TL: Hua
Chapter 21 Chaohua – Amorous feeling, muse
Beauty can mislead people. After returning to the courtyard, Pei Xiting remembered a question: What about Yuan Fang?
Chaohua Mountain is outside the city. If he goes there alone, he can only fight for himself if he encounters danger. Letting Yuan Fang follow him is equivalent to sending him directly under the Crown Prince’s nose. Ordinary people can’t see through Yuan Fang’s disguise, but the Crown Prince may be able to see through it. That person is obviously a thousand-year-old fox, beautiful and smart.
“It’s not a problem.” Yuan Fang slapped the stinky mosquito that was buzzing on the door to death. “I’ll send you to the mountain and find a place to wait. Since you are with the Crown Prince, the most dangerous person is the Crown Prince himself. If he wants to do something to you, I can’t save you.”
“That’s right.” Pei Xiting lay down on a bamboo chair under the corridor, hung the basket on the armrest on one side, and picked up a plum. “By the way, I just warmly invited the Crown Prince to visit the courtyard. If he really comes, remember to hide in time.”
Yuan Fang turned his head to look at the swaying person and asked in confusion, “What exactly do you want to do? I don’t think you are someone who wants to curry favor with the rich and powerful… If you really want to, you shouldn’t invite the golden and precious crown prince to this small courtyard. Instead, you should immediately cover the best villa under your name with gold bricks and invite him to step on it.”
“He doesn’t look down on this kind of place. As for what I want, I want to look at his handsome face.” The plums are sweet, but Pei Xiting’s mouth is sweeter.
“The Crown Prince is indeed handsome, but as good as he looks, his heart is as ruthless.” Yuan Fang walked over and patted Pei Xiting’s shoulder, then leaned down to take a plum and ate it. “Here’s a sentence for you: Lust is like a blade hanging above your head, ready to fall down and dye the ground red.”
“I also know another old saying: If you die under the body of a beauty, you will become a romantic ghost. Besides, I don’t want to mess with him; I just want to appreciate him and draw him… Wait—” Pei Xiting suddenly reacted; his face changed suddenly. “You touched my clothes with the hand that just slapped a mosquito to death and ate plums. Isn’t it dirty?”
Those who wander in the martial arts world don’t have so much emphasis on ethics. In the past, when they were in the most desperate and dangerous times, they even ate wild grass and drank raw blood. But Pei Xiting looked thin and pale, so Yuan Fang raised his hands to surrender, “I understand, Master; next time I will bathe three times before I touch you.”
The young master then generously forgave him.
*
Chaohua Mountain is in the western suburbs, hidden in the drizzle with the evening sky, towering in the vast gray.
Pei Xiting lifted the curtain of the carriage and understood the meaning of “Chaohua[mfn]Hibiscus flower or flower that blooms in the morning.[/mfn]”. The hibiscus flowers in the lush greenery had not yet closed, mostly light purple, mixed with pure white, lavender, and other colors. A tree of flowers, gorgeously stretching in the mountains, blooming in the morning and wilting in the evening, an everlasting cycle.
The carriage stopped at the end of the road. Yuan Fang, dressed as a servant and with a rain hat covering his face, got off the carriage and stepped on the wet soil, leaning forward to open the door. He held Pei Xiting’s wrist and whispered, “There hasn’t been anyone hiding along the way, but there are experts ahead, more than one. I can’t follow too closely.”
“No worry. Just wait for me here.” Pei Xiting stepped on the pedal to get off the carriage.
When their hands separated, Yuan Fang stuffed a cold, hard object into Pei Xiting’s hand, saying, “If you encounter any problem, just fire this signal.”
Pei Xiting said with emotion, “Then you would come to save?”
“At least I know that you are dead, so I can find a way to collect your body.” Yuan Fang said seriously.
Pei Xiting said, “Oh,” took the umbrella that Yuan Fang opened, and turned away.
Yu Shaoyun is standing in the pavilion with a serious and intoxicated expression, blowing a tune that was hostile to all musicians throughout history, not knowing that the flowers and plants on the mountain wished they could die on the spot. Eunuch Lai, who was kneeling beside the low table brewing tea, secretly glanced at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who was sitting like a pine tree with his eyes closed, meditating. He thought in his heart: His Highness is worthy of being the Crown Prince. Even under the influence of this devil’s music, he’s still motionless. This torture is to temper the state of mind! And Commander Yu is worthy of being the most favored minister of the East Palace! He has ravaged His Highness’s ears to this degree but has not been beaten to death yet.
On the road ahead, the treetops swayed in the rain. The Crown Prince opened his eyes. A plain black umbrella parted the closed treetops, piercing through the rain. The black boots stepped through the mud slowly. The silk-colored skirt seemed to be intertwined with the wind and rain. Looking up, he saw a waist loosely gripped by a red ribbon.
The life-seeking and soul-chasing sheng[mfn]This instrument
[/mfn] music suddenly stopped. Even Master Yu finally felt guilty because he couldn’t bear to soil this beautiful scene.
With a “ding-ling-ling” sound, the double bell jade pendant on the edge of the umbrella gently made a crisp sound as it was lifted back. The water droplets that were shaken off fell onto the bare back of the umbrella holder’s hand. The person under the umbrella walked to the pavilion, revealing a pair of beautiful and wonderful eyes.
It is said that Prince Ning and Prince Zhao of the Duke Wen’s Mansion have peach blossom eyes[mfn]Peach blossom eyes are a type of eye shape that is named because they resemble peach blossom petals, with the tail lifting upward and the inner corner sunken down.[/mfn]. The former is charming, while the latter is promiscuous. Their peach blossom eyes are naturally smiling, but the affections are hidden, hooking countless tender hearts. Pei Xiting didn’t have those peach blossom eyes. His eyes were glittering but ruthless. The Crown Prince, however, could see what was described as an “amorous feeling” in those eyes. Like cold and frosty leaves, they not only hooked the heart but also pierced through it.
