TL: Hua
Chapter 67: Unclear – Xiao Pei goes to Enzhou (8)
Pei Xiting and Yuan Fang, mutually praising each other, walked up to the three men. Hui Dou’s face was pale as he stared at Pei Xiting, saying, “So Pei-wenshu knew all along…”
Pei Xiting cupped his hands in greeting to Zong Rui, then looked at Hui Dou and said, “There are no walls that don’t leak wind under heaven.”
Hui Dou clutched his chest and said nothing.
Pei Xiting didn’t look at him again. He turned to Zong Rui and said, “This is the prince’s family matter; it’s not my place to decide. So, I left him alive for the prince to handle.”
Zong Rui looked at Hui Dou and said, “Do you have anything to say to me?”
Hui Dou answered with a question, “Do you know why I had to do this?”
“I know. Three years ago, your brother was sentenced to death in our hometown for raping and murdering a woman and her husband. You begged me to save him, but I refused. You’ve held a grudge against me ever since.” Other than this, Zong Rui felt he had treated Hui Dou well over the years.
Hui Dou gave a bitter laugh and said, “How noble the prince is! For you, it was just a word. You wouldn’t even save my brother’s life out of consideration for our years of master-servant relationship. How heartless you are!”
“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Pei Xiting glanced indifferently at Hui Dou. “Your brother committed a capital crime. If the prince saved him, he would be aiding and abetting evil. When he got out, he would go on to rape and murder a second, a third pair of innocent couples. Who would bear the responsibility for those lives?”
Hui Dou said, “You—”
“You, you, you, you what?” Pei Xiting directly interrupted him. “You shameless, heartless ingrate, dare to bring up master-servant relations? Your brother lorded it over everyone in your hometown. Do you dare say he didn’t rely on you being the prince’s close attendant? Your brother lived a carefree life before committing that capital crime, richer and more impressive than even the local officials’ runners, wasn’t it precisely because he relied on your influence? If you truly cared about the master-servant bond, why didn’t you properly guide your brother, make him a decent person, instead of letting him ruin the prince’s reputation all the time?”
Pei Xiting’s words clearly indicated that he had already investigated Hui Dou’s background, but given the distance and the past nature of the events, such an investigation wouldn’t have been easy.
Zong Rui’s eyes flickered, but he remained silent.
“Yes, you found a good job in Yejing, and it’s understandable for your family to benefit a little, but we should be content with earning some respectable wealth. Yet, you want to get involved in murder cases without bearing any responsibility. By what right? You ungrateful wretch who remembers grudges but forgets kindness, are you trying to morally blackmail others now?” Pei Xiting slapped Hui Dou on the head. Hui Dou was already in severe chest pain, and this slap made him stagger, swaying and fainting from the pain.
“Wow,” Yuan Fang applauded in praise, “The power of the Iron Palm is nothing more than this.”
Pei Xiting retracted his hand, the culprit of the recent slap, and smiled reservedly.
He turned his head to the unusually silent Zong Rui and said, “Prince, you were right not to save him. Personally, what his brother did was monstrous. Saving him would be aiding and abetting evil, and such things never stop at just one. Publicly, saving him might indeed be a mere word for you, but there’s always someone higher up. If you had saved him, it certainly wouldn’t have escaped His Highness’s eyes. To put it lightly, you’d be seen as mixing private and public affairs and having poor judgment. To put it heavily, there would be much more to say.”
“I know. I don’t regret my decision back then,” Zong Rui said.
Pei Xiting understood and said, “The Prince is just feeling complex emotions, after all, Hui Dou followed you for a long time.”
Zong Rui neither confirmed nor denied. He said, “Thank you for this time. Pei Xiting, what do you want?”
“I want a promise from the Prince,” Pei Xiting said. “Please protect Qing Lingling. Even if the Prince has no further connection with him, ensure his safety from bullying, and ensure he has wealth and no worries about food or drink.”
Zong Rui was surprised for a moment and said, “That’s all you want?”
Pei Xiting said, “This is very important.”
Zong Rui smiled faintly, “You care about him a lot.”
