TL: Hua
Chapter 72: Reflection – Xiao Pei goes to Enzhou (12)
When these words came out, the three people present were surprised. They had never thought about it in this direction.
Immortal Envoy Huo couldn’t help but lean forward, saying with a mixture of belief and disbelief, “Is Young Master Pei serious? The Crown Prince is not known for his interest in beauty, and his harem is empty. How could he do such a thing?”
“Not interested in beauty,” Pei Xiting laughed, a cold, mocking, infinitely beautiful laugh. “That depends on what kind of beauty!”
This was self-praise, arrogant yet not conceited. Immortal Envoy Huo gripped the armrest and paused before saying, “What Young Master Pei said… makes sense.”
“The Crown Prince fancied my face and body, but being so high and mighty, how could he treat me as a lover?” Pei Xiting said self-deprecatingly, “In the Crown Prince’s eyes, the only difference between me and those courtesans and male prostitutes outside is that I can only serve him alone. After all, if I were touched by anyone else, I’d be defiled, and how could I then be worthy of serving His Royal Highness?”
Even Yuan Fang was getting drawn into the act.
“Yes,” Pei Xiting’s smile was forlorn, and he continued to elaborate, “His Royal Highness, with his noble status and handsome looks, my being favored by him is a blessing I accumulated over eight lifetimes. But he is a ruthless devil! That day on Chaohua Mountain, he did let me into the manor and favored me there, but do you know what he did to me?”
Immortal Envoy Huo was silent for a moment for some reason before saying, “What?”
“He tore my clothes, tied me up, burned me with candles, and pierced me! I kept begging him, but he showed no mercy or compassion, and he even whipped me! I…” Pei Xiting shed tears, clutching his clothes in anguish, lowering his head and sobbing, “Such depraved habits are just the tip of the iceberg! The Crown Prince’s methods are cruel; outsiders can’t even imagine what he’s capable of!”
Yuan Fang had been fully immersed in the act, but, fortunately, Pei Xiting turned to the side, allowing him to pull himself out and enter the scene just in time.
Yuan Fang reached out and gripped Pei Xiting’s shoulder, wiping away his tears, which flowed like a small waterfall, impossible to stop.
Pei Xiting reached out and grabbed Yuan Fang’s wrist, then abruptly turned to look at the person behind the screen, his eyes brimming with tears, filled with shocking resentment.
“He is the Crown Prince, but he is also a devil, the one who tore my dignity to shreds. I hate him, hate him to the very core of my bones!”
Pei Xiting swayed as he stood up, his voice cold, “Both Brother Fang and I have been persecuted by the Crown Prince and hate him to the core. Our lifelong wish is to avenge this hatred. We earnestly implore the Immortal to have mercy and help us seek revenge!”
Silence fell over the room.
—
“Your Highness, what do you think Pei-wenshu is doing right now?”
—In the adjacent room, Yu Shaoyun leaned against the wall, listening intently, but after a long while, he couldn’t hear anything. He had no choice but to walk back to the table and ask His Highness.
“He’s certainly denouncing me, insulting me, hating me, saying that he must kill me in this life to die without regret,” Zong Suiyang said calmly, taking a sip of tea.
Yu Shaoyun smiled and said, “It’s all fake.”
“I know,” Zong Suiyang put down his teacup. “I trust his acting completely, except for one thing.”
“What?” Yu Shaoyun asked.
“His identity,” Zong Suiyang said. “When they first impersonated a wild mandarin duck couple, they didn’t hide their identities, but his face… it’s simply too eye-catching.”
Yu Shaoyun thought to himself that the words “wild mandarin duck” were emphasized a bit too much. He said, “Why didn’t you remind Pei-wenshu earlier?”
“He’s clever; he doesn’t need my reminder for that. If his identity is truly exposed, he has ways to adapt,” Zong Suiyang said. “If it really can’t be bluffed through, then our people will just protect him and get him out.”
Yu Shaoyun nodded and said, “But that would alert the enemy.”
“When a snake is startled, it either stays dormant or scatters in all directions. We’ve already captured the two snake dens at Bai Mian Fang and the Li residence; there are still ways to lure the snake out of its hole.” Zong Suiyang lowered his gaze. “Let’s wait for more movement from next door.”
–
Silence filled the room. After a moment, Immortal Envoy Huo finally spoke. He said, “Young Master Pei’s ordeal elicits great sympathy from me, but I still have some questions that I’d like Young Master Pei to clarify.”
