TL: Hua
Pei Xiting thanked him, stood up, put on his shoes by the door, and exited the Document Building with an umbrella, leaving Chief Lu pestering Uncle Wei for fermented crabs.
Li-yiniang was Pei Yan’s third concubine. She had a daughter, and neither mother nor daughter were troublemakers, always being cautious and humble in the Pei Residence. Pei Xiting had not yet met this Li-yiniang, but he knew that Bu Suying had a good relationship with her. He suspected that Li-yiniang’s sudden visit was because something had happened to Bu Suying.
His ankle injury had mostly healed, but it still hurt when he walked quickly. As Pei Xiting reached the side gate, his right foot was throbbing.
Li-yiniang immediately came forward after seeing him, falling to her knees with a thud. Pei Xiting then knew that nothing had happened to Bu Suying and he felt relief. But seeing her posture, he knew she must have an urgent request, a serious one at that.
“Li-yiniang, what are you doing? Please get up quickly.” Pei Xiting leaned down to help her up. “Let’s talk first.”
Li-yiniang stood up in a flurry, disregarding her clothes, and said, “Third Young Master, please save Qinghe.”
Pei Xiting took out a handkerchief and offered it to her, saying, “What happened to Fourth Sister? Yiniang, wipe your tears and tell me slowly.”
“Thank you, Third Young Master…” Li-yiniang hastily wiped away her tears and explained the situation. It turned out that the Pei family was going to agree to a marriage for Qinghe, and the groom was none other than Mei Xiu.
“The wealth and prosperity of the Qingyuan Marquis’s Mansion, we, mother and daughter, are unworthy to accept it! A woman married as a concubine is subservient for life, but Qinghe is ambitious. She studies well in the academy, writes well, and her teachers often praise her. She wants to be a female official.”
Li-yiniang began to cry again, her swollen, walnut-like eyes overflowing with tears, blurring Pei Xiting’s face.
“I don’t ask for her to marry into a prominent family, nor do I expect her to achieve greatness. I just want her to be safe and happy her whole life. I’d die content. But what kind of person is that Young Marquis Mei? He’s a dissolute playboy, and it’s said he has perverse habits in the bedroom. If Qinghe truly marries him, wouldn’t she be walking to her death?” After pleading with her father and the madam to no avail, Pei Qinghe didn’t make a scene when she returned; only her eyes were red. She stretched her neck and declared she’d rather die than marry. But could Li-yiniang just stand by and watch her die?
“Second Young Master is studying in the courtyard. Madam has people watching him, so I can’t get close. I can only use going out to burn incense as an excuse to come and beg Third Young Master… I know this is difficult for you, but I truly have no other way. I beg you! Please think of a way to save our mother and daughter!” Li-yiniang was about to kneel again, but Pei Xiting caught her, preventing her from doing so. She gripped Pei Xiting’s arm tightly, as if holding onto her last piece of driftwood.
Pei Xiting looked at her frantic, desperate eyes and asked, “Does Fourth Sister know Mei Xiu?”
“No, they don’t know each other. They’ve never even spoken a word before!” Li-yiniang said. “People from the Mei family came to the manor, saying that Young Marquis Mei met Qinghe at the academy and was smitten, wanting to take her in as a concubine. Madam and Master couldn’t refuse… No, they didn’t want to refuse. They only care about attaching themselves to the Marquis’s mansion and bringing glory to the Pei family. How would they care about Qinghe’s life or death!”
She wept softly, her voice fading, her back hunched, as if crying out all the resentment of her half-life.
Pei Xiting didn’t consider himself a saint, or even a good person, and he had no affection for the mother and daughter. But looking at the sobbing Li-yiniang, he suddenly thought of Bu Suying.
If the “Pei Xiting” in the original novel had told Bu Suying about the things he encountered, would Bu Suying also be so desperate and heartbroken?
Probably so. That’s why “Pei Xiting” never said a single bad word to Bu Suying until his suicide.
Pei Xiting’s silence stretched infinitely in Li-yiniang’s eyes. Though it was only for a moment, it felt like she had endured for a long time. Just as she was about to completely despair, his red but indifferent lips parted slightly, saying in a flat voice:
“Li-yiniang, don’t worry. I’ll handle this.”
—
The rain poured down, and there were few pedestrians on the road. Teahouses and taverns had their half-doors closed, yet inside, it was bustling as usual.
