Chapter 14
Ling Feng, upon returning to Yan Nuan Pavilion, shoved a medicine bottle into Song Beiyao’s hand, his tone displeased. “I figured you’ve been having the kitchen prepare pear blossom cakes every day, supposedly for me. I’m sick of them! I forced myself to eat them just to humor you, but it turns out I was being sentimental!”
Song Beiyao lay on his side on the bed, opened the bottle and glanced inside. There was a single pill. He asked doubtfully, “What is this?”
“Were you even listening to me?” Ling Feng snatched the bottle back.
“I was listening,” Song Beiyao propped himself up on one elbow, smiling at him. “They were indeed made for you. Today is Pei Ji’s birthday; we can’t fail to cultivate his goodwill. Don’t forget our purpose in entering the Prince’s manor.”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten. It’s just that, in the early stages, we shouldn’t act rashly, so I haven’t made a move yet.” Ling Feng, a little uncomfortable under his gaze, looked away. “You’re right, we need to gain Pei Ji’s trust first.”
He handed the bottle back. “Here, this is from Pei Ji. He said it cures all illnesses and poisons, a divine pill, the only one in all of Jiu Zhou. I feel like he’s started to care about you a bit since the flogging.”
Song Beiyao smiled, but said nothing.
He took the bottle with unusual care. If he remembered correctly, in the original book, Pei Ji was once poisoned to the brink of death during the struggle for the throne, and this pill saved him. If he took it now, Pei Ji would be doomed.
Moreover, his illness was from his original world, and only raising his luck value could cure it.
Song Beiyao put the bottle under his pillow. Ling Feng looked puzzled. “You’re not going to eat it?”
“I can’t,” Song Beiyao gave him a wry smile. “I’ve worked so hard to suppress my martial arts with medicine and suffered all this. If I take this and recover, what will happen if Pei Ji finds out?”
Ling Feng understood and nodded sympathetically. “You’ve had it rough.”
—
It snowed heavily for the next two days. Outside, it was so cold that not even a bird could be seen. Song Beiyao rested well in Yan Nuan Pavilion for two days.
Seeing the luck value dropping, the system stopped urging him, only occasionally jumping out excitedly: “Host, host, when are you going to act?”
Each time, Song Beiyao lazily replied, “No rush. We attacked a few rounds the past few days; you need to give the enemy some time to react. Now it’s a waiting game.”
System: “What if the enemy never moves?”
“If you can ask that question, it seems you don’t understand your enemy well enough.”
On the third day, the snow stopped, Song Beiyao’s wind chill was cured, and the wounds on his back were much better, allowing normal movement. The scabs began to peel off from the edges, a little painful and itchy, quite bothersome.
In the afternoon, Qu Lan came to Yan Nuan Pavilion. Entering the main room, he saw the Consort sitting on the couch, playing chess with Ling Feng. He glanced at the board – Go.
Quickly lowering his gaze, Qu Lan said, “Consort, the young Marquis will be leaving the Prince’s manor tomorrow morning. Would you be available for dinner in the dining hall this evening?”
Song Beiyao, holding a white piece, did not place it, but looked at Qu Lan and said gently, “The young Marquis has been here for days, and I’ve been unwell, so I haven’t had dinner with him or chatted with him properly. I must go say goodbye to him tonight.”
Qu Lan imperceptibly breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I’ll take my leave.”
After he left, Ling Feng burst out laughing, “That ancestor is finally leaving!” After a moment’s thought, his face changed. “You’re really going tonight? That ancestor speaks without thinking; I’m afraid he’ll say something about you again.”
“I have to go. After today, we may both be having dinner in the dining hall. It’s a good opportunity to get close to Pei Ji.” Song Beiyao placed a white piece on the board, his expression calm. “The young Marquis is just as childish as you are. Why are you angry with him? When you see him tonight, pay attention to your attitude.”
“I…” Ling Feng choked, incredibly aggrieved, “It’s fine to talk about him, but why are you bringing me into this! Can he compare to me? Besides, I’m doing this for your own good, and you’re actually speaking up for him!”
“Alright, alright, I know.” Song Beiyao smiled sweetly at him. “Young Master Ling, your turn.”
…
After Shen time (3-5 pm), Song Beiyao and Ling Feng left Yan Nuan Pavilion.
In the dining hall, Xiao Yun sat in a chair, weeping. “Brother Ji, I don’t want to go… Can you write a letter to my father, letting me stay in your manor for a few more days? When I go back, I’ll be forced to practice martial arts, ride horses, and shoot arrows; it’s so hard!” In the end, he burst into tears.
Pei Ji rubbed his temples, looking slightly helpless at Zhang Bo. Zhang Bo knew his master hated people crying, so he had to try to persuade him. “Young Marquis, you can come back next year; you come every year.”
Xiao Yun cried even louder. “It’s not the same! I’m exhausted for so many months of the year, only these few days can I relax.”
Mid-cry, he remembered something, wiped his face, and looked at Pei Ji. “Brother Ji, when I return, I’ll tell Father that I want to marry you and become the Crown Princess.”
Zhang Bo quickly tried to stop him. “Young Marquis, don’t you know that His Highness’s Crown Princess must be a woman? Otherwise, how can the orthodox royal bloodline be continued!”