Pei Xiting sat down, with Yuan Fang’s arm around his shoulder. He wiped his face and said, “Immortal Envoy, feel free to ask whatever questions you have.”
“If, as Young Master Pei claims, His Royal Highness intended to make you a s*x slave, why would he permit you to enter the Longhe Division? That is, after all, a most formal and serious place. To put a plaything used in the bedroom there, would the Crown Prince not worry about You Zong’s displeasure?” Immortal Envoy Huo smiled after saying this. “I mean no offense. Please, Young Master Pei, do not take it to heart.”
No offense? Pei Xiting actually felt that this Immortal Envoy had a lot of ill will towards him, especially after he revealed his impure relationship with Zong Suiyang. This Immortal Envoy had changed his sitting posture several times, seemingly quite agitated.
Why was that? Could it be that he encountered an old acquaintance of Zong Suiyang’s from his wilder days?
Pei Xiting pondered this silently, while saying aloud, “Immortal Envoy Huo’s concerns are valid, but you are overthinking. Lord You doesn’t know about my relationship with the Crown Prince. After all, while Lord You is a close official of the East Palace, he was also a close official of the previous dynasty. Matters of privacy, especially those not to be praised—would the Crown Prince loudly inform his subjects?”
He scoffed, saying coldly, “As for why the Crown Prince placed me in the Longhe Division and had me move to Lanyin Street, the reason is simple. On the surface, it’s because I’m skilled in painting, so I was sent to the document building to repair some atlases. In reality, it’s just because that place is closest to the East Palace, and outsiders aren’t allowed to easily set foot there, making it easier for him to control me and defile me at any time.”
Immortal Envoy Huo rubbed the armrest and said, “Then how did Young Master Pei come to Enzhou this time?”
“Lord You, unaware of the actual reason, naturally dispatched me casually, having me accompany Prince Zong to suppress bandits,” Pei Xiting said.
“Forgive my bluntness, but Young Master Pei knows no martial arts. Lord You sending you here likely has another intention, no?” Immortal Envoy Huo said.
“That’s right,” Pei Xiting said. “But I also don’t know what Lord You intends. He only had me accompany them to monitor Prince Zong’s every move. I’m just a small clerk, insignificant and not in much danger. And when I was in Yejing, Prince Zong and I even played cards at the same table so we could exchange a few words. Therefore, he won’t be too wary of me.”
You Zong sent someone to monitor Zong Rui—this must be the Crown Prince’s order. Could the Crown Prince have some designs on Zong Rui? Immortal Envoy Huo mused, saying, “I observe that Young Master Pei is quite concerned about Prince Zong’s safety.”
Pei Xiting’s heart subtly stirred, and he said, “Of course. After all, if the Crown Prince were gone, Daye would need a new heir. The emperor is old, and the little prince is young and still carries the label of ‘criminal son.’ Prince Zong is the most suitable candidate.”
“A criminal’s son,” Immortal Envoy Huo murmured these words, then said with interest, “Does Young Master Pei believe the little prince is the son of a criminal?”
“This… I can’t say for sure. I didn’t know anything about Crown Prince Yuanhe’s matter back then, so I can’t be certain. But I heard Crown Prince Yuanhe was a gentle and benevolent prince, and I have personally experienced how brutal and unfeeling the current Crown Prince is. So, I believe that the matter of Crown Prince Yuanhe might have been caused by the current Crown Prince,” Pei Xiting said.
Immortal Envoy Huo didn’t say anything, only, “We just don’t know how we can help the two of you get your revenge?”
Pei Xiting showed a hint of an inexpressible look upon hearing this, saying, “If we knew, would we need to beg an immortal?”
Immortal Envoy Huo: “…”
“Could it be,” Pei Xiting frowned slightly, looking suspiciously at the screen, “that the so-called divine power, capable of granting all wishes, isn’t entirely true? Is it a deception!”
Pei Xiting’s voice rose at the end, becoming a bit sharp. Immortal Envoy Huo immediately placated him, “Young Master Pei, you’ve misunderstood. I just wanted to hear your plans. The power of an immortal is beyond doubt.”
Pei Xiting’s expression softened a little, saying, “I also don’t want to doubt the immortal. After all, we came to beg the immortal because we had nowhere else to turn. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare easily expose my purpose.”
“I understand you two are very anxious. Since that’s the case, I will tell you a strategy to kill the Crown Prince,” Immortal Envoy Huo said.
Pei Xiting asked, “What strategy?”