“Between friends, it should be so. Besides, Lingling has been kind to me, and I should repay him.” If not for Qing Lingling’s help, Pei Xiting wouldn’t have been able to enter the Mei residence back then, nor would he have met Zong Suiyang. Whether for self-preservation or later personal feelings, he had to remember this kindness and repay it someday.
Zong Rui said nothing more upon hearing this. He nodded and said, “Alright, I promise you.”
Pei Xiting cupped his hands in thanks. He glanced at Zong An, who was unconscious not far away, and said, “Young Master Zong looks very unwell. Let’s take him back for treatment as soon as possible.”
Zong Rui turned his head to look at Zong An, his gaze deep and silent.
Just then, a sharp arrow whistled through the air, aimed at Zhang Dazhuang’s throat.
Zhang Dazhuang’s pupils constricted. He had no time to dodge. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and a hand encased in a black sleeve appeared out of nowhere, gripping the arrow.
Yuan Fang intercepted the arrow in an instant. The arrow shaft scraped forward an inch in his palm, the arrowhead barely touching Zhang Dazhuang’s throat.
Zhang Dazhuang’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Pei Xiting yanked him away.
Who would be trying to kill Zhang Dazhuang at this moment to silence him? Pei Xiting didn’t hesitate for a second, saying, “Go get ’em!”
Before his words finished, Yuan Fang threw the arrow back, and he had already vanished from his original spot.
“Prince, get on your horse first…”
Before Pei Xiting could finish his words, a group of assassins wearing grass-green “camouflage uniforms” suddenly appeared from nowhere on the road ahead, drew their swords, and charged towards them.
“You go first.” Zong Rui grabbed Pei Xiting’s arm, swinging him behind him like a sledgehammer. Then he kicked away the person nearest to him, elbowed another in the chest, snatched the knife from that person’s hand, and engaged the assassins in battle.
Zhang Dazhuang also charged forward. Pei Xiting didn’t hesitate, turning and running, pulling a red signal flare from his sleeve and throwing it on the ground as he ran.
The firecracker, mixed with something unknown, let out a bang and a puff of red smoke upon landing. A falcon swiftly swept through the air, flying over Pei Xiting’s head.
Pei Xiting ran headlong forward, then suddenly saw something, slamming on the brakes, but due to inertia, he swayed forward a couple of steps before finally stopping.
Ahead were two assassins lying in wait.
When in doubt, resort to verbal assault. Pei Xiting slightly furrowed his brow and said, “Who are you people, daring to assassinate Prince Zong!”
The two assassins exchanged glances, said nothing, and simply charged at Pei Xiting.
Pei Xiting’s heart stirred. He raised his wrist, but just as he managed to shoot one arrow, the blade was already upon him.
“When the saber cuts horizontally, fall backward, kick the opponent’s ankle, then counter-attack and mercilessly stab the sleeve arrow into their throat—”
Master Yuan Fang’s guidance echoed in his mind. Pei Xiting fell backward to dodge the blade. Before he could even cry out in pain, he delivered a kick, but darn it, “theory is theory, practice is practice.” His first practical attempt ended in failure—though the kick was fierce, it went awry, passing between the assassin’s legs.
“…” Pei Xiting fell silent.
“…” The assassin also fell silent.
The two exchanged glances for a moment. Pei Xiting abruptly rolled to dodge another slash from the assassin but crashed into someone’s leg.
F*ck, Pei Xiting’s scalp tingled. He opened his eyes and saw a pair of black satin boots right in front of his face.
This was—
Pei Xiting suddenly looked up and met Zong Suiyang’s gaze. He was stunned for a moment, then turned to look ahead. The two assassins had been slit in the throat at some point and were now lying dead.
Pei Xiting pursed his lips, then turned his head to glare at the fake face of the man surnamed Zong. He said, “You just watched me get beaten!”
His tone was aggrieved, as if he wished he could jump up and bite him. Zong Suiyang shook his head slightly and said, “You weren’t beaten yet.”
“But I fell down! You could say the ground beat me.” Pei Xiting was about to get up when Zong Suiyang reached out and scooped him up by the waist.