Mei Xiu had been idle every day, but today it was inconvenient to go out riding freely, so he simply invited people to the Mandarin Duck Pavilion for a few rounds of dice.
It was surprising to hear, but for half a month, this was the first time Young Marquis Mei had entered a pleasure house. Moreover, his pants were tightly cinched, preventing the boys and girls from stripping them off. A girl teased the young marquis that he had changed. Mei Xiu chuckled, not daring to say it was because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was paying attention to his private life.
His Royal Highness rarely inquired about his subjects’ private affairs, let alone those of their noble offspring. But Mei Xiu remembered that one time he entered the palace as a child. He said something wrong and was kicked to the ground by his mother. It was His Royal Highness who walked over and helped him up. At that time, the Crown Prince wasn’t yet the Crown Prince. He casually brushed the dirt off Mei Xiu’s robe and politely asked his mother not to be angry. His mother agreed gently and apologetically, but when they returned, she twisted his ear hysterically.
Mei Xiu hid under the covers, crying with a bleeding ear, complaining that the Fifth Prince shouldn’t have been so kind. But even now, he still remembered the Fifth Prince’s bright and deep eyes.
At a square table, besides Mei Xiu, sat Zong Rui, Zong Yu, and Shangguan Jie. Qing Lingling sat behind Zong Rui, clutching a sachet, head bowed, humming and embroidering a tree of golden osmanthus.
There were also a few other boys and girls in the room, all fresh and pretty, which greatly pleased Mei Xiu, whose hand had already slipped into the skirt of the girl in his arms.
The girl, touched, clung to Mei Xiu, moaning softly. Zong Rui and Shangguan Jie were focused on the dice, but Zong Yu, sitting directly opposite, couldn’t sit still. He said, “I’ll pay. How about I get a private room for the two of you?”
Mei Xiu had thick skin and no shame. He even retorted, teasing Zong Yu, “Fourth, you’re really no good. Prince, you should quickly teach your brother.”
“I can’t teach him,” Zong Rui said languidly. “It’s rare for our family to produce a devoted lover; we can’t break him.”
Madam Zhao tried every means to persuade Zong Yu into an arranged marriage. But when Fourth Young Master Zong returned and discovered the truth, his first words were, “My heart belongs to someone else; I will not marry anyone but her!”
Madam Zhao asked, “Which young lady is it?”
Fourth Young Master Zong said, “A commoner girl.”
Madam Zhao’s hair ornaments swayed incessantly. She could only utter “No!” and nothing else. Queen Ning was helpless and could only ask King Ning to decide. In front of his father, the Fourth Young Master Zong was full of confidence and refused to back down. If Prince Ning hadn’t kicked away the stick in his father’s hand, the Fourth Young Master would have almost had his legs broken.
King Ning’s mansion had many servants, and Fourth Young Master Zong had a loud voice, so the family scandal spread uncontrollably. In just a few days, it was known everywhere. Even the Empress sent word to King Ning’s mansion, telling them not to beat the child and to talk things out.
But no matter how much his family tried to persuade him, Zong Yu stuck to those eight words, and the two sides remained at a stalemate.
At this moment, Qing Lingling couldn’t help but glance at Zong Yu. He really hadn’t expected a truly devoted person to emerge from a noble family in Yejing.
As if sensing his gaze, Zong Rui subtly turned his head. “Is he good-looking?”
This was in public, but there weren’t many people, and they weren’t strangers. Qing Lingling didn’t dare to contradict Zong Rui, fearing that this troublemaker would pin him down on the table if he got angry. He quickly picked up a wine glass and offered it to Zong Rui.
Zong Rui snorted indifferently, pushed Qing Lingling’s hand away, and told him to get lost.
Qing Lingling didn’t say anything, lifted his butt, and sat on the couch behind him. A young male courtesan immediately sat down next to Zong Rui, saying coquettishly, “Prince, please allow this lowly one to serve you.”
Zong Rui didn’t drive him away. Qing Lingling scoffed and then met Mei Xiu’s gaze, but he didn’t flinch and instead returned the glare.
That little b*tch! Mei Xiu gritted his teeth inwardly.
Just then, someone knocked and entered. It was a hall attendant. Facing the room full of aristocratic masters, he didn’t dare to raise his head and said, “Young Marquis, Young Master Pei requests an audience.”
