After all the preparations, the teahouse finally opened.
Xiao Linye didn’t want Pei Lanqing to strain himself during his pregnancy, so he set up a comfortable chair of the right height behind the counter, allowing him to handle the accounts.
Xiao Linye himself, wanting to stay close to the customers to gather information, lowered his status and took on the role of a shop assistant, refilling their tea.
With summer just past and the lingering heat of early autumn still in the air, the teahouse attracted many customers seeking a refreshing cup of cold tea. The business was surprisingly brisk.
Xiao Linye had led armies, fought battles, reviewed memorials, and sat in court, but he had never served as a tea server in a shop like this. It was a truly novel experience. After working hard for half a day, he wasn’t overly tired, but he had broken a sweat.
This deeply concerned Pei Lanqing. When Xiao Linye came to the counter to change the teapot, Pei Lanqing gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and asked softly, “Ye’er, why do you need to do this yourself? Aren’t you tired?”
Xiao Linye leaned down, letting Pei Lanqing wipe his brow. When no one was looking, he kissed the corner of Pei Lanqing’s mouth. “What’s tiring about this?”
“In ancient times, Zhuo Wenjun sold wine at her own counter. Today, Grand Tutor Pei is selling tea at his. How could I possibly be tired when I’m enjoying such a beautiful sight?”
Xiao Linye’s words made Pei Lanqing shake his head and chuckle softly. He leaned back, trying to avoid further intimacy. “When you were studying with me before, you weren’t nearly this good at using classical allusions. You’ve only been out of the palace for a few days, and you’ve already learned these lines.”
Xiao Linye, however, refused to let him escape. He leaned forward, continuing his affectionate advances. “That’s because I learned so well from the Grand Tutor in the past. Now I can apply what I’ve learned so readily.”
Just then, a clear voice rang out from the shop’s entrance. “Has this place changed owners?”
Seeing the newcomer, Pei Lanqing quickly pushed Xiao Linye away. Xiao Linye turned around reluctantly, only to find a Brocade-Robed Young Master standing there. The young man had a delicate, effeminate appearance and was accompanied by three or four burly men.
Xiao Linye sensed something different about this customer, a feeling that set his mind racing. He walked toward the young master. “Welcome, honored guest. What would you like to drink?”
The Brocade-Robed Young Master had only been passing by, curious about the new shop. But upon entering and seeing this tall, imposing man with such a distinguished presence, he was immediately captivated. His face flushed slightly.
Xiao Linye found a nearby table and sat down, his gaze still fixed on Xiao Linye. He spoke in a deliberately affected tone, his voice high and thin: “Are you a shop assistant here? You must be from out of town. I’ve never seen anyone like you in Duzhou before.”
Xiao Linye, listening to the young master’s affected tone, felt a wave of discomfort wash over him. He subtly distanced himself from the young master, replying with as much politeness and detachment as possible: “Yes, I am a tea merchant from the east. I came here to do business after hearing of Duzhou’s prosperity.”
“Oh,” the young master said, propping his chin on his hand and continuing to stare at Xiao Linye’s face. He nodded slowly. “That’s what I thought. What’s your surname and name?”
“My surname is Qin. I am the sixth son in my family. You may call me Sixth Brother Qin,” Xiao Linye replied, using the alias he had prepared. He couldn’t help but inwardly smile bitterly. Instead of gathering information, he had stumbled into this minor predicament. He wanted to get through this quickly, so he asked, “What would you like to drink, young master?”
But the Brocade-Robed Young Master did the opposite, deliberately dragging out the conversation and flirting with Xiao Linye, his eyes growing increasingly suggestive. “This is my first time in your shop. What teas do you have?”
“We have all the common varieties of tea,” Xiao Linye said, unable to bear the young master’s gaze any longer. He glanced toward Pei Lanqing, making sure he hadn’t disturbed his Grand Tutor, before continuing to search for an excuse to slip away.
The Brocade-Robed Young Master leaned closer, almost pressing himself against Xiao Linye. “Then let’s have a pot of Biluochun. I want to see how good the tea leaves in your shop really are.”