Pei Xiting pushed Zong Suiyang away with his backhand, but his arm was gripped, and he was pulled to a stand beside the man. He snorted and turned his head, indicating he didn’t want to engage.
Zong Suiyang calmly watched Pei Xiting’s chin, which was almost pointing to the sky, and said, “What are you angry about? Isn’t this what you wanted to see—deliberately putting yourself in danger to draw me out?”
Pei Xiting’s purpose was exposed, and he instantly felt guilty. He couldn’t be stubborn anymore and said, “So, are you punishing me?”
Zong Suiyang said nothing.
Pei Xiting, while meticulous, was sometimes particularly reckless and would act without restraint when agitated. He originally didn’t think there was anything wrong with this; no matter how powerful a figure Pei Xiting offended or how big a disaster he caused, he could handle it. But matters of life and death were entirely different.
Pei Xiting felt his scalp tingle from being stared at. He lowered his arm and obediently hid behind Zong Suiyang, saying meekly, “Your Highness has misunderstood me. I didn’t know Your Highness was here, so how could I do such a thing?”
Zong Suiyang said, “Is that so?”
“Of course. After all, Your Highness and I merely have an ordinary superior-subordinate relationship. How dare I presume to guess Your Highness’s thoughts, elevate my position in Your Highness’s heart, or have such a beautiful daydream as ‘Your Highness cares about me and will protect me’?” Pei Xiting smiled docilely. “So, Your Highness must have misunderstood me.”
Zong Suiyang lowered his head slightly, looked at Pei Xiting’s face, and said, “Are you being sarcastic?”
Pei Xiting’s face “swished” up. He gave the man surnamed Zong a slight smile and said, “Isn’t it obvious? I’m asking you, isn’t it obvious?!”
His face changed faster than the weather. The fake smile on his face died more suddenly than an unexpected demise. With a cold expression, he turned and walked away.
Zong Suiyang reached out and grabbed the back of Pei Xiting’s collar, holding him in place. He said, “Are you not even going to pretend anymore?”
“This is just how I am. If you think I’ve offended you, then I deserve death. Just move your noble finger and press me to death right here,” Pei Xiting looked around. “This place has beautiful mountains and clear waters, a geomantically auspicious place. I’d be buried—Mhmm!”
Zong Suiyang reached out and covered Pei Xiting’s mouth, pulling him closer. He lowered his eyes, gazing at the wide eyes, and said indifferently, “Loose tongue.”
Pei Xiting “woo-woo-woo-ed,” suspecting this pervert was attempting some kind of choking play.
Warm breath sprayed onto his palm, spreading and dampening his skin. Zong Suiyang’s breathing hitched, becoming slightly heavier, but he didn’t release his grip.
He pinched Pei Xiting’s face, leaned in slightly, staring at those moist eyes, and said, “If I weren’t here, you would be in danger, do you understand?”
This was clearly a lecture. Pei Xiting blinked, his gaze submissive, and he whimpered pitifully a couple of times. As the annoying hand loosened its grip slightly, he quickly struggled free with both hands and feet, retreated three steps, and rubbed his face, saying, “Didn’t you send someone to follow me?”
Was he cornered? Zong Suiyang narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “Perhaps I might withdraw him without your knowledge, perhaps he won’t protect you even if he follows you, perhaps there are a thousand other possibilities that don’t align with your thoughts and are unfavorable to you. Regarding matters of life and death, can you be so reckless?”
Pei Xiting was stunned upon hearing this. He said, “I really hadn’t thought that.”
Zong Suiyang: “…”
“Then, if you were just monitoring me, why send such a skilled expert? I wouldn’t resist anyway,” Pei Xiting was quite cunning and didn’t give up on trying to justify himself.
Zong Suiyang felt a headache from his antics. He stared at Pei Xiting’s darting eyes for a moment, then, without another word, turned and walked away.
Pei Xiting quickly followed, staying close. He said, “There might be other assassins hidden on this mountain. Please protect me, Your Highness, thank you.”
Zong Suiyang said indifferently, “Aren’t you very formidable?”