The strings of the zither suddenly shook, and the Crown Prince returned to his senses, lowering his eyes to look at his hand that was soundlessly stroking the strings of the zither, and was speechless for a moment.
Pei Xiting had closed his umbrella and placed it against the pillar of the pavilion. He walked to the small table and saluted with his hands, then looked at the zither and said, “What a beautiful Lingji zither[mfn]Tang Dynasty guqin (zither) made of paulownia wood.
[/mfn]. The whole body is dark, and the green smoke pattern on the waist is also elegant and natural. Your Highness, what is the name of this zither?”
Actually, there is no name, but the Crown Prince gently stroked the head of the zither and said, “Xiting Wenshui.”
Pei Xiting was stunned and said with a smile, “It’s Xiting Wenshui, and I’m Xiting Wenjuan. What a fate.”
The Crown Prince did not comment and said, “You haven’t taken a courtesy name yet; where does the name ‘Wenjuan’ come from?”
Pei Xiting didn’t expect the Crown Prince to ask this and didn’t speak for a while.
In fact, “Wenjuan” was the nickname that his grandpa gave him. Xiting Wen (ask) Juan (tiny stream) has its own elegance and contentment. His grandpa hoped that he would ask the water for self-clarity, be tranquil and far-reaching, and be rich and leisurely. However, after the old man passed away, no one called him that anymore.
“It was given to me by an old man I met before. I like and cherish it very much.”
There was a genuine sense of melancholy and sadness on his face. The Crown Prince was about to smooth things out, but he saw Pei Xiting kneeling on the cushion with his knees bent, propping up his chin like a child, looking at him expectantly, “Your Highness, when I want to choose a courtesy name, can you help me choose these two characters?”
The Crown Prince did not answer. Yu Shaoyun said, “His Highness is not your elder, so how can he choose it for you?”
“The emperor is the father of all people, and His Highness is the Crown Prince, that is, the little father of all people. Why can’t he choose a name for me?” Pei Xiting was very insightful: “If you can give me a courtesy name, our Pei family will have to set up a banquet for at least three days.”
The Crown Prince was silent for a moment because of this “little father” and then asked, “Why do you want me to choose it?”
“First, I know you’re the only person who can give me a courtesy name besides my father.” Pei Xiting raised another finger. “Second, it’s a courtesy name after all, and I will be addressed by this name for a lifetime, so I want to choose the right person; third, I think only Your Highness would agree to such a request.”
The Crown Prince said, “Because I’m easy to talk to?”
“No,” Pei Xiting flattered him, “Because you are open-minded and very caring.”
Caring? He didn’t even know he had this quality. “How did you know that?”
Pei Xiting pointed at Yu Shaoyun and said, “You allow such earth-shaking music to play smoothly for so long; isn’t that gentle, compassionate, forgiving, and benevolent enough? If it were me, I would immediately use a needle to sew up that cruel and sinful mouth closed.”
“!” Yu Shaoyun covered his mouth and said in a muffled voice, “Third Young Master Pei, please don’t give His Highness advice casually!”
“That’s right.” The Crown Prince ignored the resentful and aggrieved gaze of Yu Shaoyun and looked at Pei Xiting, who tilted his head and supported his chin with his hand. “Can you play zither?”
“Do you agree only if I play well?” Pei Xiting smiled cutely, “I can’t.”
He really didn’t have much experience with musical instruments. He only knew a little piano and guitar, and they were not available here.
“Your Highness, let’s do this.” Pei Xiting thought, “You play zither while I paint; if I paint to your satisfaction, you will reward me with calligraphy. What do you think?”
The Crown Prince was not fooled and said, “I lost money on this business. I didn’t need to play zither.”
Pei Xiting smiled and sat down with his buttocks tilted, propping up the table with his elbows. “I don’t agree with that. You asked me to paint the rain, but there are thousands of kinds of rain; which one should I paint? I’m in Chaohua Mountain with Your Highness sitting in front of me. As the saying goes, ‘Emotions are in the scenery, and people are in harmony.’ Your Highness is a part of my painting and my muse.”
The last word, which he used in Greek, was spoken affectionately, but the indigenous people of Daye couldn’t understand it. He looked up and said, “What does that mean?”
That mole on the left cheek is like a bird of prey between the water and dewy green hills. The stamens of the lavender hibiscus and the cinnabar red at the corner of Pei Xiting’s eyes are similarly dazzling and deadly. His eyelashes trembled slightly, and he said with a smile. “You can interpret it as, I can’t keep my hands to myself when I see you.”
Yu Shaoyun resented Pei Xiting’s “advice” just now and immediately took the opportunity to counterattack, “You actually want to beat His Highness anytime and anywhere?!”
Eunuch Lai couldn’t bear to watch anymore and silently covered his face: “…”
“Your highness,” Pei Xiting was curious, “Does this Commander Yu have a girlfriend… a confidante?”
“This Commander Yu doesn’t have one,” The Crown Prince said, “Not with his music-playing skill.”
Yu Shaoyun said sorrowfully, “Your Highness!”
The Crown Prince didn’t buy this kind of creepy “coquettish” act. He looked at Pei Xiting, who was staring at him with a blatant and almost suicidal love gaze, plucked the strings with his fingertips, and lowered his eyes, saying, “Good, I agree to your condition.”
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I’d combust on the spot if someone flirted like that (/≧◇≦＼)