TL: Hua
Chapter 79: Playing Hard to Get – Xiao Pei’s Escape Record (1)
Bai Mian Fang was completely closed down, and the only people who could move freely upstairs and downstairs were their own people. No one had expected that Pei Xiting would fly away so quietly.
Yu Shaoyun and You Zong guarded the door all night, not hearing any sound from the window. They wondered if the open window, concealed by a curtain, was left intentionally by Pei Xiting. Had he planned it all then?
The second floor of Bai Mian Fang wasn’t high off the ground. With Yuan Fang there, getting Pei Xiting down safely wasn’t an issue. The window faced an alley with little traffic, but the streets were already bustling, perfect for masking any sounds from inside the house without being noticed. Pei Xiting had been exhausted all night, looking utterly listless, truly not like someone full of plans to escape. None of them were on guard—the timing, location, and people were all perfectly arranged. Pei Xiting had planned everything clearly and escaped cleanly, leaving a group of people looking at each other blankly.
Zong Suiyang was already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed in an outer robe. The bowl of medicine in his hand was completely cold; he hadn’t taken a sip, and no one dared to urge him.
Zong Suiyang remembered that before he fell unconscious, Pei Xiting was still firmly nestled in his arms. Their passionate lovemaking had made Pei Xiting sweat, his heart beating strongly, warming him like a small stove. He never expected to open his eyes to an empty embrace. If not for the evidence of their nocturnal activities scattered on the floor and bed and the pinch and bite marks still on his body, he would have almost thought last night was another erotic dream.
The atmosphere in the room was oppressive. Yu Shaoyun knelt before the bed, while Su Chongyan attended to him by the bedside, both silent.
“To apprehend the rebels, Enzhou City’s gates are under strict control, with severe restrictions on entry and exit. If Xiting wants to leave the city, he must leave his name or use a token,” You Zong finally broke the silence. “There are people from the Longhe Division at the city gates. Everyone recognizes Xiting. As soon as they see him, they will bring him back without harming him.”
“He won’t leave the city now,” Zong Suiyang lowered his gaze, his tone slightly cold. “Yuan Fang can come and go as he pleases; mountain and water paths can’t stop him. But taking Xiting with him is different. Xiting doesn’t know martial arts, and his body isn’t well right now. He can’t travel through mountains and waters. Therefore, they must be hiding in a safe and secret place within the city.”
The coldness in Zong Suiyang’s words sent chills down their spines. Su Chongyan considered for a moment and whispered, “Pei-wenshu has injuries and a fever. He will definitely need to buy medicine.”
He deliberately brought up Pei Xiting’s physical condition, not only to imply that all medicine shops in the city needed to be watched, which might yield discoveries, but also to soften the situation for Pei Xiting. He was sick, after all; they should at least be gentle with him, especially since His Highness seemed truly angry.
Yes, he had cried and screamed all night, yet even with a fever, he still managed to tremble and climb out of bed to run away. Zong Suiyang knew very well what Pei Xiting was after, but the clearer he knew, the more his heart was torn, unsure whether to laugh or to be angry.
“Issue an order to the Prefectural Office. Tell them that someone from my palace has been abducted by villains and has entered Enzhou territory. His whereabouts are unknown. Starting today, a city-wide search will commence. No place shall be spared; even dog holes and pigsties must be thoroughly searched.” Zong Suiyang’s eyes were gloomy, and he made a final decision: “I want the whereabouts of the person within three days.”
The personal guards outside the door responded and left.
“Now you know how to be anxious?” Fu Wei, having received the news, rushed over and spoke as soon as he reached the doorway. “I told you long ago, putting ‘Yuan Fang’ by his side was a ‘curse.’ Two fearless people in one nest, one with cunning, the other with skill—what kind of trouble could they cause? But you wouldn’t listen, insisting on acting thoughtful and generous, like a true gentleman. Now look, your person has run off, and the person I’ve been looking for has disappeared with him.”
Zong Suiyang’s face was displeased, and he said nothing.
Seeing this, You Zong said, “Now that Huo Yue’s whereabouts are unknown, having Yuan Fang with Xiting can also ensure his safety.”
“Listen to that,” Fu Wei swish opened his fan and said coldly, “If it weren’t for ‘Yuan Fang,’ could he have run out of this room? If he had just stayed put, why would we need to consider safety?”
“As long as he’s safe, we’ll find him in a few days.” Zong Suiyang swallowed his medicine and handed the bowl to Su Chongyan, who bowed and quietly withdrew.
