TL: Hua
Chapter 65: Night whisper – Xiao Pei goes to Enzhou (6)
Half a candle flickered in the room. The quiet voices of Pei Xiting and Zong Lu were somewhat muffled by the window.
“How troubling,” Pei Xiting sighed. “What will you do when your fifth uncle catches you? I shouldn’t have gone down to pick you up.”
Zong Lu tilted his head to look at the person lying beside him and asked, “Is Pei-wenshu just going to stand by and watch?”
“What are you saying? After all, with Eunuch Lai here, can he just watch you die? Besides, my carriage has small blankets, so you won’t get cold sleeping one night.” Pei Xiting said nonchalantly, “Since you came here on your own, and I didn’t immediately report it to His Highness, wouldn’t that make me your ‘accomplice’? The crime is similar to harboring a fugitive. We need to agree on this first: that we should be righteous. When the time comes, you have to speak up for me and clear my name completely, understood?”
Pei-wenshu, with his glib tongue, began to teach the little prince how to help him clear his name. Yu Shaoyun looked up at His Highness, who was in front of him. His expression was as usual, but a closer look revealed a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
Yu Shaoyun secretly clicked his tongue, thinking that the little prince was truly clever and cunning; he had found a good shield.
After they finished whispering their discussions, Zong Lu hesitated and said, “But I’m here with Pei-wenshu, so Pei-wenshu is responsible no matter what.”
“You can’t say that. Could I simply ignore you? You’ve already climbed into my carriage, so I have to settle you first before reporting to His Royal Highness. But there’s nothing I can do,” Pei Xiting said, sounding terribly wronged. “Little Prince threatened and coerced me not to report it. Do I dare to resist? I don’t dare. I can only yield to you, but my heart is tormented by guilt.”
“How could Pei-wenshu not dare?” Zong Lu was not easily fooled and instead said, “I’ve seen Pei-wenshu act exceptionally presumptuous in front of my Fifth Uncle, so would you be afraid of me?”
Pei-wenshu was not at all stumped by this question and said with a smile, “Because you are not your Fifth Uncle.”
Zong Lu was stunned for a moment and said, “I don’t understand.”
“You’ll understand when you grow up.” Pei Xiting said mysteriously, and then said, “You, it’s better to go back as soon as it’s light tomorrow. Before His Highness comes to arrest you, hurry back to where you came from. Although you can’t come and go without a trace, at least you have to show a proper attitude.”
“I don’t want to go back.” Zong Lu pursed his lips. “Fifth Uncle and Lord You are both in Enzhou, and I’m worried something big has happened, so I really can’t sit still.”
“Emotionally, I understand you, but objectively speaking, what you’re doing is wrong,” Pei Xiting said gently. “Assuming something truly significant happened here, something that even alerted His Highness, then it must be extremely dangerous. The two of you, one old and one young, sneaking around—if someone catches you, wouldn’t that just cause trouble for your Fifth Uncle? Don’t you know how precious and important you are?”
Zong Lu was silent for a moment and said, “Does Pei-wenshu think I’m very important?”
Pei Xiting chuckled, saying, “You are the grandson of His Majesty and the Empress, the direct nephew whom your Fifth Uncle raised and nurtured, and the only little prince of Daye. Aren’t you important?”
The Crown Prince pulled up his sleeves and stood at the door, listening quietly, without interrupting.
The room was silent for a moment. Pei Xiting tilted his head and observed Zong Lu’s expression. The young boy mimicked his fifth uncle’s composed, stoic face, but being young and less experienced, he was much easier to read than his fifth uncle.
Pei Xiting immediately guessed what Zong Lu was thinking but asked nothing, only saying, “During your years in the East Palace, His Highness might have been a bit strict with you, but that’s because His Highness knows you’re intelligent and sensible from a young age. He has high expectations for you and wants to raise you into a well-rounded young man, skilled in both civil and military arts. What outsiders say doesn’t matter, but don’t overthink things. Your fifth uncle is like that, outwardly cold and taciturn, appearing too distant and unapproachable, but he’s warm to the touch, comforting to hug, and his heart is soft.”
“I’ve never believed the rumors outside. I know Fifth Uncle treats me well, and I also know he’s not someone who would resort to unscrupulous means for power. It’s just,” Zong Lu murmured, “I sometimes still wonder if Fifth Uncle keeps me only because I’m his brother’s son or because of me myself.”
Pei Xiting said, “Why don’t you ask your Fifth Uncle?”
Zong Lu shook his head and said, “I don’t dare to ask. Fifth Uncle won’t answer me either.”