Immortal Envoy Huo smiled slightly and said, “A honey trap.”
“Ah?” Pei Xiting frowned, “Begging your pardon, the Crown Prince only likes to torment people in bed, but he does it merely for release, without any emotional involvement. This strategy won’t work on him.”
“Young Master Pei, you are mistaken. Since you can get into the Crown Prince’s bed, aren’t you the person closest to him in the entire world?” Immortal Envoy Huo said. “When doing such things, even if the Crown Prince is sober, he will still be less guarded than usual, and there will be no one else in the room. This would be an easier time to act than any other.”
“But he ties me up every time. I can’t even move my hands and feet. How can I kill him?” Pei Xiting said.
“If Young Master Pei struggles desperately, the Crown Prince will naturally tie you up. But if you learn to be submissive and learn to actively seduce him, then it will be different,” Immortal Envoy Huo said. “A vivid, soul-stirring living person is much more fun than a miserable, lifeless one.”
Pei Xiting pressed his lips together, not answering immediately. Yuan Fang saw this and said, “This is too dangerous. Setting aside whether this can even be done, even if the Crown Prince truly dies, the guards outside the door will surely rush in instantly. How could Xiting possibly escape?”
“Therefore, it must be quick, precise, and ruthless so that the people outside the door don’t realize their master has been assassinated. Only then will Young Master Pei have a chance to escape,” Immortal Envoy Huo said.
“Immortal Envoy, you make it sound too easy. The East Palace is heavily guarded; how could I possibly escape? The slightest movement and I’ll be riddled with arrows like a hedgehog,” Pei Xiting said.
Immortal Envoy Huo smiled faintly, “Young Master Pei, didn’t you say that if you could get your revenge, you would be willing to die?”
“That’s right.” Pei Xiting sneered, “But may I ask how the immortal will assist me? I’ve thought of this honey trap before, and I felt the risk was too great. Now that Immortal Envoy Huo has proposed this strategy, it must be more comprehensive than what we imagined, right?”
This was clear sarcasm, but Immortal Envoy Huo didn’t seem offended, saying, “Young Master Pei only needs to accomplish two things: first, the location cannot be within the palace, which is protected by the true dragon; second, you must use a dagger imbued with an immortal’s magic. With this, we can ensure Young Master Pei’s safe escape after the deed is done.”
“Immortal magic” probably meant poison, and “safe escape” probably meant escaping to hell. Pei Xiting sneered inwardly, hesitating for a moment on the surface, saying, “But the Crown Prince is highly cautious. How can I lure him out?”
Immortal Envoy Huo said, “That will depend on whether Young Master Pei can properly use that captivating face of yours.”
“But Yejing and Enzhou are quite a distance apart. How will I contact you once I return?” Pei Xiting asked.
Immortal Envoy Huo said, “Young Master Pei needn’t worry about this. The immortal’s followers are spread across the four seas. At that time, an immortal envoy will naturally come to visit you to discuss the grand plan.”
Pei Xiting looked at Yuan Fang upon hearing this and said, “Brother Fang, let’s do this.”
“No,” Yuan Fang said with heartache, “how can I let you put yourself in danger?”
“If we don’t follow this plan, I’ll still be debauched by the Crown Prince, and who knows how long I’ll have to endure. It’s better to take a chance.” Pei Xiting reached out and held Yuan Fang’s hand, smiling sadly, then turned to the screen and said, “Alright, I promise you. We will cooperate. We shall take our leave today.”
“Good,” Immortal Envoy Huo said, “I won’t see you off.”
Yuan Fang helped Pei Xiting up, and the two walked out the door together.
Xian Yin stepped forward to close the door, then turned back and said, “Do you think what Pei Xiting said is true?”
“I don’t detect any suspicious points,” Immortal Envoy Huo said.
Xian Yin said, “Then are we really going to cooperate with him?”
“As it stands, there’s no better pawn than Pei Xiting. Moreover, regardless of success, he will die,” Immortal Envoy Huo said. “It saves me the trouble of doing it myself.”
He stood up and gracefully emerged from behind the screen, a fair and handsome face showing no discernible emotion. “I just didn’t expect my previous worries to come true. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince genuinely fancies Pei Xiting’s face.”
“Just a plaything,” Xian Yin scoffed. “The Crown Prince is arrogant and cold-hearted, probably ignorant of what love is. But he is, after all, a normal young man. Such breathtaking beauty right under his nose is perfect for venting his desires.”
