Chapter 7
On the Nine Continents, the Da Zhou Empire occupied a geographically advantageous position. Located in the southwest corner of the continent, it bordered the sea to the west and south, sharing no land borders with other nations. To the northeast, from north to east, it bordered Northern Qi, Zhao, Da Yu, and Dong Liao.
The Da Zhou imperial capital, Li Du, was situated in the northeast of the country, quite close to both Northern Qi and Zhao.
Pei Ji’s trip to Northern Qi was swift, accomplished in just three days’ round trip using fast horses.
By the time he returned to the Prince’s Manor, it was late. Zhang Bo and the other servants were all waiting outside, including Li Lingsheng, who was unusually brought along by Zhang Bo.
This wasn’t Li Lingsheng’s first time seeing His Highness the Crown Prince, but it was the first time he saw him this close and this clearly. Usually, he either knelt or bowed his head in the Prince’s presence, able to see at most only the official boots striding past.
Today, however, he had the good fortune to wait outside. Under the silver moon, the future heir apparent, wielding great power, arrived on horseback. Clad in a black robe, his handsome face resembled a celestial being. Dismounting, he stood tall and imposing. Li Lingsheng immediately knelt down.
Later, Intendant Zhang pulled him up and followed His Highness into the manor, leading him to the study and instructing him to speak carefully.
Li Lingsheng certainly knew he should speak carefully, but the moment he stepped into the study and saw that stern face, those dark eyes, the overwhelming pressure made his legs tremble.
“I…I’ve met His Highness the Crown Prince.” He knelt down again.
Pei Ji only glanced at him upon his entrance, opening a case file. “Tell me, has the favored consort shown any unusual behavior recently?”
“Re…replying to Your Highness,” Li Lingsheng swallowed. “The favored consort has slept until noon these past few days, rising then to have his midday meal. After lunch, he takes a few walks in the courtyard, then returns to his room to make tea and read. If the weather is nice, he’ll also bring a chair to the doorway to sunbathe; when it snows, he’ll build snowmen in the courtyard. In the evening, after dinner…”
“Pa!” The case file was placed aside with a sound, startling Li Lingsheng. He immediately fell silent.
“Continue,” Pei Ji said, opening another case file.
“Yes, Your Highness. After dinner, the favored consort continues to walk a few laps in the courtyard, then returns to his room to write. I don’t know what he’s writing since I can’t read. Then, around 9 PM, he goes to sleep.”
Pei Ji propped his chin on his hand, his expression impassive. “I asked about unusual behavior, not a daily account.”
Li Lingsheng was close to tears. You didn’t stop me from speaking earlier!
“Un…unusual…unusual…” he stammered. “There’s only one room and one bed in the separate courtyard. The favored consort’s personal servant doesn’t have a place to sleep at night, and the favored consort, being kind-hearted, shares the bed with the servant.”
Pei Ji looked up from his file, his eyes slightly cold. “What did you just say?”
Li Lingsheng was about to cry again. Perhaps sharing a bed with the servant displeased His Highness! He should have kept his mouth shut.
He trembled. “Your Highness needn’t worry, the favored consort and the servant sleep with separate bedding.”
“I’m referring to the previous sentence,” Pei Ji slightly raised an eyebrow.
“Ah, ah?” Li Lingsheng tried to recall. “The previous sentence…the favored consort is kind-hearted?”
“Correct,” Pei Ji narrowed his eyes. “Why would you say that?”
Li Lingsheng was finally relieved, explaining calmly. “The favored consort is very good to me. He always saves some of his delicious food for me. If I make a mistake, he doesn’t punish me but comforts me. Once, I hurt my back while shoveling snow, and the favored consort gave me medicine and told me to rest early. And…”
“Enough,” Pei Ji interrupted, closing his eyes and touching his forehead.
Another one who has lost their mind.
“You may leave,” he said coldly. “Don’t go to the separate courtyard anymore.”
“Ah?” Li Lingsheng involuntarily questioned. Pei Ji’s cold gaze swept over him, and he immediately fell silent, scurrying out of the study.
While the study was empty, a green-robed, sword-bearing guard entered and knelt halfway. “Your Highness.”
“Speak.”
The guard said, “Minister Peng’s carriage is about to enter Da Zhou’s borders. Six shadow guards are currently monitoring him, and he is expected to arrive in Li Du in two days. Should he be brought directly to the manor, or…”
Pei Ji said, “Rent a house for him in the east of the city. Remember to disguise Peng Yu; don’t let anyone recognize him.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Qu Lan, find an opportunity in the next two days to visit the separate courtyard and test the skills of the servant beside the favored consort,” Pei Ji said in a low voice.