“You haven’t even asked, so how do you know His Highness won’t answer you?” Pei Xiting said, “If it were me, I’d just ask directly. Even if the answer isn’t what I hoped or imagined, at least I’d feel a little lighter.”
“I’m afraid of making Fifth Uncle angry,” Zong Lu said. “I don’t want to make Fifth Uncle angry. Pei-wenshu, what do you think Fifth Uncle is thinking?”
“If you ask me, it’s simple,” Pei Xiting said unhurriedly. “His Highness initially kept you, of course, because you are the child of Crown Prince Yuanhe, his brother’s child. For both public and private reasons, he had to raise you. But over these few years, you two, uncle and nephew, have lived under the same roof, spending every day together. It’s impossible for there to be no feelings whatsoever. It’s just that His Highness is stubborn and not the type to be tender and gentle. Plus, he’s an emotionally reserved person, and at your young age, you can’t see through him. And because you want your fifth uncle’s love too much, you’re constantly worried about gaining and losing it.”
“Except for a few occasional whimsical thoughts, most of the time I think this way,” Zong Lu said. “Fifth Uncle must care about me.”
“So, people shouldn’t be too stubborn,” Pei Xiting said with a smile. “When you grow up, you mustn’t learn from your Fifth Uncle.”
Zong Lu disagreed, saying, “A person in a high position should not show their emotions so that they cannot be easily speculated upon.”
Pei Xiting said, “That’s true.”
Zong Lu looked at the faint smile on Pei Xiting’s face and suddenly said, “Pei-wenshu, your tone when you talk about Fifth Uncle is especially suggestive.”
“Oh?” Pei Xiting didn’t argue. “How so?”
“When you speak of Fifth Uncle, there’s no fear, not even respect. It sounds like a friend, but it’s not ordinary at all, very intimate and familiar.” Zong Lu paused. “You said earlier that Fifth Uncle is warm to the touch and comforting to hug, so you’ve hugged him and touched him, right?”
The little prince was indeed suspicious! Yu Shaoyun quickly glanced at His Royal Highness but saw that His Highness had no intention of interrupting.
Pei Xiting wasn’t planning on coming out to the child yet, especially since he was the only one in his “closet” at the moment. Coming out unilaterally would be quite impolite.
“Although your fifth uncle is practically a dead man walking, he’s still a living person. Is he supposed to be ice-cold to the touch and icy to hug?” Pei Xiting said, “His Highness is of noble birth, unapproachable. How would I dare to hug him? I couldn’t even reach him.”
“Is that so?” Zong Lu said indifferently, “I don’t believe it.”
Pei Xiting said, “Objective facts don’t change whether you believe them or not.”
“Indeed, but what Pei-wenshu said is not true but rather to deceive me,” Zong Lu said. “I already guessed your relationship with Fifth Uncle; otherwise, why would I come to seek refuge with you?”
“…You little rascal.” Pei Xiting abruptly sat up, turning his head to stare at Zong Lu. “You’re using me as a shield?”
Zong Lu said calmly, “Within Enzhou, Pei-wenshu is the most capable. Fifth Uncle is exceptionally lenient with you; the whole palace knows it. Last time, Pei-wenshu rode a horse late at night and privately used the Longhe command token to leave the city. Fifth Uncle not only didn’t punish you according to the rules but even helped you conceal this mistake. There are naturally other things I don’t know about.”
Pei Xiting scratched his head when he heard this and said, “But your Fifth Uncle himself said something.”
Zong Lu asked, “What?”
“Being spoiled has no good outcome,” Pei Xiting said. “You, kid, don’t try to get me into trouble.”
Zong Lu simply ignored the latter sentence, pondered slightly, and said, “It seems Fifth Uncle also knows he treats Pei-wenshu differently.”
“Exactly,” Pei Xiting gave a thumbs-up, praising, “You’re very good at catching key information.”
Zong Lu looked at Pei Xiting and said, “Then does Pei-wenshu also treat Fifth Uncle differently?”
Pei Xiting said, “Ah.”
“Pei-wenshu’s eyes are extremely beautiful, but they have five parts of sharpness, like an autumn emerald lake, but when you look at Fifth Uncle, they are not cold at all, like a spring emerald lake.” Zong Lu looked at Pei Xiting with interest. “They say eyes are the windows to the soul. When Pei-wenshu sees Fifth Uncle, your heart flutters, doesn’t it?”
Pei Xiting said, “Heh.”
“You both treat each other differently, and you don’t hide it at all,” Zong Lu concluded. “So, you’ve touched and hugged each other, right?”
“You think you know a lot?” Pei Xiting crossed his arms. “Little brat.”