“When did I say that?” Pei Xiting didn’t mind being ridiculed. He said in a relaxed tone, “Those two just now were specifically here to kill me—”
Before he could finish his words, a sharp arrow flew towards him. Pei Xiting’s eyes widened with fluttering eyelashes, and then a spray of blood burst out in front of his eyes.
Zong Suiyang caught the arrow with his bare hand. The arrowhead grazed his palm, tearing through flesh, but he didn’t even frown. He threw the arrow back, and a heavy thud echoed from the forest ahead.
“Not bad,” Zong Suiyang said. “It seems they were indeed here to kill you.”
A warm, soft touch suddenly covered the back of his hand. The Crown Prince tilted his head. Pei Xiting carefully turned his palm over, revealing the bloody and messy palm.
The arrowhead had gouged out several small pieces of flesh; it looked painful. Pei Xiting’s brows furrowed tightly. He looked up, glaring at him, and said, “You didn’t bring special gloves. Why did you grab it with your hand?”
Zong Suiyang looked at those wrinkled brows and eyes, finding them somewhat endearing. He said, “Didn’t you ask me to protect you?”
“I asked you to protect me, not to court death! Couldn’t you have just yanked me away?” Pei Xiting said, pulling two packets of medicinal powder from his sleeve. He carefully distinguished them, opened one, and commanded, “Hold out your hand.”
“I’m strong. If I yanked you away, I might knock you silly,” Zong Suiyang opened his palm, lowering his head slightly to appreciate Pei Xiting carefully sprinkling the medicine powder. “Just how many things do you carry in that sleeve of yours?”
“Not that much, just a handkerchief, a token, a signal flare, and two packets of medicine—one for oral use and one for external application, to stop bleeding, just in case. They’re all small things, and don’t take up much space.” Pei Xiting said, pulling out a handkerchief and gently bandaging the wound, emphasizing, “This handkerchief of mine is very clean!”
The suddenly emphasized ending syllable indicated a certain anger in Pei Xiting’s heart. Zong Suiyang smiled almost imperceptibly and turned to follow Pei Xiting.
Pei Xiting walked faster and faster. Zong Suiyang reminded him, “You’re too far from me. If another arrow comes…”
Before he finished, Pei Xiting made a sharp turn and came back to Zong Suiyang’s side, his face sullen.
Zong Suiyang glanced at him but said nothing, not wanting to ignite this firecracker and burn down the mountain.
They walked for a while, and ahead lay a corpse, an arrow piercing its forehead, a fatal blow.
Pei Xiting walked over, kicked it twice, then reached out to search the body.
Zong Suiyang didn’t want him to touch it. He timely reached out and grabbed Pei Xiting’s arm, pulling him up, and said, “Don’t touch it. Someone will clean up.”
“Oh.” Pei Xiting indeed didn’t touch it, after all, he didn’t really want to touch dead people.
They returned to the original spot, only to find over a dozen corpses strewn about. Zong Rui, Zhang Dazhuang, and the Prince’s horses were all gone.
Pei Xiting turned his head to look at Zong Suiyang. Seeing no ripples on his face, he knew nothing bad had happened here. He said, “Will you interfere with King Ning’s mansion affairs?”
Zong Suiyang said, “Yes.”
That’s right, after all, Zong An not only tried to harm the Prince but also took advantage of the bandit suppression issue. Pei Xiting and Zong Suiyang continued walking forward. Pei Xiting said, “But that black tea was never truly exposed; there’s no solid evidence.”
Zong Suiyang heard this and turned his head to look at Pei Xiting, saying, “Then why didn’t you have Zhang Dazhuang directly implicate him?”
Pei Xiting was startled, then smiled. “Your Highness has keen insight; nothing escapes your wise eyes. You’re right, I suspect Zong An has someone backing him, or rather, he has allies.” The fact that a pampered young master, who had spent years in Yejing, could silently uncover the bandits’ grievances beforehand was something worth pondering.
