TL: Hua
Chapter 42: Learning the zither – Xiao Pei goes to Jiangnan (9)
The door was closed. Inside, a lotus wood incense burner on a small table filled the room with the fragrance of lotus dew, a delicate scent with a hint of astringency.
Pei Xiting sat before the zither table, earnestly answering the Crown Prince’s questions. They were all basic knowledge, a question and an answer, flowing smoothly.
“Although these are all simple things, you have never studied zither before, so preparing beforehand shows sincerity. Now, I will demonstrate the finger techniques for you once.” The Crown Prince spoke softly without looking up, “This is also my first time being a teacher. If I’m too fast or too slow, just tell me.”
Pei Xiting nodded and said, “Alright.”
The Crown Prince raised his right hand and gently placed it on the zither. His index finger plucked a string as an opening. His hand looked as if carved from cold jade. Pei Xiting watched with utmost attention and, of course, listened intently as well. Although his initial intention in asking the Crown Prince to teach him the zither was to create opportunities for private interaction and close the distance between them, now that the Crown Prince was teaching seriously, he also had to learn seriously and not let the opportunity go to waste.
The Crown Prince slowly demonstrated a round of right-hand finger techniques and asked, “Have you memorized it?”
“I have memorized it,” Pei Xiting said.
“Then you try once,” the Crown Prince said.
Pei Xiting said, “I don’t have a zither.”
“Just use this one.” The Crown Prince looked at the zither in front of him and said softly, “Be careful. If you break it, I will settle the score with you. Come over here.”
Pei Xiting responded and stood up, carrying the small square stool to the Crown Prince’s side. He lifted his robe and sat down.
With a single zither table, the two grown men inevitably had to sit close together. Pei Xiting’s right arm lightly brushed against the Crown Prince’s left arm. If they were just teacher and student, such a close distance would be too much pressure for the student. If other emotions were involved, this close proximity would be truly nerve-wracking.
Pei Xiting pursed his lips and said, “I’ll begin.”
He imitated the Crown Prince’s finger technique, plucking a note inward with his index finger. Just as he was about to change fingerings, the Crown Prince called for him to stop.
“Hang your elbows and wrists flat; be steady.” The Crown Prince extended his right hand and placed it beside Pei Xiting’s hand. “Your palm should be slightly lowered, your fingers a bit higher. Don’t tremble when you pluck the strings.”
The Crown Prince watched Pei Xiting adjust his hand and said, “Try again.”
Pei Xiting took a deep breath and tried once more. The Crown Prince remained silent, so he continued. In this way, he tried, and the Crown Prince corrected him, allowing him to practice the basic right-hand finger techniques once.
“Not bad,” the Crown Prince said. “You must practice diligently in the future… Why are you sweating?”
He finally turned his head to look at Pei Xiting, only to see that his fair profile was slightly flushed, and there was even sweat at his temples.
“I’m a little nervous,” Pei Xiting said truthfully.
The Crown Prince looked at him. “Why are you nervous?”
Perhaps it was because of the nighttime, and they were the only two people in the room, sitting so close that even the soft rubbing of fabric on their arms, though quiet, had a strong presence, just like the Crown Prince himself.
Pei Xiting rubbed the strings beneath his fingers and simply said, “I’m afraid I’ll learn too slowly, and you’ll think I’m stupid.”
“As long as you learn diligently, being a little slow doesn’t matter. I don’t expect you to become a master zither player; just treat it as a way to cultivate yourself,” the Crown Prince said softly. “Learning zither is like writing calligraphy; you should discard all distracting thoughts and let your heart be still.”
Pei Xiting said, “I understand.”
Tonight he was particularly well-behaved and obedient. The Crown Prince glanced at Pei Xiting and said, “Let’s practice again. I’ll tell you which finger technique to use, and you demonstrate it.”
The sound of the zither struck the windowpane note by note, occasionally interspersed with the Crown Prince’s concise corrections and Pei Xiting’s responses. It truly sounded like a teacher and student pair.
Yu Shaoyun leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, lost in thought.
You Zong entered quietly, glancing at the two figures reflected on the window paper, their arms touching—indeed quite intimate.
Yu Shaoyun looked at his expression and said softly, “He even used His Highness’s zither.”
Even ordinary teachers and students rarely have the student use the teacher’s zither, let alone the Crown Prince being the teacher. His Highness was of noble status, yet he also wanted to avoid the zither gathering dust in the corner. Over the years, he only had that one Lingji-style zither by his side, even taking it with him to Ningzhou, showing how much he cherished it. Now, however, he was letting a student, a beginner, use it for practice. As the two pondered this, they both felt an indescribable meaning behind it.
However, You Zong had always been exceptionally composed, and although Yu Shaoyun was much more lively, he was the Crown Prince’s longest-serving guard. Everyone knew not to, and had no need to, be long-tongued.
His Highness knew what he was doing.
“Heying.”