Zong Suiyang looked up at Fu Wei and said, “Since you’re anxious, then go find him quickly. If I find him first, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do.”
No matter how angry Zong Suiyang was, he wouldn’t kill Pei Xiting, but Yuan Fang was another matter. Fu Wei understood, smiled upon hearing this, and said, “If Your Highness is so angry, then please don’t interfere in my personal affairs again for your precious darling, lest you lift a rock only to drop it on your own foot again. You may not be afraid of pain, but I’m embarrassed just hearing about it. This time, I’m taking him with me.”
Zong Suiyang said nothing, tacitly agreeing. Seeing this, Fu Wei said no more and left to find the person.
Silence fell in the room. Zong Suiyang looked at Yu Shaoyun and said, “You are very good. You act swiftly, and your mouth runs even faster. My words can’t restrain you.”
“Your subordinate is at fault. I accept any punishment from Your Highness,” Yu Shaoyun kowtowed.
Zong Suiyang said lightly, “You are at fault, but you won’t acknowledge your mistake, let alone admit it?”
Yu Shaoyun pursed his lips, then kowtowed again, and said, “Your subordinate failed to protect Your Highness; this is one mistake. Disobeying Your Highness’s orders and disturbing Pei-wenshu without permission is a second mistake; bringing Pei-wenshu here but failing to keep him safe is a third mistake. However Your Highness punishes, your subordinate will willingly accept.”
Over the years, Yu Shaoyun had been diligent and responsible. Zong Suiyang knew very well that if he truly acted according to the rule that if a master was injured, the subordinate was incompetent, Yu Shaoyun would have been beaten to death given the number of times he had been injured. This time, with Huo Yue, they were all caught off guard. Zong Suiyang didn’t intend to blame anyone for insufficient protection, but for a subordinate to disobey orders and feign compliance—that was a major taboo.
Under normal circumstances, Zong Suiyang would have severely punished him, but this situation was unique. He looked at Yu Shaoyun, hesitating on how to deal with him.
“Your Highness,” You Zong cupped his hands and said, “In Commander Yu’s heart, no matter what, Your Highness’s safety and well-being are paramount. The situation was urgent at the time, and there truly was no other way. After all, if someone else were called to serve, leaving aside whether it would jeopardize Your Highness’s safety, Xiting would absolutely not have agreed.”
Zong Suiyang’s gaze flickered when he heard Pei Xiting’s name.
You Zong, seeing this, added, “Xiting said something at the time.”
“What did he say?” Zong Suiyang asked.
“He said, ‘You are mine,'” You Zong replied.
Zong Suiyang’s fingertips curled, and he remained silent.
“Your Highness and Xiting are deeply in love. If discord were to arise due to an evildoer’s trick, wouldn’t it be a shame? Moreover, Your Highness dislikes strangers getting close. Commander Yu certainly deserves punishment for disobeying orders, but there were reasons, and it was a choice where both options were difficult. He had no other way, and Your Highness, being clear-minded, naturally understands the difficulties,” You Zong paused slightly, then continued, “Fortunately, Xiting is a straightforward and discerning person. He will surely know that Commander Yu’s actions were not intended to humiliate him, and Your Highness had no such intention either, so he won’t misunderstand.”
You Zong provided a ladder. With Yu Shaoyun kowtowing and admitting his mistake again, His Highness would naturally come down.
“Go find him yourself. Three days is the limit; otherwise, you’ll face combined punishment.” Zong Suiyang glanced at Yu Shaoyun. “Get up, and leave.”
Yu Shaoyun kowtowed in gratitude, stood up, bowed, and quickly left to find the person.
You Zong walked to the bedside and said, “Xiting was truly mischievous this time, running off with injuries. Isn’t this just tormenting himself? But I wonder why he did it. If there’s some misunderstanding, it would be best to find him and clarify everything.”
“He’s forcing me to soften, admit my mistakes, and reveal my true feelings to him.”
Pei Xiting didn’t want Zong Suiyang’s silent endurance or vague answers. All that talk of a fleeting romance was just a pretense. What he wanted was a clear declaration of love from Zong Suiyang.
If Zong Suiyang went, he would have to concede to Pei Xiting’s wishes. If he didn’t want to follow Pei Xiting’s wishes, then he shouldn’t go, and from then on, they would truly part ways, living separate lives.
This was an escape from home and, more so, a calculated move to draw the enemy in.
Zong Suiyang finally couldn’t help but sigh, cursing, “Such an unruly thing.”