“Pei-wenshu started verbally attacking me, which means I’ve touched your heart.” Zong Lu didn’t mind at all. His calm demeanor, just like his Fifth Uncle’s, made Pei Xiting’s heart itch. He suddenly lunged over and pinched Zong Lu’s little face. Zong Lu’s eyes widened, looking at him in shock. He smiled faintly and said, “Hey, you’re bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Do you dare to ask your fifth uncle that?”
“I d-don’t dare,” Zong Lu stammered, his mouth pursed like a chicken’s beak from being pinched. “That’s why I came to ask Pei-wenshu.”
“Very good,” Pei Xiting praised. “Your logic is flawless… Sigh, tell me, was your fifth uncle like you when he was your age, pretending to be profound with that little soft baby fat on his face?”
He tried to imagine and laughed, “It’s actually quite cute to think about. Someday I’ll have to draw a picture of your Fifth Uncle reverted to childhood and hang it in my room to properly—”
The door was suddenly pushed open. Pei Xiting jumped in fright and subconsciously said, “Yuan Fang, you rude… uh.”
Upon seeing who had arrived, Pei Xiting’s voice trailed off.
At the same time, Zong Lu, who was beneath him, swiftly and agilely rolled off from under him. After getting out of bed, he stood up, cupped his hands in a salute, and nervously called out, “Fifth Uncle.”
Yu Shaoyun stood outside the door and closed it.
Was this meant to be a closed-door beating? Pei Xiting snapped back to his senses, quickly scrambled out of bed, and saluted with cupped hands, “Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince sat down by the table, raised his eyes to look at the big and small figures by the bed, and said, “Kneel.”
Zong Lu lifted his robes and knelt immediately.
“What did I tell you before I left?” The Crown Prince said indifferently. “It seems you took it as idle chatter.”
“I didn’t…” Zong Lu said, lowering his head. “I was wrong. I accept whatever punishment Fifth Uncle deems fit.”
“Accept whatever punishment, then why did you run all the way here?” The Crown Prince said, “You’ve been calculating and investigating me. You’re quite something.”
Zong Lu pursed his lips, thinking to himself that he had indeed calculated correctly and investigated thoroughly, but he didn’t dare to say it out loud, only saying, “This matter has nothing to do with Pei-wenshu. Please punish only me, Fifth Uncle.”
Pei Xiting stood there, somewhat relieved to hear that.
“Is that so?” The Crown Prince looked at Pei Xiting. “Xiting, does this concern you?”
Pei Xiting had no idea when the Crown Prince had arrived, if he had been eavesdropping, or for how long. Hearing this, he chuckled inwardly but replied docilely, “Your humble subordinate feels uneasy but dared not disturb Your Highness’s rest. Concealing information is a crime, and I dare not shirk responsibility.”
The Crown Prince said, “Aren’t you already shirking it?”
“…” Pei Xiting said, “Your humble subordinate knows his mistake, your humble subordinate is guilty, your humble subordinate is terribly wicked, your humble subordinate deserves to die a thousand deaths, your humble subordinate…”
Pei Xiting then changed his tune, poking Zong Lu’s back and saying, “He came to me himself; what does that have to do with me!”
The Crown Prince, instead of getting angry, laughed and said, “Then what about concealing information?”
“I would have liked to report it, but where would I report it? I don’t know where Your Highness stays.” Pei Xiting raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips. “Does Your Highness think I should know where you stay? Then Your Highness truly overestimates me. I can’t climb walls and walk on roofs, and I only have Yuan Fang with me; he can’t be an owl monitoring people.”
With that string of veiled barbs and insinuations, the Crown Prince chuckled softly and said nothing.
Seeing him smile, Pei Xiting paused, then turned his face away and dismissed them. “Your Highness, if you want to lecture your nephew, take him back and lecture him. Don’t do it here; I need to sleep.”
The Crown Prince looked at Zong Lu. Zong Lu was startled, then stood up, walked to the clothes rack, picked up his outer robe, put on his boots, and went out first.
Yu Shaoyun closed the door again.
“No,” Pei Xiting, seeing this, defensively retreated half a step. “Don’t get angry from embarrassment.”
The Crown Prince said, “Come here.”
Pei Xiting raised his head, his stubbornness showing, and said, “No.”
The Crown Prince leisurely scrutinized Pei Xiting for a moment, then suddenly got up and walked over.
Pei Xiting, seeing something amiss, tried to run, but the Crown Prince reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him back and holding him in front. “If you don’t come over, I will. Why are you running?”
“Who knows if you’re angry from embarrassment and want to hit me?” Pei Xiting shrank his neck, feeling a bit timid and unwilling. “I can’t beat you, so if I don’t run, should I just stand there and take a beating?”
