MSW Chapter12

31

The two of them played around for half the afternoon. Duan Linzhou was exhausted and fell asleep again in a daze. Mu Peixuan stayed with him for a while. When he woke up again, it was almost dusk and the room was dark.

 

Duan Linzhou was still fast asleep. Mu Peixuan stared at him for a while before putting on his clothes and stepping outside. The manor was situated on the mountainside, and as the sun set behind the peaks, the temperature dropped.

 

Xu Ying and the others were in the warm pavilion, some playing chess, others tossing darts, all accompanied by a bit of wine — quite a pleasant scene. As soon as Mu Peixuan arrived, Xu Ying, who had been scratching his head while trying to keep up with Fang Yuan in a game of chess, jumped up and exclaimed, “Xiao Junwang, you’re here! You can really sleep, huh? We agreed to come out and have fun, but after dinner, you disappeared without a trace!”

 

His chess skills were far inferior to Fang Yuan’s, and he wasn’t the type to sit still. Yet, he insisted on indulging Fang Yuan’s preference and played chess with him, but he was no match for him. After several rounds, his face grew pale, a mix of sweetness and pain.

 

He grabbed Mu Peixuan and said, “Quick, you finish this game for me.”

 

Mu Peixuan gave a soft grunt, glanced at the chessboard, and couldn’t help but look at Fang Yuan.

 

Just this game alone was enough to show Fang Yuan’s exceptional chess skills. Mu Peixuan even noticed a hint of playful teasing in his moves. A move that could have taken the game immediately was instead used to slowly corner Xu Ying, leading him into a difficult situation. With this level of composure, even ten Xu Yings wouldn’t stand a chance.

 

Fang Yuan remained calm, nodding toward Mu Peixuan and offering a polite salute. “Your Highness.”

 

Mu Peixuan replied, “You should finish the game you want to play.”

 

Xu Ying sighed with a frown. Suddenly, he sniffed the air and asked Mu Peixuan, “What’s that smell on you?”

 

Mu Peixuan’s heart skipped a beat. “What?”

 

Xu Ying furrowed his brows, giving Mu Peixuan a once-over before abruptly shoving him aside. With a look of disdain, he said, “You reek of Xinxiang, like a peacock spreading its feathers. Stay away from my Yuan Ge’er.”

 

Mu Peixuan was speechless and could only lift his leg to walk over to Yu Jing and the others. They were playing a game of throwing arrows into a pot. Upon seeing Mu Peixuan, they raised their hands and handed him a few arrows, saying, “Care to join us for a while?”

 

Mu Peixuan replied with an acknowledgment.

 

Yu Jing then asked, “Where’s Boss Duan?”

 

Mu Peixuan lowered his gaze and replied, “He drank too much at lunch and is still sleeping now.”

 

Yu Jing, who was a few years older than the others and already married, was no naive youngster. Upon catching the scent of Xinxiang on Mu Peixuan, he quickly made an educated guess. He raised an eyebrow, smiling, and said, “Really? I’ve heard that Boss Duan has a remarkable tolerance for alcohol, never getting drunk no matter how much he drinks.”

 

Mu Peixuan vaguely responded, “His health isn’t what it used to be.”

 

Yu Jing chuckled softly but didn’t call him out. He watched as Mu Peixuan lifted his hand and expertly tossed an arrow into the narrow neck of the pot, praising him with a simple “Good.” Then, he too picked up an arrow and followed suit, landing his arrow in the pot.

 

Xu Fangyi clapped his hands and said, “This game doesn’t seem interesting for the two of you. How about we try it with blindfolds on instead?”

 

Yu Jing laughed helplessly and replied, “You always have so many ideas.”

 

After saying that, Yu Jing looked at Mu Peixuan, who readily agreed, “Alright.”

 

They had both grown up practicing archery and horseback riding, so throwing arrows into a pot was merely a pastime for them. It wasn’t difficult by any means. Before long, a servant arrived with black silk cloth, cut to a width of three fingers. Yu Jing and Mu Peixuan each had their eyes covered.