“The reputation of these bandits has spread from Enzhou to Yejing, painted as utterly vicious, having committed every evil deed, and needing to be eradicated quickly. I don’t believe there’s no one fanning the flames here. Coupled with Su Fan’s sudden death and the temporary vacancy of the Enzhou deputy magistrate, Enzhou naturally reported this to Yejing, and the person sent to Enzhou would most likely be Prince Zong,” Pei Xiting said.
“You suspect the Enzhou bandit situation was a trap set for Fushu from the beginning?” Although Zong Suiyang asked, there was no hint of doubt in his tone.
“Precisely. And the people here in Enzhou aren’t simply trying to help Zong An; they also want to eliminate Prince Zong,” Pei Xiting paused. “Because he is the heir of King Ning’s mansion, if something were to happen, he would be a more suitable candidate.”
Zong Suiyang looked at Pei Xiting and said, “When did you think of this?”
“Actually, I had always suspected that the Enzhou matter was intentionally orchestrated by someone, but I wasn’t sure if that person wanted to attract the imperial court to investigate Li Da, or to attract people to suppress the bandits, or if they had some other objective. Not until last night when I saw the little prince,” Pei Xiting said.
“Crown Prince Yuanhe died under suspicious circumstances, and the little prince has been burdened with the shackles of being a ‘son of a criminal’ since that day. Since Crown Prince Yuanhe’s former advisors are now actively working and coveting the Four Treasures, their ultimate goals are nothing more than a few possibilities.”
Zong Suiyang listened quietly to Pei Xiting’s analysis, a smile flickering in his eyes. He said, “Tell me.”
“Firstly, if they believe Crown Prince Yuanhe died unjustly, they want to clear their former master’s name. Secondly, regardless of whether Crown Prince Yuanhe died unjustly or not, they want revenge for their former master. Thirdly, they not only want revenge but also want to reclaim everything that belonged to Crown Prince Yuanhe. But since Crown Prince Yuanhe is deceased, it should be inherited by the little prince,” Pei Xiting walked forward with his hands on his hips, slightly turned towards Zong Suiyang. He thought for a moment and said, “In my opinion, these old factions should have two branches.”
“Oh?” Zong Suiyang chuckled softly. “Continue.”
There was appreciation and encouragement in that smile. For some reason, Pei Xiting’s ears suddenly felt hot. He cleared his throat before saying, “Firstly, Liao Yuan originally obtained the ‘Po Yinlin’ from Yuan Fang but remained in the city outskirts until a month later when he was killed by the Plum Blossom Sleeve Arrow faction. Did he die from infighting, betraying the organization, and being eliminated, or was it a transaction where he was discarded after use?”
Ahead, a carriage was waiting. Yu Shaoyun was sitting on the coachman’s seat. Seeing His Highness, he immediately dismounted and stood still.
He immediately noticed His Highness’s hand, wrapped in a handkerchief and stained with blood. He silently tutted, and although worried, there was also a hint of satisfaction.
Well, his Highness has also learned the trick of self-torture.
Zong Suiyang walked to the carriage and said, “Get in and continue.”
Pei Xiting feigned reserve, “I’m all dirty.”
“It’s fine. Get in, take off your outer robe, and change into something else.” Zong Suiyang said, stepping onto the stirrup and entering the carriage. Pei Xiting followed closely.
Once the two were inside the carriage, Yu Shaoyun reached out and closed the door, then sat on the coachman’s seat and drove away.
Pei Xiting didn’t immediately sit down. He bent over to take off his outer robe before his backside even touched the soft cushion.
Zong Suiyang reached into a nearby cabinet and pulled out a tulip-colored long robe, his gaze lingering slightly.
The two summer clothes he had bought in Enzhou previously hadn’t been given away, and the weather had already turned cold. Later, he passed by Hundred Brocades House and went in to buy two thicker ones. Why he did so, he hadn’t realized at the time, then he struggled to realize, and now he was only realizing it in hindsight.
Zong Suiyang collected his thoughts and handed the robe to Pei Xiting, saying, “Try it on and see if it fits.”
Pei Xiting thanked him, unfolding the robe, looking at it, and touching the pattern on the waist, saying, “This tulip embroidery is really good, and the silk thread is beautiful. It must shimmer in the sunlight.”