Immortal Envoy Huo smiled upon hearing this, saying, “You’re right, just a plaything, nothing remarkable.”
*
“Too many suspicious points.” Pei Xiting quickly summarized the conversation from upstairs once they were in the carriage. “Firstly, this cult has been watching His Highness from early on. They are either another faction hiding in the shadows or accomplices of the white-clad assassins who tried to kill you on Chaohua Mountain. Secondly, this Immortal Envoy Huo is indeed very concerned about Crown Prince Yuanhe’s matter and also pays attention to Prince Zong. Thirdly, Immortal Envoy Huo seems quite interested in our relationship… Hey, why are you staring at me?”
Pei Xiting looked up, unexpectedly meeting Zong Suiyang’s ambiguous gaze, and couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned.
“Our relationship?” Zong Suiyang said indifferently, “Are you referring to a master-and-s*x-slave relationship?”
“…” Pei Xiting cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean to damage your reputation.”
Zong Suiyang said, “Is that so?”
“They found out my identity and even know that you once took me to the manor on Chaohua Mountain. So, I had to come up with a reason. If I said we went to the manor to bathe together, and you put me in the Longhe Division so I could draw portraits for you, then how would the ‘hatred’ come about?” Pei Xiting said. “Since I’m a son of an official family, saying I wanted to kill the Crown Prince just for Yuan Fang wouldn’t make much sense. Of course, it’s possible I was blinded by love, but then they definitely wouldn’t believe it much, so I had to hate you a little myself.”
He glanced at Zong Suiyang’s expression and continued, “What kind of hatred runs deepest? Vengeance for a destroyed family? We don’t have that. Vengeance for a murdered relative? We don’t have that. Vengeance for a stolen love? We don’t have that. So, after thinking it over, it’s the vengeance for the trampling of personal dignity that’s most profound.”
Zong Suiyang still didn’t speak. Pei Xiting grew anxious and said unhappily, “You’re not praising me for my quick wit and excellent acting skills, but you’re questioning me instead?”
“I’m not questioning you,” Zong Suiyang said. “How could you be willing to put such an ugly accusation on yourself?”
It turned out His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wasn’t worried about his own reputation, but Pei Xiting’s. Pei Xiting immediately lost his unhappiness and said, “I don’t care about my reputation, and it’s just something we say privately; it’s not like it’s being spread around, moreover…”
Pei Xiting rubbed his chin, scrutinizing Zong Suiyang thoughtfully. “I always feel that Immortal Envoy Huo is particularly interested in our sort of unseemly, passionate relationship. Hey, does he have feelings for you? Or is he coveting your… you know?”
Zong Suiyang said, “What?”
Pei Xiting gestured towards Zong Suiyang’s lower abdomen.
“…” Zong Suiyang rubbed his forehead. “What on earth are you thinking about all day? You already said I like to abuse people; what else would they want to covet?”
“Maybe that’s what they’re into,” Pei Xiting said. “S*xual preferences are inherently strange and varied; there are normal and abnormal, common and niche.”
He glanced at Zong Suiyang, teasing, “What if they like being abused? Then you’re the ultimate catch, very hard to find, you know.”
“How would I know? It has nothing to do with me.” Zong Suiyang looked at Pei Xiting. “And it has nothing to do with you. Why do you care about insignificant people?”
This hit a chord with Pei Xiting, whose lips curled upwards. He said, “I was just speculating casually.”
Zong Suiyang said, “Wild speculation.”
Pei Xiting glared, “Say that again!”
Zong Suiyang naturally changed the subject, saying, “This person named Huo is most likely the mastermind.”
“I think so too,” Pei Xiting said. “Since Xian Yin is responsible for connecting with customers at Bai Mian Fang, her status within the cult must be high-ranking, and she must be deeply trusted. I saw how respectful she was towards Immortal Envoy Huo, so his status must be above hers. Even if he’s not the mastermind, he’s the second-in-command.”
They had partnered with the immortal’s side, but how should they investigate the missing children? Pei Xiting felt a headache coming on and said, “Right, how are things going with Lord You’s investigation?”
“Most of the missing children are still in the city. Heying has secretly investigated eleven missing children, and they have a few things in common,” Zong Suiyang said. “Firstly, the boys are no older than ten, but the girls are two years older. Secondly, they come from ordinary backgrounds or are beggars wandering the city. Thirdly, they are quiet or timid by nature.”