As soon as Xiao Linye heard the tea name, he turned to leave, signaling to the guard disguised as a shop assistant to take over.
But before he could escape, Pei Lanqing, his white robes swaying gently, walked over carrying the teapot himself. “Here’s your tea.”
Xiao Linye quickly took the teapot from Pei Lanqing, unwilling to let him exert himself. He wrapped an arm around his waist. “Why did you come? Weren’t you supposed to be resting?”
Pei Lanqing’s gaze flickered between the Brocade-Robed Young Master and Xiao Linye, his smile still gentle. “I was worried you’d be too busy. I came to lend a hand. Did I cause any trouble?”
Xiao Linye thought, “This is bad. I fear the Grand Tutor has seen through our charade.” Yet, an indescribable joy stirred within him. Ignoring the presence of others, he gently embraced Pei Lanqing’s waist, his affection and intimacy completely unreserved. “How could you ever cause me trouble? I was worried about tiring you out.”
The Brocade-Robed Young Master, witnessing their display of affection, glared at Pei Lanqing with evident displeasure, his voice rising shrill and sharp. “And who are you?”
Before Pei Lanqing could respond, Xiao Linye spoke for him. “To answer Young Master’s question, this is my wife.”
“Wife?” Though the Brocade-Robed Young Master had long suspected their relationship, hearing Xiao Linye declare it so openly still widened his eyes in astonishment.
Xiao Linye stood shoulder to shoulder with Pei Lanqing, his hand never leaving Pei Lanqing’s waist. He nodded at the young master and repeated, “Yes, this is my wife.”
The Brocade-Robed Young Master glanced between them, his face darkening. He let out a heavy snort, haughtily declared, “I won’t drink this tea!” and turned to leave with his entourage.
Xiao Linye watched the young master’s retreating back, shaking his head with a helpless smile. He sighed, relieved to finally be rid of such a troublemaker. But then he heard Pei Lanqing beside him say, “What’s wrong, Ye’er? Are you reluctant to let go of that delicate young master?”
Xiao Linye’s smile widened. He looked down at Pei Lanqing in his arms. “Indeed, I am reluctant. But not to let go of the young master. Rather—”
“Rather what?” Pei Lanqing, usually gentle and broad-minded, had become unusually irritable during his pregnancy. Though he knew it had nothing to do with Xiao Linye, he rarely lost his temper. He tilted his head slightly to look up at him.
Xiao Linye tightened his arm around Pei Lanqing’s waist, then leaned down to kiss his lips, as if savoring their taste. “I’m reluctant to let go of this rare sight of the Grand Tutor drinking vinegar.”
++++++
The Brocade-Robed Young Master climbed into his carriage in a fury. He remained silent throughout the journey, his face dark, daring anyone to speak to him.
Only after the carriage entered the Prefect’s Manor of Duzhou did he shake off the men following him and stride toward his courtyard. But he unexpectedly ran into his father, Lü Juwen, the Prefect of Duzhou.
Lü Juwen glared at his spoiled son, finding fault with every aspect of his appearance. He couldn’t help but scold, “Stop right there! Where have you been carousing again?”
The Brocade-Robed Young Master, Lü Weibao, completely disregarded his father. He casually lied, “I went to buy Old Madam’s pastries from the south side of the city. I was just on my way to deliver them to her.”
Lü Juwen, seeing Lü Weibao’s empty hands, Where were the pastries? His anger flared even hotter. “You good-for-nothing! You open your mouth and only speak lies!”
“I suspect you’ve been out looking for men again! Didn’t I tell you the Emperor might visit Duzhou any day now? I told you to behave yourself for a few days. Aren’t the men in that courtyard enough for you?”
Lü Weibao was already furious about Xiao Linye. Now, with his father exposing his true intentions, he immediately retorted, “Not enough is not enough! What if I enjoy finding new ones?”
“The Emperor may not care whether I find men, but he’ll certainly want to know how much you’ve embezzled.”
Lü Juwen nearly collapsed from rage, but remembering the important business ahead, he could only watch helplessly as his son strode past him.