“Why would I hit you?” The Crown Prince looked at Pei Xiting. “Have I ever hit you?”
Pei Xiting’s eyelashes trembled. “There’s always a first time for everything!”
The Crown Prince remained noncommittal, pinching Pei Xiting’s neck. “Look up.”
Pei Xiting lifted his head, as if going to his death.
The Crown Prince carefully examined the smooth, full forehead. Seeing that it had almost healed, he released his hand and said, “I won’t hit you. Go to sleep.”
Pei Xiting snorted, turned, and flopped onto the bed. After rolling around a few times, he wrapped himself in the blanket, closed his eyes, and pointed the back of his dark head at the Crown Prince, becoming unapproachable.
The Crown Prince silently smiled at the sight. The vexation of these past few days had dissipated considerably, but in an instant, it transformed into another indescribable emotion, surging powerfully.
He stood by the bed, silently watching Pei Xiting for a moment, then turned and walked to the table, extinguishing the candle.
The room immediately plunged into darkness. Pei Xiting opened his eyes, listening to the light footsteps gradually recede, stopping at the door, but the door never opened. He felt inexplicably nervous, wrapped the quilt tighter, and wished he could perk up an ear.
Clack.
The door opened and then softly closed. Pei Xiting suddenly exhaled, reached up and patted his inexplicably warm face, kicked his legs on the bed, relaxed his whole body, then slapped his forehead and closed his eyes to sleep.
He couldn’t sleep.
Lying still in bed for a long time, Pei Xiting’s mind was full of the Crown Prince. The other man had looked at him silently, seemingly as usual at first glance, but there was something hidden in his eyes, struggling, restrained, suppressed, profoundly oppressive.
What was that? Pei Xiting thought silently when suddenly a hand appeared on his face, gently sliding down and caressing his chin back and forth.
Damn it, Pei Xiting held his breath in shock, almost instantly recognizing it as the Crown Prince’s hand.
The Crown Prince hadn’t left after all! What the hell was going on? Pei Xiting inwardly thrashed and rolled, desperately controlling his breathing to avoid giving himself away. The hand lingered gently on his face, caressing his eyebrows and eyes, his nose tip, finally resting on his lips, like a soft, warm brush, delicately and lightly caressing them.
Pei Xiting smelled the scent on the Crown Prince’s fingertips—the familiar cold bamboo fragrance, but with a hint of milk, richer, likely a balm used in winter.
Suddenly, that hand gently pressed on his lower lip, pressing it down. Pei Xiting didn’t dare to close his mouth and cooperated by slightly opening it. A finger gently probed inside, brushing against his teeth and pressing down on the surface of his tongue, rubbing twice.
Pervert. Pei Xiting cursed inwardly, then pretended to be startled and “hmm”-ed, unconsciously licking with the tip of his tongue. The fingertip paused, and in that instant, Pei Xiting heard the Crown Prince’s breathing.
It was heavy, and every bit of the desire that had been accumulating for so long was shocking enough.
Pei Xiting tilted his head slightly. That finger, judging the situation, fearing it might wake him, slowly withdrew, finally rubbing his lips once more, somewhat heavily, as if very dissatisfied.
You’re still dissatisfied? You came here in the middle of the night acting like a ghost to molest me, and you still dare to be dissatisfied? Pei Xiting muttered inwardly but dared not show the slightest expression on his face. He rubbed against the pillow and then feigned sleep again.
The Crown Prince still didn’t leave; he seemed to be waiting until Pei Xiting was completely asleep.
Is he going to boil me alive? Pei Xiting’s heart pounded, then he thought he was just being too perverted; His Highness the Crown Prince wasn’t that kind of person. But then again, molesting someone with your hand while they’re asleep—that’s not exactly gentlemanly behavior for His Highness the Crown Prince either.
Pei Xiting started a debate in his mind:
Pro-side: Although His Highness the Crown Prince has already engaged in ungentlemanly behavior, he is not a morally corrupt person. We should uphold the concept of “truth, goodness, and beauty” and extend the most basic trust to His Highness the Crown Prince!
Con-side: There’s no limit to human depravity. Since His Highness the Crown Prince has already revealed a perverted side, this side is likely just the tip of the iceberg. His Highness the Crown Prince himself is very likely a huge pervert!
The two sides battled relentlessly. Pei Xiting suddenly felt the bed dip slightly—the Crown Prince had actually sat down again. It seemed the Con-side was about to win.
“Xiting.”
The Crown Prince called him, his tone soft and low, stroking Pei Xiting’s earlobe in the dim corner. Pei Xiting shivered all over, almost instinctively responding.