 

Xu Fangyi said, “Each person gets ten arrows, and the one who lands the most in the pot wins.”

 

They played with great enthusiasm, and soon Xu Ying, Li Yue, and a few others joined in, crowding around and shouting cheers from the side.

 

Their ruckus lasted until midnight, and the ground was littered with several wine jars. After three rounds of drinking, Yu Jing, Mu Peixuan, and Xu Fangyi sat together. Yu Jing said, “I heard from my older brother that there will be complications with the military pay this winter.”

 

Mu Peixuan and Xu Fangyi frowned.

 

Yu Jing’s older brother was a government official, serving in the Ministry of Personnel in the capital.

 

Xu Fangyi muttered in frustration, “It’s always like this. The government is supposed to allocate the military pay, but every year when we ask for it, we have to beg and plead multiple times.”

 

“Not just our southern army,” Yu Jing lowered his voice and said, “I heard that the northern forces haven’t received their military pay for three months already.”

 

Xu Fangyi inhaled sharply, and Mu Peixuan furrowed his brows even more tightly. “Now is exactly the time when the northern tribes are restless, raiding and plundering every year…”

 

Yu Jing sighed and said, “Do you think the higher-ups don’t know?”

 

“The young emperor is useless, and the court is embroiled in fierce infighting. Over the past two years, ministers have been exiled to Lingnan and the northern border one after another. Who has time to deal with these matters?” Yu Jing shook his head. “Last year, the floods in Ruizhou were so severe, yet the officials of the Lin family and the eunuchs kept bickering. The relief funds allocated by the court were delayed for a long time, going through many obstacles, and almost didn’t get distributed.”

 

Xu Fangyi said, “Enough of that, the refugees were so starving they forcibly seized granaries back then. My father almost couldn’t handle it.”

 

Yu Jing gave a bitter smile and said, “The politics in the capital are too corrupt. My father wants my older brother to come back…”

 

Xu Fangyi widened his eyes and said, “But if we can hold on for two more years, your older brother will likely be promoted to Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.”

 

“The court is a mess right now,” Yu Jing said. “One wrong move, and it could bring disaster to the entire family, leading to irreversible ruin. These capital officials… it’s better not to become one.”

 

Mu Peixuan nodded and said, “What Second Brother Yu said is true.”

 

Yu Jing continued, “In today’s court, the treacherous prime minister holds all the power, and the eunuchs are rampant. The clarity and order of the past are long gone. It’s better to temporarily stay out of it and keep a low profile, waiting for the right moment.”

 

Yu Jing nodded and said, “Exactly.”

 

After chatting for a while longer, each of them feeling somewhat down, Xu Fangyi slapped his head and said, “Forget it, let’s put these matters aside for now. We came out to have fun, so let’s enjoy ourselves first.”

 

Mu Peixuan and Yu Jing both couldn’t help but smile.

 

Mu Peixuan then said, “Alright, tomorrow we’ll go hunting on the back mountain.”

 

Yu Jing also said, “I remember the wildlife on the back mountain of Ah Xuan’s estate is quite plentiful.”

 

Xu Fangyi happily added, “Great, I want to catch a couple of wild rabbits to bring back. My younger sister was asking for baby rabbits not long ago.”

 

By then, it was already late, and after settling on the plans for the next day, the group each yawned and went their separate ways, heading back to rest.

 

Mu Peixuan washed off the smell of alcohol, and when he returned to the room, Duan Linzhou was still asleep. He climbed into bed, and Duan Linzhou, sensing his presence, sleepily moved closer to him. Mu Peixuan froze for a moment, then gently patted Duan Linzhou, and he fell back into a deep sleep.

 

Mu Peixuan gazed at Duan Linzhou’s sleeping face and couldn’t help but lean in to kiss his forehead.

 

32

The next day, the weather was perfect for an outing.

