TL: Hua
The journey by water wasn’t difficult. Sometimes, when beautiful scenery appeared along the way, Pei Xiting would pick up his brush, and half a day or a full day would silently pass.
There was a storyteller aboard the boat who had borrowed a table outside, often drawing applause and cheers from the audience. Pei Xiting would also go down to listen, and when he was there, the audience was always especially large, prompting the storyteller to laughingly tease, “I wonder if the young ladies are here to listen to stories or to see the handsome young gentleman.”
During this time, Pei Xiting also became acquainted with the “dice brother,” who loved to gamble but was bad at it. They often sat together playing dice. Sometimes, the dice brother would even invite them to a private room for roasted meat. His roasting skills were a stark contrast to his dice skills, successfully winning over Pei Xiting and Yuan Fang.
The weather was good today. The Crown Prince stopped as he passed an inner window on the second floor, seeing three people gathered around a small table gambling. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Pei Xiting had a faint smile on his face, looking to be in good spirits.
“Isn’t that the Fourth Young Master from King Ning’s household?” Yu Shaoyun looked at the young man sitting opposite Pei Xiting, who was laughing heartily and showing a mouthful of white teeth. Last time, he had only seen the man’s back and hadn’t recognized him.
“The Fourth Young Master loves good food; these past few years, he goes wherever there’s good food to be found, very unrestrained,” Yu Shaoyun recalled. “I heard that this time, Madam Zhao of King Ning’s mansion wanted to arrange a marriage for her son, so she feigned illness to trick the Fourth Young Master into returning.”
“This marriage won’t be easy to arrange,” the Crown Prince said calmly.
Yu Shaoyun was puzzled.
The Crown Prince said, “Look at his waist.”
Yu Shaoyun looked and saw it was clearly a dark jade mandarin duck pendant.
Zong Yu held up the half that was tightly tied to his waist and said, “My heart already belongs to someone. I will not marry anyone else in this life.”
He smiled brightly, dazzling Pei Xiting’s eyes. Pei Xiting felt a strange envy, and after a pause, came back to his senses and said, “I wish you success in your wish.”
“Thank you, thank you. I’ll invite you to the wedding feast then.” Zong Yu rubbed the jade pendant, gently lowered it, and stroked the tassel. Thinking of something, he suddenly broke into a silly grin.
“He has a problem here…” Yuan Fang pointed to his own head.
“People in love are inevitably a bit foolish at times,” Pei Xiting said softly. “Single dog, figure it out.”
Yuan Fang understood the meaning of “single dog” and propped his chin, looking at single dog Pei, “Are you envious?”
Pei Xiting also propped his chin, admiring the love-struck person opposite him who was laughing so stupidly, his voice a little muffled. “A little.”
Yuan Fang said, “How about you try with someone else?”
What a rotten idea. Pei Xiting rolled his eyes. “Do I look like I’m lacking men?”
He turned to examine Yuan Fang, then suddenly curved his lips into a smile, playful and charming. “If I were really lacking men, you’d be the first one I’d come to.”
Yuan Fang said coldly, “After today’s farewell, we’ll never meet again.”
Pei Xiting successfully disgusted the other person and burst out laughing, revealing a mouthful of pearly white teeth. In the sunlight, he was dazzlingly beautiful.
Yuan Fang, giving face to this beauty, didn’t throw this thoughtless, foul-mouthed person into the river to feed the fish.
When the boat docked, Pei Xiting bid farewell to Zong Yu and returned to the cabin to pack his belongings. Yuan Fang handled the large bags and small packages. Pei Xiting slung his drawing box over his shoulder and carefully carried his zither on his back. Turning, he saw the Crown Prince and You Zong still playing chess, so he walked up to the Crown Prince and said, “Your Highness, may we take our leave?”
The Crown Prince placed his chess piece, and when he looked up, Pei Xiting smiled.
The Crown Prince didn’t say much, just, “Go.”
Pei Xiting bowed with cupped hands, bid farewell to You Zong and Yu Shaoyun, and then left with Yuan Fang, who was laden with their bags.
“If this game continues, I’m afraid I’ll lose again,” You Zong said with a smile, without looking up. “Please, Your Highness, grant me some dignity. Let’s end this game, shall we?”
Yu Shaoyun looked at the chessboard. That last move by His Highness was so “unexpected and unrestrained” that it gave You Zong a chance to revive a losing game. If this game truly continued, You Zong might not necessarily be the one to lose.