“Ordinary children under ten, unless they have superhuman strength, will surely not be able to overpower adults, making them easy targets. Those not from wealthy backgrounds won’t cause much of a stir if they disappear, especially beggars, who are already reliant on no one. Quiet or timid children are less likely to make a scene or try to escape on their own. But the age difference between boys and girls, I really can’t figure that out for now,” Pei Xiting said. “These kids were specifically chosen and kept as secret as possible. It’s really hard to find them.”
They both understood that, for now, the most convenient method was to send someone to infiltrate. Zong Lu was of a suitable age, had practiced martial arts since childhood, and was bolder and more intelligent than children his age, making him a suitable candidate. However, he was Zong Suiyang’s heir and absolutely could not be put in danger.
“Actually, when I was little, I did something similar,” Zong Suiyang said after a moment.
Pei Xiting said, “The Empress must have been terribly worried.”
“Therefore, I never told her from beginning to end,” Zong Suiyang said. “At that time, my elder brother was like me today, absolutely unwilling to agree. I was like Lu’er today, sticking to my ideals, though the slight difference is that I was never afraid of my elder brother.”
He smiled. “And my wings were harder than Lu’er’s. If we couldn’t agree, I’d just make the decision myself.”
Pei Xiting also smiled, saying, “Now you’re the father, but as a child, you were a little father, used to being domineering, weren’t you?”
Zong Suiyang didn’t refute.
“What did you do afterward?” Pei Xiting asked.
“Shaoyun and Jiezi have followed me since childhood, and Heying was also by my side then. When I said to do something, they would do it. Even if they were worried, they would only try to dissuade me a little, never disobeying,” Zong Suiyang said. “But my elder brother knew me well; he caught me just as I was leaving.”
Pei Xiting was curious, “Would Crown Prince Yuanhe reprimand you?”
“Never. My elder brother’s temperament was gentle, like the Zhao family’s Sifan; it was rare to even see him with a cold face,” Zong Suiyang said. “I told my elder brother that people like us, who receive court stipends and are supported by the common people, should do something. I regard my elder brother as a ruler and a brother, and I should also share his burdens. Moreover, I consider myself among the best of my peers; no one is more suitable than me.”
It had been many years ago, yet he remembered it so clearly. Pei Xiting’s emotions were complex. He smiled and said, “You weren’t bragging.”
“My elder brother knows my courage, and I also know Lu’er’s courage, but he is fundamentally different from me. At that time, I was just a prince, but now he is my ‘son.’ Moreover,” Zong Suiyang lowered his gaze, saying softly, “My elder brother didn’t leave much behind. The only treasure he left me was this one.”
The carriage stopped. Yu Shaoyun tapped on the window, and Pei Xiting reached out and pushed it open.
Yu Shaoyun leaned in slightly and said, “There’s news from Heying. Just now, a mat, judging by its weight and shape, likely a child, was quietly carried out of Bai Mian Fang through the back door.”
Pei Xiting frowned, “Dead?”
“The guards followed them; no word back yet,” Yu Shaoyun said. “Does this mean the children are inside Bai Mian Fang?”
“We’ve already searched Bai Mian Fang thoroughly. There might be a secret room inside,” Zong Suiyang said. “Map.”
“I have it here.” Pei Xiting pulled out a stack of folded paper from his sleeve, quickly unfolding and spreading it out.
Zong Suiyang dipped a brush in ink and quickly sketched, saying, “Rooms typically used to entertain guests daily, rooms above the second floor, and rooms near the main hall and front entrance should be ignored for now. Investigate the remaining areas more deeply. The two people who carried the mat today cannot be caught at this moment, but remember their appearances so Pei-wenshu can draw their portraits when we return.”
Yu Shaoyun assented, turning his head to quickly instruct a nearby guard: “Let the eagle deliver the message immediately.”
The guard acknowledged, hurrying away.
“Additionally, issue an imperial decree summoning Li Da to the capital,” Zong Suiyang said. “It’s time for him and the people hidden in the Li residence to make their move.”
He looked at Yu Shaoyun, “If nothing unexpected happens, after Li Da leaves, you and I will go to Bai Mian Fang again, but you must not change your knife this time.”
“If your subordinate is recognized, then you…” Yu Shaoyun paused, “You intend to deliberately expose your identity?”
Pei Xiting asked, “What’s the reason for your presence here? Won’t it alert the enemy?”
“Naturally,” Zong Suiyang turned his face to Pei Xiting, “it’s to catch the bird that secretly flew away.”
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