Qing Lingling’s embroidery needle paused, and he immediately looked towards the door.
Mei Xiu was playing with a dice cup with the girl in his arms. Hearing the announcement, his backside ached, as if the few strikes he’d received from his father half a month ago were now roaring with force again!
The girl’s eyes were hazily seductive. She saw Mei Xiu’s gaze harden, and then she was pushed away with one hand. She let out a cry of surprise, but Mei Xiu acted as if he hadn’t heard her, his eyes fixed on the door. “Oh, a distinguished guest! Please, invite him in quickly.”
Shangguan Jie played with the dice while tilting his head towards the door. The person who entered wore a red shirt with a dark sash, plain yet striking, floating in like a fiery cloud. Since their last farewell in Ningzhou, this was the first time he had seen Pei Xiting. Shangguan Jie had been bothered recently. A while ago, Shangguan Ming had acted foolishly and courted death, leading to him being tied up and beaten to death in the ancestral hall by Marquis Shangguan. Fortunately, it didn’t implicate the Shangguan family. In any case, they were father and son, and Marquis Shangguan had always valued Shangguan Ming, so he had fallen ill again. Shangguan Jie had no feelings for Shangguan Ming, beyond lamenting his brother’s lustful obsession. In his heart, he was thinking about Pei Xiting.
When Pei Xiting returned to the capital, he left a letter for Zhao Fan, sincere and submissive, and that address, “Xingjian,” was especially intimate. Shangguan Jie looked at the farewell letter that Zhao Fan “hadn’t had time” to put away, accidentally left on the table for him to see, and looked at the smiling, exceedingly hypocritical Zhao Fan, feeling a bit displeased.
Could it be that Pei Xiting, that inexperienced fellow, had really been fooled by Zhao Fan? Otherwise, why was he so harsh towards him but calling Zhao Fan “brother” and getting along so well?
Shangguan Jie couldn’t figure it out. His mind was filled with the different ways Pei Xiting treated Zhao Fan and himself when they were together, and he felt increasingly uncomfortable. Moreover, Pei Xiting had been staying at the government office during this time, rarely coming out, leaving him no opportunity to ask. He hadn’t expected to run into him so suddenly today.
Shangguan Jie’s gaze was like a wolf’s, but Pei Xiting seemed oblivious. After exchanging greetings with everyone, he looked at Mei Xiu and went straight to the point: “I heard Young Marquis wants to take Pei Qinghe as a concubine.”
“There is such a thing. What about it?” Mei Xiu chuckled rudely. “Third brother-in-law, do you have any… Oh, no, I’m taking her as a concubine, not marrying her as a wife. Young Master Pei, you’re not worthy of the title of ‘third brother-in-law’.”
Pei Xiting looked at Mei Xiu as if he were a flea, then smiled and said, “My sister and I truly don’t have that good fortune. I’m here to discuss a business deal with Young Marquis.”
“Oh, that’s a bit interesting.” Mei Xiu leaned back in his chair, smiling. “But if just anyone can discuss business with me, then I’d be too cheap, wouldn’t I?”
Pei Xiting didn’t answer immediately but glanced at the dice on the table. Zong Yu saw this, raised an eyebrow, and voluntarily stood up, offering his seat.
“Xiting,” he said, “sit.”
At this address, everyone present looked at Pei Xiting, surprised that he also had a connection with Zong Yu.
Pei Xiting thanked him and sat directly in the chair. He looked at Mei Xiu, who sat opposite him, and said, “Then let’s make a bet. If I win, Young Marquis will talk business with me; how about that?”
“Can you afford to lose? Don’t lose your pants… Hey.” Mei Xiu’s eyes lit up. “This is good.”
He slammed the table and pointed at Pei Xiting. “I’ll bet with you! If you lose, you take off your pants and lie down here. Do you dare?”
This remark was a familiar retort to Pei Xiting. Pei Xiting didn’t speak, but Qing Lingling suddenly stood up first. Mei Xiu turned to look at him but said nothing, clearly waiting for Zong Rui to teach the ignorant little thing a lesson.
“I accept the young marquis’s retort.” Pei Xiting didn’t wait for Zong Rui to speak. He extended his slender right index finger and lightly rolled the dice cup, smiling at Mei Xiu. “I also accept the bet.”
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