The Crown Prince naturally saw this too. He lowered his eyes and tossed the chess piece back into the bowl.
Clatter.
The Crown Prince stood up and left. You Zong looked up and met Yu Shaoyun’s gaze. Yu Shaoyun’s eyes were full of “this is too strange, I don’t understand,” then he quickly turned and followed.
You Zong looked at the increasingly chaotic game, especially that “inspired” move, and then thought of Pei Xiting’s nonchalance throughout the journey. For a moment, he guessed a few hidden truths.
“How daring,” You Zong sighed.
—
As soon as Pei Xiting and Yuan Fang disembarked, they immediately spotted a carriage parked not far away. Leaning against it was none other than Pei Jintang.
“Xiting!” Pei Jintang also saw them, immediately waved, and quickly stepped forward to relieve Pei Xiting of his painting box. He also helped Yuan Fang with two large bags. “Wow, you bought so much!”
“Just bought whatever looked good. You can pick yourselves when we get back,” Pei Xiting had just finished speaking when he saw the carriage door open and Bu Suying step out from inside. He couldn’t help but freeze. “…yiniang.”
Bu Suying stepped down from the footrest and quickly walked to Pei Xiting, sizing him up several times before smiling and saying, “You haven’t lost weight.”
Pei Xiting chuckled, “With good food and drink, how could I lose weight?”
“Earlier, when I received your reply saying you’d arrive in the capital today, I told yiniang. She wanted to pick you up, so I brought her… Quick, load the things onto the carriage.” Pei Jintang directed Yuan Fang to arrange the luggage, urging Pei Xiting, “Quickly put down your zither and get in the carriage.”
Pei Xiting carefully took down the zither and carried it onto the carriage. Pei Jintang then squeezed inside. Yuan Fang stepped forward to close the carriage door, sat on the driver’s seat on the other side, and signaled the servant to move.
Inside the carriage, Pei Jintang said, “I listened to you and didn’t disturb Sifan’s studies, so I didn’t tell him you were returning today.”
Pei Xiting stroked the zither and said, “Mm, I’ll send someone to deliver the local products and gifts to him later.”
“Put your zither aside; isn’t it heavy on your lap?” Pei Jintang asked.
Pei Xiting replied, “Don’t mind me.”
“Oh, don’t mind me,” Pei Jintang made a face, making Bu Suying smile. She looked at Pei Xiting curiously. “You went to Ningzhou; how did you bring back a zither? Is it for yourself or a gift?”
“Someone gave it to me,” Pei Xiting said. “I want to learn to play the zither.”
Bu Suying said, “The zither is a good thing; it can soothe the mind. Learn if you wish; just be careful not to hurt your hands.”
Pei Xiting nodded. “Understood… What are you looking at?”
“Nothing, it’s just this zither…” Bu Suying looked at the zither on his lap, identifying it. “Rouge Ruihua Brocade zither bag, blood jade zither tassels—this zither must be priceless.”
Pei Jintang couldn’t identify the fabric, but he could sense the zither’s value. Hearing this, he touched the delicate and lovely zither tassel but accidentally saw the small seal script on it. His eyes widened. “‘Yu Yin Qing’ He’—is this Yang Yuyin’s zither?”
Before Pei Xiting could answer, he answered himself, “Yes, it must be! This small seal script is exactly the same as the one on Sifan’s zither! His was brought back from Jiangnan by Prince Zhao that one year, worth a thousand gold pieces.”
Bu Suying, being from Xianyin Workshop, naturally knew of Master Yang’s reputation and was immediately astonished.
Pei Xiting looked up and met two disbelieving pairs of eyes. “…It’s Master Yang’s zither.”
Pei Jintang asked curiously, “May I ask which wealthy person gave it to you?”
Pei Xiting naturally couldn’t tell the truth. “None of your business.”
Bu Suying was startled by his words, worried Pei Jintang would get angry, but saw that Pei Jintang didn’t care at all. He rubbed his chin and chuckled slyly, saying, “Oh, a secret.”
Pei Xiting rolled his eyes. “I took on a master outside, and my master gave it to me; isn’t that allowed?”
Pei Jintang said suspiciously, “Your master is too generous with you, isn’t he? Could it be that you’re a brilliant prodigy with exceptional talent, and your master wants to cultivate you into a renowned master of this generation?”
