent of cold bamboo entered his nose. He paused, and his nose almost brushed against the white veil when he turned his head, his eyes meeting the Crown Prince’s through the veil.
“Your… young master,” Pei Xiting’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Why are you here?”
“Nothing to do, just came out for a walk.” The Crown Prince raised his folding fan and gently tapped Pei Xiting’s cheek. “Turn your head, watch yours.”
“Oh.” Pei Xiting turned his head and said after a moment, “Xifeng followed the Third Master Bai here and then left. Now the fake Ma Bi is still in the room and hasn’t come out. I don’t know what’s in the room.”
As he said this, he saw Yu Shaoyun appear in the corridor. This person was bold and daring, listening directly by the window in broad daylight, and then poked a hole in the paper window, making a gesture to them.
“Two fingers, does that mean there are two people inside?” Pei Xiting asked. “What does three fingers mean? Could it be… Third Bai?”
“Correct, besides the fake Ma Bi, there’s also Third Bai in that room,” the Crown Prince said. “This is the use of ‘hiding in plain sight’.”
He said the words “hiding in plain sight” very softly. Pei Xiting paused and said, “Are you implying someone?”
Yuan Fang stood at the door, saying nothing.
The Crown Prince didn’t say a word.
“The fake Ma Bi kidnapped the person in Little Spring Garden. This place is crowded and noisy, so either they used a carriage to take her out and find a place to settle her, or they hid her directly in Little Spring Garden. Third Master Bai is related to this matter. He’s a pleasure-seeker and won’t attract attention if he appears in Little Spring Garden every day. In that case, Little Spring Garden is indeed a suitable hiding place,” Pei Xiting said, stroking his chin.
After a while, Yu Shaoyun returned and said, “The fake Ma Bi is sleeping. Third Bai is tied up and thrown aside, unconscious.”
The door was knocked on again, and the person outside said, “Is Third Young Master Pei in the room?”
“It’s the voice of Prince Zhao’s attendant,” Pei Xiting whispered to the Crown Prince. “You should hide.”
The Crown Prince said, “Why should I hide?”
“Don’t you want to hide your identity?” Pei Xiting said, “What if Prince Zhao is outside and sees you?”
“They’re looking for you,” the Crown Prince said. “Go out and talk.”
Pei Xiting said, “Oh,” and turned to walk around the screen, going to the door and saying, “Who is it?”
“Sorry to bother you, Third Young Master Pei,” Gao Liu said. “The prince invites you for a drink.”
Pei Xiting opened the door and went out. Yuan Fang followed, and the door closed gently.
Yu Shaoyun said, “Prince Zhao is keeping a close eye on Young Master Pei.”
The Crown Prince said softly, “When a dog saw good meat, it naturally stared closely.”