*
Pei Xiting sneezed. The cloth on his forehead fell onto the couch and was picked up by Yuan Fang, who tossed it into a basin.
Yuan Fang reached out and touched Pei Xiting’s forehead, saying, “Still hasn’t gone down. You’re not going to burn yourself into an idiot, are you?”
“Not that bad; the temperature isn’t high.” Pei Xiting was wrapped in the quilt, his eyes barely open, half-closed, and his voice extremely hoarse. “I’ll sleep it off; I’ll be fine tomorrow morning.”
Yuan Fang wasn’t entirely at ease, saying, “Can’t we call a doctor to take a look, or at least get some medicine for you to take?”
“If you go, what’s the difference from walking into a trap?” Pei Xiting said weakly. “Getting caught within half a day of running away would be mortifying, not to mention Zong Suiyang probably hasn’t cooled down yet. If I fall into his hands, my life is forfeit.”
Yuan Fang said, “Who told you to cause trouble?”
“Who’s causing trouble? I have my tactics, my rhythm; don’t you dare question them,” Pei Xiting argued vehemently. “That surnamed Zong was stripped by me. Although he didn’t suffer, and I helped him out of good intentions despite my selfishness, it still went against his will. I’m in the wrong there. With his temper, if I hadn’t left today, he definitely wouldn’t be talking to me right now; he’d be giving me the silent treatment.”
“Well, now the cold war has turned into a hot war. You wait to be caught and dealt with,” Yuan Fang said coldly.
Pei Xiting pouted, saying, “Anyway, I have my purpose, and Zong Suiyang will definitely understand. Let’s hide for a few days, and when I guess he’s cooled down, we’ll see what choice he makes. If he doesn’t come looking for me, I’ll wander the world with you and never bother with him again.”
Yuan Fang mercilessly said, “With me taking you along, we’d be lucky to wander a small valley.”
Little Pei, being weak and helpless, couldn’t retort and sank into self-isolation.
Just then, the door creaked three times, and a person pushed it open and quickly slipped in. It was the owner of the toy shop, Haozi.
“Oh, my ancestors, what heavenly rule did you two break?!” Haozi began reporting the situation outside as soon as he entered the secret room. “The city gates are under strict martial law. Those traversable mountain paths, waterways, and even cliff edges are guarded. The Prefectural Office is searching everywhere with the intensity of turning Enzhou upside down, not even sparing dog holes by courtyard walls or the night-soil carts on the street! And that’s just the official government channels. Besides that, there are also our underworld pursuit orders; over three hundred were issued in just half a day!”
Haozi cupped his hands, looking at the two with admiration. “You two are now targets being sought by both the black and white paths. Even those murderous villains who wipe out entire families don’t have such an impressive display!”
Yuan Fang: “.”
“Of course, I also admire myself for daring to take in two such grand buddhas,” Haozi said. “My life is forfeit!”
“Brother Haozi, don’t be afraid. It’s not as serious as you think.” Pei Xiting pulled down the quilt to reveal his face and comforted him, “You just open your shop as usual. Yuan Fang and I will hide in this secret room. When the storm passes, everything will be fine.”
This secret room was inside the toy shop, originally built by Haozi as a refuge for himself, as one never knew what life-threatening disasters one might encounter while doing this business. Unexpectedly, it was now being used to shelter these two “grand buddhas.”
“Grand Buddha, please don’t fool me,” Haozi pointed outside. “I just came back from the city gate. I saw some extra people there, all wearing tight suits and carrying swords. One of them I’ve dealt with before—damn it, that’s a Longhe Guard! Longhe Guards are personally guarding the city gates, you two haven’t offended the Crown Prince, have you? And judging by this situation, it’s not just a minor offense!”
Upon hearing this, Yuan Fang looked at Pei Xiting, who was very cautious and did not dare to speak.
Haozi chuckled upon seeing this, understanding everything. He said, “Fine, meeting you two is my eighth generation of bad luck; I accept it. It’s still early; I’ll go prepare my affairs and then use all my savings to burn incense, praying to Buddha that I don’t meet you two again in my next life. I’m off; you two rest well.”
Pei Xiting was so ashamed by his words that he quickly reached out to stop him, saying, “Brother Haozi, wait.”
Haozi indeed stopped, turning to meet Pei Xiting’s sincere eyes.
“This matter is our fault for implicating you, but don’t worry, you won’t die,” Pei Xiting said. “At most, you’ll get a good beating.”
Haozi suddenly laughed with relief.