 

The group all changed into narrow-sleeved riding attire and rode out of the estate. The estate was backed by Qi Yu Mountain, its peaks stretching endlessly, shrouded in a blanket of white morning mist, giving it an ethereal, almost otherworldly feel.

 

Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou rode side by side.

 

When Duan Linzhou heard that they were going hunting, he expressed a desire to join them. Mu Peixuan hesitated for a moment, but Duan Linzhou reassured him, saying, “I’ll just follow behind.”

 

Mu Peixuan agreed, then gently reminded, “If you’re feeling unwell, don’t push yourself.”

 

Duan Linzhou’s expression shifted slightly, a smile flickering in his eyes, and Mu Peixuan, noticing, awkwardly turned his gaze away.

 

Duan Linzhou replied simply, “Alright.”

 

The air was cold in the mountains. Duan Linzhou, wrapped in a thick cloak, rode on a fine white steed. In his youth, he had traveled far and wide, spending half of each year on horseback. After his body became unable to withstand the constant travel, he mostly traveled by carriage, even when going anywhere.

 

He held the reins and said to Mu Peixuan, “Though my family had several horses when I was young, we illegitimate children were not allowed to ride them. It wasn’t until I was fourteen that I got my first horse.”

 

Mu Peixuan looked at Duan Linzhou, who wore a smile at the corners of his lips. Slowly, Duan Linzhou continued, “I still remember that horse, it was a warhorse retired from the battlefield, already a bit old. It accompanied me for several years.”

 

Mu Peixuan asked, “What happened to it later?”

 

Duan Linzhou said, “Later, that horse fell ill and grew thinner by the day. I consulted several veterinarians, but none could cure it. One night, the horse suddenly ran off. I searched for a long time and eventually found it on a desolate hill outside the city. It had already passed away.”

 

Mu Peixuan said, “Horses have a certain spirit to them. I imagine it didn’t want you to watch it die.”

 

“Perhaps,” Duan Linzhou said, sitting high on his horse, smiling. “It’s quite a coincidence, Fei Chen’s color is very similar to your Tian Lei.”

 

Tian Lei was Mu Peixuan’s steed, jet black from head to hoof, with a glossy mane and long, strong limbs. Mu Peixuan gently patted his horse and said, “This one was brought back by my father from the northern frontier.”

 

He then added, “Duan Linzhou, let me find you another good horse.”

 

Duan Linzhou was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, “Alright then.”

 

“However, I fear I might not be able to use it…”

 

Mu Peixuan furrowed his brows, about to speak, when Xu Ying rode over, asking, “Boss Duan, what are you two talking about?”

 

Mu Peixuan glanced at him and asked, “Is there something?”

 

Xu Ying grinned and said, “I was just watching, and you two were so caught up in your conversation that we almost left you guys behind. Look, Second Brother Yu and Sixth Brother Xu have already ridden quite far ahead.”

 

Duan Linzhou smiled faintly and said, “We’ll catch up.”

 

Xu Ying let out an “Aye,” and said, “You’d better hurry.”

 

Their conversation was interrupted, and neither of them could continue. Both of them urged their horses forward, and the steeds broke into a gallop.

 

As the sun rose higher, the mist gradually dissipated, revealing the true form of Qi Yu Mountain. It was deep winter, and the trees had shed all their leaves, standing bare and desolate, exuding an air of bleakness.

 

Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou caught up to them. Yu Jing and the others, already impatient with the slow pace, were eagerly preparing, each with their bow ready, discussing what kind of prey they would hunt.

 

Everyone who came with Yu Jing and Xu Fangyi had arrived. Li Yue’s younger brother couldn’t ride a horse, so the two of them shared one mount. As for Fang Yuan, though he was a Kunze, the Fang family was a scholarly household. Fang Yuan had followed his elders to study the six arts, and naturally, he had also trained in riding and archery.