The guard bowed. “This subordinate obeys.”
“Tomorrow,” Pei Ji opened his eyes, turning to a new case file. “Tomorrow, you’ll go with this King.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
—
Song Beiyao learned about Li Lingsheng no longer coming to the separate courtyard and Pei Ji’s return the next morning.
He was lying in bed, coughing until his lungs ached.
“Look! Look!! You weren’t diligent in gaining favor; now it’s back to -197, a setback! Don’t you feel uncomfortable with your body like this?” The system sounded exasperated.
“Uncomfortable, very uncomfortable,” Song Beiyao lay listlessly, not arguing. His tone was still calm. “No need to rush. Patience is key.”
“Patience? You’ll be dead soon!” The system was panicking. “I know Pei Ji is difficult, especially since some of his actions deviate from the original plot, but you could casually touch his hand, right?!”
“Touching his hand is currently very difficult. Don’t forget I can’t even leave the courtyard now. Pei Ji is too wary of me.”
Song Beiyao smiled wryly. “Besides, a touch only gives 1 point; in negative territory, 2 points are deducted daily. Touching twice a day just cancels each other out. It’s too slow; it’s not interesting.”
“Then how do you find it interesting?” The system was shocked. “You wouldn’t do anything other than the highest-scoring actions? That’s impossible. You saw Pei Ji’s attitude; being able to touch his hand is already a blessing!”
Song Beiyao chuckled without replying.
He knew deep down that the more difficult and challenging the task, the steadier he needed to be. There’s no need to rush.
Back then, to create a good character, he could lose weight to 98 jin in three months, undergo six months of closed training in acting, and then spend another six months filming.
At first, many people thought he shouldn’t take on this movie; it was too time-consuming, the sunk costs too high. Yet, he ultimately won Best Actor with this role.
So this time, he would definitely be able to conquer this hard nut to crack.
…
After lunch, Song Beiyao wrote down some ingredients on a piece of paper and gave it to Ling Feng.
Ling Feng glanced at it briefly, not understanding. He frowned. “What’s this for?”
“A recipe for pear blossom cakes,” Song Beiyao took some silver from a wooden box, smiling. “Tell the guards to give this recipe to the kitchen, and have them prepare a portion tonight; I want to eat some.”
“You know how to do this?” Ling Feng looked incredulously at Song Beiyao. “It probably won’t work. Those guards basically ignore me, they just guard the courtyard gate.”
Song Beiyao handed him the silver. “There are always ways to make them listen. Find the guard with a scar on his brow. Give him the silver and ask for his help. It’s just a dish, nothing much.”
Ling Feng was shocked. “How do you know there’s a guard with a scar on his brow?”
Because the book mentioned that this guard, due to his greed and gambling, succumbed to temptation, became a spy for another prince, and was later killed by Pei Ji after his actions were exposed.
Song Beiyao smiled alluringly. “Because I am a god, and gods know everything.”
Ling Feng was speechless, rolling his eyes and leaving with the silver.
The charcoal fire burned brightly, and light snow fell outside. Song Beiyao sat beside the fire, slowly opening a packet of tea leaves, picking out the best-looking ones with tea tongs and setting them aside.
The Longshan Maojian tea leaves were thin and long, and the process was tedious. Ling Feng finished his task and returned to the room, seeing Song Beiyao picking through the tea leaves. He also sat down to help.
After a short while, he became restless, running around the courtyard a couple of times, then grabbing a broom to sweep away the accumulated snow. When he returned, Song Beiyao was still picking through the tea leaves.
“Seriously, don’t you find this boring?” Ling Feng couldn’t help but ask.
“Not at all,” Song Beiyao’s head was slightly lowered, his hair falling on either side. Hearing Ling Feng’s question, he raised his neck and moved it from side to side, relaxing his shoulders and neck. Quickly, he lowered his head again. “The quality of tea leaves varies after harvesting and after pan-frying. I’m just removing the inferior ones.”
“Why bother? You can’t tell the difference anyway,” Ling Feng was puzzled.
Song Beiyao smiled slightly. “You can’t tell the difference, but others might.”
Especially for someone like Pei Ji, who enjoys tea, subtle differences in the tea’s color, aroma, and taste upon entering the mouth are noticeable.