“Don’t worry, if we’re really discovered, I’ll definitely stand in front of you and absolutely not let anyone harm you in the slightest,” Pei Xiting patted his chest to guarantee, then weakly coughed, “But look at me now, I can’t even get out of bed; I’m truly willing but unable.”
Haozi said, “So?”
Pei Xiting smiled sheepishly, saying demurely, “Could you please secretly buy me some medicine? I need anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving ointment—the kind used after… intimacy.”
This morning, Haozi had just returned to his shop from the neighboring one when he saw the two “grand buddhas” who had appeared from nowhere behind the counter. Pei Xiting smiled at him, the same face, but his eyelids and lips were swollen red, his fair neck covered in marks, and his entire being exuded a kind of flirtatious sensuality from within. He wasn’t an inexperienced youngster; he naturally understood the situation.
—So, you two took the time to have a fierce fight while running for your lives!
Haozi didn’t know and didn’t dare to ask. After nodding in agreement, he turned and left.
Pei Xiting sighed, saying, “Brother Haozi is truly a good person.”
Yuan Fang said, “Won’t sending him to buy medicine expose us?”
“Brother Haozi is well-informed and has a wide network, so he definitely won’t buy medicine from official, legitimate pharmacies,” Pei Xiting sighed. “A fever is nothing; I can endure it, but my ass really hurts.”
That surnamed Zong was scary-looking, and his technique was terribly bad, plus he was under the influence of an aphrodisiac. Pei Xiting suddenly felt a little fortunate, thinking he truly had an iron ass.
Such vulgar words made Yuan Fang’s ears hurt, and he said, “I don’t want to hear it.”
Pei Xiting pouted aggrievedly, then buried his head and continued his self-isolation.
Meanwhile, the kind-hearted person (Haozi) exited the shop and locked the door behind him. When he was pondering where to buy medicine most safely without exposing the whereabouts of the two “grand buddhas” and thus implicating himself, he turned and came face-to-face with someone.
Haozi was startled, clutching his rapidly beating heart, and said, “Who are you?”
“I heard you’re well-informed. I’d like to ask for your help in finding two people,” Yu Shaoyun said. “If you can find them, there will naturally be plenty of gold and silver as thanks.”
The person in front of him was dressed subtly and carried a low-key demeanor, but his background was definitely very high-profile, and he happened to be looking for two people. Haozi’s heart pounded, but he tried his best to appear normal and said, “I do occasionally take on jobs buying and selling information, but I wouldn’t dare boast that I have all the news. If Your Excellency doesn’t mind, perhaps you could first tell me the characteristics and clues of those two. I’ll see if I can help you find them.”
Yu Shaoyun then took out two portraits and opened them one by one. The first was a self-portrait of Pei Xiting, remarkably lifelike. The second showed two faces: one handsome and refined, the other rugged and ordinary, which were Yuan Fang’s true appearance and the one he usually used for disguise.
Oh my heavens. Haozi thought with a bitter smile on his face. Unexpectedly, Yu Shaoyun suddenly asked, “Your expression, could it be that you know them?”
Haozi looked up to meet Yu Shaoyun’s probing gaze, contemplating that denying would surely raise suspicion. So he mixed truth with falsehood, saying, “I have indeed seen these two before, but it’s been a while. I truly don’t know where they are now.”
Yu Shaoyun narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this, scrutinized Haozi for a moment, and then smiled, saying, “I’m asking you to help me find people, not to ask you about their whereabouts.”
“I said the wrong thing!” Haozi’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he said, “In that case, I can try to help Your Excellency find them, but I can’t guarantee I’ll find them.”
“No matter, just do your best.” Yu Shaoyun’s gaze softened. He took out a thousand-tael silver note and handed it to Haozi. “This is for your errands. If you can truly find them within three days, there will be a substantial reward.”
Yu Shaoyun finished speaking, turned, and left, his steps hurried, likely off to arrange things at the next location.
Haozi withdrew his gaze, picked up the silver note, held it up to his eyes, and looked up slightly, sighing, “An errand is worth a thousand taels; grand buddhas are truly valuable.”
Haozi suddenly wavered a bit. Honestly, he had no special friendship with the two “grand buddhas.” His decision to shelter them today was out of fear of that invisible, deadly dagger. But now, their enemy was the Crown Prince. Given the Crown Prince’s methods, those two would eventually be caught anyway, so what difference did it make if it was sooner or later? By doing this, he could clear himself of any involvement.