“Spending all day with that fool Mei Xiu, don’t get implicated and become foolish too,” the Crown Prince paused. “What’s so good about him that you smile at him? He has ill intentions towards you. Aren’t you the most perceptive? Why can’t you see it? Or rather…”
He fell silent for a moment, then softly questioned, “You see it clearly, yet you allow him to approach you, curry favor with you, and be intimate with you? Even more so, are you going to try it with him too?”
I’ll try your ghost! Pei Xiting inwardly punched, wishing he could leap up and slap this Zong-sandbag to death.
“And Yuan Fang, your nature is unrestrained; you love freedom. Do you envy his coming and going without a trace, wanting to leave Yejing and travel with him through mountains, rivers, and lakes, venturing into the martial world?”
The Crown Prince pondered, with no answer. Pei Xiting was stunned and immediately gave up the idea of jumping up and killing the surname Zong’s family assets.
Was His Highness the Crown Prince afraid?
Afraid that he was inherently free-spirited and wouldn’t stay by his side for too long?
“Don’t run around with him; he’s like a clay Buddha crossing a river—he can barely protect himself,” the Crown Prince said.
Pei Xiting was startled at these words.
“Fu Wei wanted to take him away, and I stopped it, but deep down, I wasn’t entirely willing. After all, if Yuan Fang left, I wouldn’t be able to see you two sleeping together, being so intimate,” the Crown Prince said. “But you would be sad, wouldn’t you? You might even jump out to protect Yuan Fang. Fu Wei wouldn’t touch you, but you wouldn’t give up easily, and you’d end up hurting yourself all over again.”
Pei Xiting secretly pursed his lips, feeling incredibly complicated. He was surprised that Yuan Fang’s “creditor” had already come knocking, which he and Yuan Fang had no idea about at all; he was relieved that His Highness the Crown Prince, this great Buddha, had boundless power and protected Yuan Fang; he was shocked by how long this aged vinegar had been brewing all by itself, its thick flavor souring his mouth and nose; and he was grateful that even though His Highness the Crown Prince was consumed by jealousy, he still chose to stop the “creditor” from taking Yuan Fang… It was a mix of five emotions!
“Xiting.” The Crown Prince reached out and caressed Pei Xiting’s cheek, gazing deeply at the face hidden in the darkness, silent for a long time.
Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed Pei Xiting’s cheek with a soft touch. Then he opened his mouth slightly, took a soft bite, and said in a hoarse voice, “Xiting, Pei Xiting, Pei Wenjuan…”
Pei Xiting’s brow furrowed slightly, and he let out a sleepy moan. When he turned his head, his nose brushed against the Crown Prince’s nose. Their lips were no more than a paper’s width apart. As the Crown Prince’s face brushed against his, they kissed very lightly and quickly.
Their breaths mingled for an instant, and they both lost control. The Crown Prince’s breathing hitched, yet he didn’t notice Pei Xiting’s slightly heavier breathing, nor the other wild heartbeat hidden by his own.
“Zong…” Pei Xiting murmured, but then paused, sounding very aggrieved.
The Crown Prince’s eyes turned slightly red as he whispered, “Suiyang. Adapt (Sui) to the wind; majestic vastness (Yang) of the river.”
As the words fell, the Crown Prince paused, suddenly remembering that this was the name his birth mother, Concubine Wan, had given him. But for so many years, no one had called him by it, and gradually, he himself had forgotten what those two characters meant.
Zong Suiyang.
Pei Xiting responded in his heart but didn’t say it aloud, afraid of giving himself away. The Crown Prince, not getting a response, seemed displeased and bit him again. It didn’t hurt, but it was a tingling sensation that spread from his cheek to his earlobe, and finally, his whole body felt the delicious torment, light and floating, unable to settle.
“Call me,” Zong Suiyang, as if completely unaware of what “asleep” meant, whispered, rubbing Pei Xiting’s face, “Pei Xiting, call me.”
Pei Xiting was so tormented he almost surrendered. In the end, he resorted to his old trick, pretending to talk in his sleep, kicking his legs and rolling over, trying to use the back of his head to fend off the attack.
The rustling sounds on the bed ceased. Pei Xiting seized the opportunity to secretly and cautiously let out a breath of relief. Then, he heard His Highness the Crown Prince pardon him on his own accord. “Alright,” Zong Suiyang gently pulled up the covers for Pei Xiting and softly said, “I won’t make things difficult for you tonight. Next time, I’ll demand double.”
“Pei Xiting, good night, sweet dreams.”
The bed lightened, the bed curtains fell, yet Pei Xiting’s heart pounded like a drum.
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Finally the prince is showing the first move!