At that moment, Song Beiyao and Ling Feng entered the dining hall. Pei Ji turned and saw them, his gaze pausing slightly; Zhang Bo immediately shut his mouth.
Song Beiyao took off his dark red cloak; underneath, a white snow-padded jacket, the fur collar enclosing his pointed chin, his face pale and delicate, his eyes stunningly beautiful, the whole person like a spirit emerging from a winter snowdrift.
He glanced at the large eight-immortal table, walked straight to Pei Ji and sat down, smiling at him like the moon. “Husband, this is our first meal together.”
“You, you, you…” Xiao Yun, his face still stained with tears, looked incredulous, slowly raised his right finger and pointed at Song Beiyao, unable to speak clearly.
Zhang Bo quickly pressed down his hand and said to the outside, “Serve the dishes.”
Soon, hot dishes were served one by one. Pei Ji’s gaze fell on Song Beiyao’s face, his eyebrows slightly raised. “You know that when this King dines, he doesn’t like others sitting…”
“Husband, look, this sweet-osmanthus perch looks really good.” Song Beiyao’s attention was entirely on the plentiful dishes. He picked up a piece of tender fish with his chopsticks, chewed slowly, his brows and eyes filled with satisfied joy.
Pei Ji’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m telling you to move your bowl and chopsticks now and sit…”
Song Beiyao then picked up a crystal shrimp, took a bite, and shrugged slightly in delight. His lips were slightly oily, making them appear fuller and more moist; he ate with great concentration, occasionally licking his lips lightly with his tongue.
Pei Ji’s gaze slid from Song Beiyao’s eyes to his lips, then retracted. He couldn’t help but wonder, are these dishes really that delicious? Why does he eat so deliciously?
“Husband, try this.” As he thought, Song Beiyao had already picked up a piece of candied steamed eggplant and placed it in Pei Ji’s bowl, his eyes sparkling. “It’s delicious.”
“Hey, Song Beiyao!” Xiao Yun finally couldn’t stand it anymore and stood up. “Don’t you know Brother Ji hates it when people sit next to him while he eats?! You even dared to use your chopsticks to serve him food, you really don’t know any manners!!”
After he finished speaking, Pei Ji saw that the brightness in Song Beiyao’s eyes instantly faded, his eyelashes trembled slightly, and a fleeting look of disappointment flashed across his face before quickly returning to a gentle smile, but not as lively as before.
Song Beiyao said gently to Xiao Yun, “Thank you, Young Marquis, for reminding me. It’s my first time dining in the dining hall, and I don’t know the rules.” Then, lowering his eyes, he said softly to Pei Ji, “Husband, perhaps you should ask Zhang Bo to get you another bowl; I was presumptuous today.”
Having said that, he picked up his bowl and chopsticks, just about to stand up, when his wrist was seized. At the same time, the luck value in the bottom left corner increased by 1.
Pei Ji’s voice was low and deep, speaking slowly and deliberately. “Xiao Yun, I don’t know how the Marquis of Nan’an usually instructs you, but you are a guest in the Prince’s manor. Guests and hosts have rules; do you think this is proper? Or should I write him a letter and ask him to teach his son some manners?”
Xiao Yun opened his mouth, looking at Pei Ji, then at Song Beiyao. The tears that had stopped flowing again surged forth; he cried out and ran out, “You’re all bullying me!!”
Song Beiyao immediately said to Ling Feng, “Go and see what happened.”
Ling Feng looked reluctant. Song Beiyao urged him, “Go quickly.”
“…Yes.”
When he came to his senses, he found that Pei Ji was still holding his wrist, his gaze deep and dark. “What is it, husband?” he asked.
“Did you not take the pill I gave you a few days ago?” Pei Ji looked up at him, his pupils black, making it impossible to see what he was thinking.
Song Beiyao tried to pull his hand back, but the other’s grip suddenly tightened. He frowned. “It hurts.” The force then lessened, but he still didn’t let go.
“Why didn’t you take it?” Pei Ji asked again.
“How did husband know I didn’t take it?” Song Beiyao feigned ignorance.
“Your pulse right now is almost the same as it was in the dungeon that day.” Pei Ji stared into Song Beiyao’s eyes. “Don’t you want to live?”
Song Beiyao smiled charmingly, his brows and eyes filled with spirit. “Is husband worried about me?”
Suddenly, his wrist tightened, and Song Beiyao was pulled close to Pei Ji, almost falling onto him.
Their eyes met, Pei Ji’s brows and eyes cold and sharp. “Why are you evading the question?”
Song Beiyao was about to speak when a gray-clothed guard stumbled in, several sword wounds on his body, his clothes soaked in blood. He knelt down and spat out a mouthful of blood. “Your Highness, more than ten assassins suddenly attacked the Prince’s manor! They’re chasing after the Young Marquis!! Commander Qu has already gone to support him!!”
The grip on his wrist loosened instantly. Before Song Beiyao could react, the tall, sharp black figure had already stood up abruptly.
“Stay here.” This was said to Song Beiyao.
Pei Ji strode out, and as he passed the guard, he quickly bent down and picked up the bloodstained sword from the guard’s hand.
At this moment, Song Beiyao directly sensed the cold and hard killing intent emanating from Pei Ji, like a wolf baring its fangs.
The Prince’s manor was no longer safe.
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