Pei Xiting actually felt that giving this zither to him was a waste. He had previously thought His Highness was being kind to him, but it was probably just because his status wouldn’t allow him to give anyone a gift that wasn’t of the highest quality.
Thinking of the Crown Prince, Pei Xiting felt a little uneasy in his heart and said, “Yes, it’s still not too late to ask me for an invitation card. In the future, I’ll be a fully booked master, and there won’t even be a place for you on the wall.”
Bu Suying and Pei Jintang both smiled, vying to compliment Master Pei—the yet-to-be-formed version.
Bu Suying was more observant than Pei Jintang and noticed that Pei Xiting seemed a little down. She guessed it might be related to the person who gave him the zither but dared not ask too much. Instead, she talked to him throughout the journey to keep his mind off things.
Since Bu Suying rarely went out, Pei Xiting suggested they eat out before returning home. Pei Jintang was naturally delighted and asked, “Yiniang, what would you like to eat?”
Pei Xiting saw her hesitate and said, “We can eat anything.”
“Yes, you pick,” Pei Jintang added.
Bu Suying usually ate light food, but today, having rarely left the house and with her spirits lifted by the journey out of the city, she said, “I want something flavorful.”
“Roast rabbit!” Pei Jintang exclaimed.
Bu Suying nodded in approval. Pei Xiting then, under Pei Jintang’s direct and sparkling gaze, instructed the servant, “Go to Baiyou Mountain.”
“Hehe, you know me.” Pei Jintang turned to ask Bu Suying, “Yiniang, have you ever been to Baiyou Mountain?”
Bu Suying shook her head. Pei Jintang patted his chest and said, “Don’t worry, this trip definitely won’t be in vain. After you eat the roasted rabbit from ‘Roasted Rabbit Champion,’ I guarantee you’ll immediately develop a craving for it.”
Bu Suying laughed and said, “That would be terrible; what would I do when I crave it later?”
“Xiting is usually at the government office, far away. When you crave it, just find me, and I’ll take you there.” Pei Jintang said with a laugh. “We can go at night too, but you’d have to climb over the wall.”
“That wouldn’t be difficult,” Bu Suying said. Seeing the two children look at her in surprise, she explained, “When I used to perform water dances, I had to hold a silk ribbon and dance the entire piece on the lake surface. This not only required a light posture but also no fear of heights. So, in the past, when I practiced, I simply found a small cliff and spent my days flying up and down between the peak and the base, even during pouring rain. If I could climb a small mountain, why not a courtyard wall?”
After saying the last sentence, Bu Suying paused herself.
“Yes, if you can climb a small mountain, why not a courtyard wall?”
Bu Suying came back to her senses at the words, met Pei Xiting’s gaze, and couldn’t help but smile, murmuring, “Indeed.”
Pei Jintang didn’t notice the silent exchange between mother and son; he was too busy marveling. Then, he couldn’t help but feel regret. “I didn’t get to see yiniang’s dance with my own eyes; what a missed opportunity.”
“It’s alright,” Bu Suying clutched her sleeve, hesitatingly saying, “After I prepare for a period, I can still dance.”
Pei Xiting reached out and held Bu Suying’s tightly clenched fist, encouraging her, “If you like it, you can pick it up anytime. Just remember to notify me in advance; I want to come watch and also draw your portrait.”
Pei Jintang sweetly said, “By then don’t be mesmerized by the beauty that you won’t know where to paint!”
Pei Xiting said seriously, “Even if it’s a celestial fairy descending to earth, I will strive to maintain the basic discipline of a painter.”
“You two children…” Bu Suying smiled shyly, extended her other hand to clasp Pei Xiting’s, feeling a warmth in her chest.
The group chatted and laughed until they arrived at the entrance of “Roasted Rabbit Champion.” Sixteenth Lady was tidying flower pots on a wooden shelf by the door. She loved looking at bright and delicate flowers. The ones displayed outside the shop were mostly red, pink, purple, and blue, unnamed but all beautiful, attracting attention from afar.
Pei Jintang went forward and called out. She turned and said, “Oh, you’re here again—”
The potted plant accidentally fell to the ground, and the pink rain lily bulb rolled out. Pei Jintang was startled. He was about to tease her, saying there was no need for her to be so surprised to see old customers, but then he saw that Sixteenth Lady’s gaze had fallen on someone behind him.
Sixteenth Lady looked at the person and said incredulously, “…Sister Bu?”
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