Zong Suiyang knew he would like it and said, “If you like it, put it on. If it doesn’t fit, find someone in the city to alter it when we return.”
“Alright.” Pei Xiting untied his belt, put on the robe with his backhand, stood up and stretched, then fastened the yellow jade buttons at the lapel, and tied the belt meticulously.
He looked down and admired it himself, then sat down, spreading his arms slightly, and asked, “Does it look good?”
Zong Suiyang nodded and said, “It looks good. What wouldn’t look good on you?”
Pei Xiting chuckled, “Even though it’s the truth, thank you for the compliment, Your Highness.”
He had never known what modesty was. When others praised him, even if he used humble words, there was no hint of “I’m unworthy” in his eyes. Zong Suiyang looked at Pei Xiting and said nothing.
That gaze made Pei Xiting feel hot. He subtly averted his eyes and continued with his previous topic: “Secondly, in front of the Bai Manor in Ningzhou, two groups of people appeared simultaneously, vying for the draft of the ‘Mountains and Rivers Scroll.’ One group was the Plum Blossom Sleeve Arrow, and the other was the fat and thin duo and their ‘Gate Master’ behind them. In my opinion, although both groups aimed for the Four Treasures, their ultimate goals are different.”
Zong Suiyang still hadn’t withdrawn his gaze, looking at Pei Xiting as if listening intently. He said, “How so?”
Pei Xiting’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He said, “The Plum Blossom Sleeve Arrows and the White-Clad Assassins are a single faction; they want to kill Your Highness and even Empress Qu. But the other group hasn’t made any moves against Your Highness to this day.”
Zong Suiyang noticed Pei Xiting’s discomfort but pretended not to. He continued to look at him and said, “Then, in your opinion, what’s wrong with the Enzhou matter?”
“The Bai Mian Fang is hostile towards Your Highness, even murderous. Their ‘immortal master’ charade has a big purpose: money. What they do with the money, I’m not clear on yet, but I think,” Pei Xiting paused, then continued, “How many of Crown Prince Yuanhe’s old faction could still be alive? Their assassins are either privately kept or hired, which requires a large sum of money.”
Zong Suiyang said, “Do you suspect those missing children are their reserve source for raising assassins?”
“Don’t even mention it, that’s actually possible. I hadn’t thought of it that way before. Of course, it’s a cult, so if they engage in human sacrifice, it wouldn’t be surprising at all.” Pei Xiting frowned slightly, feeling uncomfortable.
He glanced around, reached out and rummaged through the small cabinet on the tea table, found a plate of candy, took it out and put it under his nose to ponder. “Flower scented, twelve flower scents for the twelve months of the year,” Zong Suiyang said.
“Then I’ll open one,” Pei Xiting unwrapped the candy and put the small round piece into his mouth to taste. “Mm, pomegranate flavored.”
Pomegranate.
Pei Xiting remembered that kiss again. His gaze involuntarily drifted to Zong Suiyang’s lips, only to see the other person looking at him as well.
When their eyes met, it was as if a fire had been ignited. Pei Xiting pursed his lips and quickly withdrew his gaze.
What if he couldn’t help but pounce and give him a forceful kiss? Would the restrained, old-fashioned, and dignified Zong Suiyang push open the carriage window and throw him out?
The carriage suddenly felt a little stuffy. Zong Suiyang reached out and pushed open half a window. Light poured in. When he tilted his head, he saw Pei Xiting’s profile, bathed in sunlight, with a jade-like luster, and even the tiny hairs on his face were clearly visible.
Zong Suiyang’s gaze slid down from Pei Xiting’s upturned, beautiful nose to the hint of candy stain between his rosy lips.
Pomegranate flavored.
Zong Suiyang recalled that lingering kiss and wanted to lean in and taste it, but ultimately, he suppressed the urge.
Pei Xiting felt as if his mouth had been bitten. He pursed his lips, then reached up and scratched his cheek.
Both of them suddenly fell silent. He endured his feelings, and I endured mine. The carriage grew quiet, with only the scent of pomegranate stewed in honey remaining.
A falcon landed on the carriage window, poking its head in and flapping its wings.
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