Having said that, he covered his lips and coughed a few times. Ling Feng, seeing this, said impatiently, “Look at you, your health hasn’t recovered, yet you’re doing this.”
After coughing, Song Beiyao looked up at him. “Ling Feng, do me a favor.”
“No way.”
“Go to the courtyard and get me some clean snow; fill the teapot with it,” Song Beiyao looked at him with a smile in his eyes.
The moment Ling Feng met his gaze, he quickly looked away, muttering, “Annoying. You’re always ordering me around.” Without stopping, he went to get the teapot.
That night, the pear blossom cakes arrived with dinner and were placed on the table.
The door was closed, and Ling Feng was also seated at the table, eating. He picked up his chopsticks, reaching for the pear blossom cakes. Song Beiyao immediately blocked him with his chopsticks.
Ling Feng’s face immediately fell. “What’s this? You won’t let me eat them? I worked so hard…”
“I’m not stopping you from eating them,” Song Beiyao brushed his chopsticks aside, personally picking up a piece and putting it into his bowl. “Eat it and tell me what you think of the taste.”
“So troublesome!” Ling Feng swallowed it whole, chewing for a while before swallowing. “It’s delicious, but a little bland, not sweet enough, and the pear blossom flavor isn’t strong enough.”
Song Beiyao silently noted this, thinking about improving the recipe next time.
Pear blossom cakes were Pei Ji’s favorite dessert; the book briefly mentioned the recipe. However, there’s a difference between the written recipe and the actual product and taste, requiring constant adjustments.
“You can eat the rest,” he said.
Ling Feng’s voice rose. “You’re not eating?”
“I’m not,” Song Beiyao’s eyes curved. “I’m allergic to flower-based ingredients.”
“Ah, I see.” Ling Feng looked sympathetic while gobbling down the pear blossom cakes. “In consideration of you making pear blossom cakes for me, I’ll reluctantly forgive you for ordering me around today.”
After dinner, Song Beiyao put the snow water on the stove to boil, letting it cool and filter it before boiling it again.
As the water boiled, Pei Ji arrived, clad in a black brocade robe with a fox fur cloak over his shoulders, followed by Qu Lan, the green-robed guard.
The courtyard was small; one could reach the doorway in a few steps. Pei Ji stopped a short distance away, seeing the young man making tea by the stove through the open door.
The water in the kettle seemed to have just boiled, with white steam rising. Song Beiyao wore a wide-sleeved white robe, his black hair loosely tied behind him. A few strands of hair hung down, his entire face seeming to be hidden in mist, unrealistically beautiful.
Pei Ji gazed intently and stepped forward.
The young man’s tea-making movements were very skilled. He took the tea leaves from the canister, placed them in the teacup, and poured in hot water. He then poured out the first brew before adding hot water a second time.
He may have accidentally touched the hot teapot and quickly retracted his hand, gasping in pain and putting his burnt fingertip into his mouth.
Pei Ji entered the room at that moment and walked in front of Song Beiyao. His tall figure blocked the candlelight. “Fourth Prince, you certainly have leisure.”
Song Beiyao was startled, raising his eyes. After a moment of surprise, joy bloomed in his eyes, shining like stars.
He slowly took his slender white finger from his mouth, tracing his lip. Quickly, he smiled. “Your Highness has returned.”
Pei Ji looked down, fixing his gaze on Song Beiyao’s reddened fingertip before glancing at his lips, slightly wet with water. He narrowed his eyes.
Even wearing the simplest clothes, without any adornment, that face was too beautiful and exquisite, even the mole at the corner of his eye was alluring. And yet, he always feigned a naive and innocent expression, deceiving others’ hearts.
Regardless of whether he is a spy, he is a danger. Pei Ji concluded in his heart.
He glanced at the tea, his eyes pausing slightly. “What tea is the Fourth Prince brewing?”
“It’s Longshan Maojian, brought from Zhao,” Song Beiyao smiled, pouring a cup. “If Your Highness doesn’t mind, you may try some.”
Pei Ji slightly raised his gaze and addressed the guard. “Qu Lan, leave.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” The guard left.
Song Beiyao quickly understood and said to Ling Feng, “Ling Feng, you leave too. His Highness and I have something to discuss.”
Ling Feng also left, closing the door behind him.
Pei Ji removed his cloak and sat at the low table. Soon, the aroma of tea filled the room, but he didn’t touch his tea.
“Peng Yu has been found,” his voice was deep and cold. “This King is here tonight to fulfill my promise to the Fourth Prince—wedding wine.”