The Crown Prince’s voice came. You Zong immediately pushed the door open, walked quietly to the qin table, and cupped his hands. “Your Highness.”
Pei Xiting stopped playing. The Crown Prince glanced at him and said, “Continue practicing.”
Pei Xiting said, “Oh.”
You Zong looked straight ahead and said, “The Plum Blossom Sleeve Arrow and Fake Third Wang have been imprisoned in the secret dungeon. What are Your Highness’s plans for them?”
The Crown Prince looked at Pei Xiting’s hand and said, “Kill them.”
Pei Xiting’s fingertips trembled, and a note slid off the string, its resonance humming. He said, “A mistake.”
“Do you have any objections?” Without waiting for an answer, the Crown Prince gently held Pei Xiting’s wrist through his sleeve. “Didn’t I tell you? Your hand should be steady, your heart should be still.”
Pei Xiting protested, “I’m just a beginner; how can I reach such a high level?”
The Crown Prince didn’t scold him further. His thumb gently pressed against his wrist through the thin fabric, and he said, “Relax. You’re playing the zither, not practicing martial arts.”
Pei Xiting took a deep breath and relaxed again. “I don’t have any objections. I’m just curious, why aren’t you interrogating them? Maybe you could get some clues from them.”
“The fish is already in the net. Sooner or later, I will catch them all and crush them into mud.” The Crown Prince looked at Pei Xiting’s profile. “What do you want to know?”
“As expected, no thoughts can be hidden from Your Highness.” Pei Xiting turned his head to look back. “I want to know why that fake Third Wang wanted to harm Sifan.”
The Crown Prince said, “To pry answers from the mouths of these vicious criminals who lick blood from their blades, you would have to be even more vicious than them. You couldn’t bear such a scene.”
“Isn’t there Lord You?” Pei Xiting blinked and said softly, “Could you please ask the Lord to interrogate them for me?”
The Crown Prince looked at him for a moment and said, “You certainly know how to take advantage of others.”
“I have a thank-you gift.” Pei Xiting stood up, quickly ran out, and quickly ran back in, holding a bundle as he approached You Zong. “I humbly trouble you to get your hands dirty. I’ve even prepared new clothes for you to change into. You only need to help me interrogate her. It doesn’t matter if you can’t get anything out of her. Just consider it as me owing you a favor, which I will sincerely repay in the future.”
You Zong glanced at the Crown Prince, whose expression remained normal, showing no sign of disapproval. So, he said, “It’s a small matter, no need for thanks.”
“You’re giving me face, so naturally I must thank you.” Pei Xiting placed the bundle against You Zong’s chest and smiled. “I bought it at Hundred Brocads House according to your measurements. Please remember to try it on later.”
“Alright, thank you.” You Zong turned his head to the Crown Prince. “If Your Highness has no other instructions, this subordinate will take his leave.”
The Crown Prince nodded. After You Zong left, he looked at Pei Xiting and said, “You even went for a stroll down the street. Quite the leisure.”
It took Pei Xiting a moment to react before explaining, “I didn’t buy it today. It was the day I first arrived in Ningzhou and went to the Hundred Brocades House. I saw a dark sandalwood-colored robe that would suit Lord You very well, and the size was right, so I bought it. I just haven’t had a chance to give it to him yet.”
“You’re quite good at currying favor with your superiors,” the Crown Prince said.
“What kind of currying favor is this? It’s just a piece of clothing. I even bought something for Yuan Fang that day. Why don’t you say I’m trying to please him?” Pei Xiting looked at the Crown Prince, considered his words for a moment, and then said, “Are you still angry with me?”
The Crown Prince stroked the zither strings, his fingertip pausing slightly, and he said softly, “Why would I be angry with you?”
“Earlier at the Bai residence, I spoke carelessly for a moment and overstepped my limits.” Pei Xiting said. “I’ve reflected on it, which is why I’ve been very well-behaved tonight.”
The Crown Prince smiled faintly and said, “Compared to your usual self, you have indeed restrained yourself a lot tonight.”
“This is called knowing one’s mistakes and being able to correct them; there is no greater good,” Pei Xiting said, hearing the Crown Prince’s subtle sarcasm but not caring, seizing the opportunity to smooth things over. “I’ve already changed. Please be magnanimous and don’t hold those crazy things I said against me.”
His tone was softer than usual, not quite pleading but more like coaxing. The Crown Prince plucked a string, then brushed his hand over it before saying, “Mm.”
The corners of Pei Xiting’s lips curved slightly upward. He grabbed his robe hem and sat back down beside the Crown Prince. “I went to a dessert shop today. Their grape glutinous rice balls were very good. Would you like to try them someday when you’re free? I’ll treat you.”
The Crown Prince didn’t respond but asked, “What else did you eat?”
“I only ate that,” Pei Xiting sighed, complaining, “You don’t know, after you left, I ran into Prince Zhao halfway. That Gao Liu suddenly opened a box with a human head inside! Such a fresh human head—how could I still have an appetite for hot or meaty food?”