 

The wilderness was vast, and the sound of hooves startled the birds in the forest, causing them to flutter into the air. Occasionally, a few deer and wild roe raised their heads, looking around. Yu Jing and the others rode swiftly, their movements accompanied by the whoosh of arrows cutting through the air, an indescribable spirit of excitement and energy. Duan Linzhou trailed behind at a distance, his cold fingers brushing against the rough reins, and a sudden feeling of melancholy and unwillingness arose in his heart.

 

He thought, if it weren’t for this poison — calm as Duan Linzhou was, at that moment, his hatred for Duan Linyu surged up again. He even thought that letting Duan Linyu lie in bed, half-dead and hanging on to life, would be too merciful.

 

In the distance, Mu Peixuan seemed to sense something. He suddenly pulled on the reins and turned around to look at Duan Linzhou. From afar, he saw Duan Linzhou riding his horse, but his usual smile was absent, and though the distance was too great for him to clearly see Duan Linzhou’s face, he somehow sensed a feeling of solitude and desolation. A pang of discomfort swept through his heart. He quickly turned his horse around and galloped towards Duan Linzhou. In just a few breaths, he had already ridden up to him.

 

Duan Linzhou blinked slowly, looking at Mu Peixuan, and said, “Why did you come over? Yu Jing and the others have already gone far ahead.”

 

Mu Peixuan replied, “It’s fine.”

 

He then asked Duan Linzhou, “Are you cold?”

 

Duan Linzhou shook his head.

 

Mu Peixuan grabbed his hand. Though Duan Linzhou was frail and usually kept a hand warmer close in the winter, he hadn’t brought one today for the hunt. After riding for so long, still holding the reins, Duan Linzhou’s hand had become cold as ice. Without saying a word, Mu Peixuan rubbed his palm gently until warmth returned to his hand, then said, “Why didn’t you say you were cold?”

 

Duan Linzhou smiled helplessly and said, “It really isn’t cold.”

 

He was wrapped in a thick cloak, with a fox fur scarf around his neck. Among their group, he was the most bundled up.

 

Mu Peixuan said, “Ride with me.”

 

Duan Linzhou paused for a moment, feeling both amused and helpless, and said, “How would you draw your bow like this?”

 

Mu Peixuan remained unfazed and replied, “It’s just for fun. The hunting will be left to them.”

 

Duan Linzhou shook his head and said, “I understand your intentions, but don’t let me hold you back and ruin the fun.”

 

Mu Peixuan furrowed his brow tightly. Duan Linzhou smiled and said, “Xiao Junwang, why are you suddenly so concerned about me?”

 

“Do you like me?”

 

When the word “like” slipped out, Mu Peixuan paused, his lips tightening. He said, “You are my Junwang Fei, and you’re with me on this trip. How could you possibly fall ill again because of this outing?”

 

Duan Linzhou raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

 

Mu Peixuan then asked, “What did Boss Duan think it was?”

 

Duan Linzhou clicked his tongue, sighed, and said, “You guys go ahead. I’ll rest here for a bit.”

 

Mu Peixuan didn’t say anything. He stared at Duan Linzhou for a while, suddenly leaning forward to grab Duan Linzhou’s arm. With one hand around his waist, he swiftly lifted him onto his own horse. Duan Linzhou, caught off guard, was soon pressed against Mu Peixuan’s chest. He froze for a moment. “Xiao Junwang…”

 

Mu Peixuan shook the reins, and the horse, Ting Lei, immediately broke into a gallop. Mu Peixuan spoke nonchalantly, “Even with you on my horse, it won’t stop me from drawing my bow and shooting arrows.”

 

Duan Linzhou didn’t speak.

 

As Mu Peixuan had said, his archery skills were exceptional. Even with Duan Linzhou sitting in his arms, it didn’t affect him in the slightest.

 

In the distance, the bushes rustled slightly, and Duan Linzhou looked over. He saw that Mu Peixuan had already nocked an arrow. With a sharp twang, the arrow was released, striking the grey rabbit that had leaped out.

 

Duan Linzhou watched the trembling fletching of the arrow, feeling a shift in the air around him. He then heard Mu Peixuan say, “Duan Linzhou, you’re not a burden.”