As he spoke, he turned his head and made a retching sound, his complexion immediately turning unwell.
The Crown Prince was not in the habit of offering kind words of comfort. Seeing this, he said, “It’s getting late. Go back and rest.”
“Alright, then you should also rest early.” Pei Xiting stood up, bowed, and then swayed out of the room.
He returned to his room to wash up and change into his night clothes. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door and went to open it.
The door opened, revealing Pei Xiting in a set of snow-white short shirt and shorts, most of his slender, fair limbs exposed. Yu Shaoyun was taken aback for a moment, then handed over the small bowl in his hand and said, “Pei-wenshu saw blood today. Drink this bowl of calming and soothing medicine; it will help you sleep well.”
Pei Xiting leaned closer, sniffing the steaming bowl. There was no bitter smell, so he reached out and took it, saying, “Thank you. What kind of medicine is this?”
“It’s just some common medicine. Nothing troublesome,” Yu Shaoyun said.
After he said that, Pei Xiting didn’t think much and thanked him. Yu Shaoyun then turned around and went to serve next door.
The medicinal soup was still hot. Pei Xiting held the small bowl and placed it on the chaise lounge, sitting down beside it. He turned to his right, resting his head against the back of the chaise lounge, staring blankly at the starry sky. He hummed some tune under his breath, a muffled sound that was unclear. His right leg was curled up on the chaise lounge, while his left leg was on the ground, a pale white section swaying gently like a sliver of moonlight.
The Crown Prince stood in front of the door, motionless until Pei Xiting suddenly turned his head. With four eyes facing each other, Pei Xiting’s face was tired, and his eyes were not as clear as usual, hazy and bewildered.
The Crown Prince didn’t speak, turning around and returning to his room.
Pei Xiting also didn’t speak, staring at the door for a while, then turning his head to look at the stars for a while before picking up the small bowl, drinking the medicine, and then returning to his room to tidy up and rest.
Perhaps it was the efficacy of the medicine; Pei Xiting slept soundly that night. There’s nothing going on the next day, so he slept until the sun was high in the sky, finally catching up on the sleep he’d missed over the past few days.
After tidying himself up, Pei Xiting sat at the table for lunch, which consisted of lotus leaf rice and a platter of seasonal vegetables that Yuan Fang had bought back.
“Here, You Zong left this for you.” Yuan Fang carried over a plate of soup dumplings and placed a piece of paper on the table.
Pei Xiting picked it up and saw that it was the fake Third Wang’s confession, claiming that her attack on Zhao Yi at the Qixia banquet was to get revenge on Duke Wen.
Pei Xiting knew that although Duke Wen was gentle by nature, he had once served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. In such a position, it was impossible not to offend people, and having enemies was inevitable.
Duke Wen and his wife were deeply in love and had no concubines in their household. Although the Duchess had given birth four times, their second son died young, and their third daughter also passed away due to illness at an early age. Only Zhao Fan and Zhao Yi had grown to their current age. The two brothers were deeply loved and were the apple of their parents’ eyes. Losing either one would be like having their hearts cut out. Among the brothers, Zhao Yi was clearly the easier and more likely target.
Yuan Fang sat down beside him and asked, “Is there a problem?”
“It makes sense, but I always feel it’s not that simple.” Pei Xiting folded the confession, lost in thought. “Since Liao Yuan, the former chief clerk of the East Palace, is also involved, could other former supporters of the Crown Prince Yuanhe also be mixed up in this? If they want to avenge their former master, they are very likely to target those who were ordered to jointly try the case back then, such as Duke Wen. And the white-clad assassin’s attack on the Empress and His Highness might not have been just to stir up trouble, but also to vent hatred.”
“That’s possible,” Yuan Fang said. “Then do you think Crown Prince Yuanhe really committed treason, or was he framed by the current Crown Prince as the rumors say?”
“I don’t know if Crown Prince Yuanhe truly committed treason, but I believe that His Highness did not frame him,” Pei Xiting said.
Yuan Fang shook his head and said, “The struggles within the imperial family have always been a matter of life and death.”
“Life and death can take many paths. Framing one’s brother and poisoning one’s father, although a highly effective tactic, is truly vicious,” Pei Xiting said. “I’ve heard that His Highness used to be very close with Crown Prince Yuanhe, like brothers. He wouldn’t resort to such measures. Moreover, I don’t think he is someone who covets power, at least not to the extent of killing his brother and father for the sake of the throne.”
Yuan Fang was curious. “What’s your basis for that?”
“A feeling,” Pei Xiting said. “Just like I had a feeling you wouldn’t hurt me back then.”
Yuan Fang was speechless and silently ate a soup dumpling.
Pei Xiting smiled, lowered his head to scoop a mouthful of rice, and finished his lunch with the light and crisp vegetables.
If you like what I’m doing, consider supporting me on ko-fi for bonus chapters!!