However, Haozi reconsidered. If he handed them over, given the severity of the situation, that “wild mandarin duck couple” would probably become dead ducks.
They’re two lives, after all. Haozi sighed, stuffing the silver note into his bosom. He decided to go buy the medicine first and worry about the rest later.
Haozi’s heart was beating fast, and he was full of doubts. He walked quickly and didn’t notice that when he passed the entrance of an alley in front of him, Yu Shaoyun suddenly appeared and stared at him thoughtfully.
“Commander,” a guard appeared behind Yu Shaoyun, saying anxiously, “Why are we standing here instead of rushing to find the people?”
“That person is a bit off,” Yu Shaoyun said. “He’s nervous.”
The guard thought for a moment upon hearing this and said, “When we first arrived in Enzhou, didn’t Pei-wenshu ask this person for information about Bai Mian Fang? So they do know each other. Commander, do you think Pei-wenshu and Yuan Fang are hidden by this person?”
Yu Shaoyun made an immediate decision: “Follow him and see what he does.”
The guard responded with an “Aye” and quickly followed. Yu Shaoyun turned and continued to arrange things at the next location.
—
The sky quickly darkened. Yu Shaoyun waited at the entrance of Bai Mian Fang. The guard quickly ran over to report, breathless: “Nothing suspicious.” The guard followed him all the way, and when he saw Haozi sneaking to the black market, he became more and more puzzled. Why would he do this in broad daylight? He followed him to the pharmacy, and his heart skipped a beat. He thought, maybe he guessed it right; this guy came to buy medicine for Pei-wenshu!
“But guess what medicine he bought?” The guard clapped his hands. “An aphrodisiac! He bought it and swallowed it with water right there in the pharmacy! No wonder he was so secretive the whole way; this kind of thing really isn’t something you want to be seen doing.”
Yu Shaoyun sighed in disappointment upon hearing this, crossing his arms and saying, “But I still feel like something’s off about him. If he’s innocent, why was he so nervous when he saw me?”
“Haozi makes a living dealing with information; he’s very cunning. If you followed him all the way, it’s hard to say he didn’t notice and deliberately concealed his actions to make you drop your suspicions,” You Zong came out from behind the door, glanced at the guard, then added, “If you’re suspicious, just investigate further.”
“Lord You is always thorough. Haozi is familiar with the black market and an old acquaintance of the pharmacy owner. If they exchanged some secret signals, we wouldn’t notice it immediately,” the guard quickly said. “Your subordinate will immediately inquire with the pharmacy owner!”
Yu Shaoyun nodded. After the guard left, he looked at You Zong, hesitatingly asking, “Has His Highness rested?”
“How could he sleep?” You Zong said. “His Highness went out to find the person himself and hasn’t returned yet.”
He looked at Yu Shaoyun and said, “What are you hesitating about? Since His Highness has disciplined you, just follow his orders. Do you really need His Highness to cripple you half to death according to the rules before you’re at ease?”
“If His Highness wanted to kill me for my disobedience, I wouldn’t utter a single word,” Yu Shaoyun sighed. “Being let off so lightly makes me even more uneasy.”
“How could His Highness not understand your difficulties? But he had to say something; otherwise, there would be even less discipline.” You Zong paused, then added, “Instead of saying His Highness is angry at your unauthorized actions, it’s better to say he’s angry at himself. He’s such a restrained person, yet last night he lost control and became a raging beast, and it was Xiting who bore the brunt of it. Then he woke up, and Xiting was gone, now suffering somewhere he doesn’t know.”
He sighed, saying, “Xiting is audacious and cunning, with a stubborn will. He won’t give up until he achieves his goal. Their entanglement is their own business; we outsiders can’t interfere. But His Highness is currently troubled. If you feel uneasy, you should find him as soon as possible. That is His Highness’s best medicine.”
Yu Shaoyun wiped his face, then turned and left to find the person again.
—
Haozi returned to the pharmacy, tiptoed into the secret room, pulled out a medicine pot from his sleeve, and handed it to Yuan Fang, saying, “Grand Buddhas, I have some bad news for you. Someone came looking for me.”
Pei Xiting said in surprise, “So fast?”
“This person wants me to help find you two, and he probably suspects me. He followed me all day today. Luckily, I have acquaintances in the black market, so I pretend to buy aphrodisiac to fool him,” Haozi said wearily.
Pei Xiting said gratefully, “Thank you, Brother Haozi; you are righteous, compassionate, and unparalleled in wisdom!”
Haozi smiled faintly, just about to speak, when he suddenly heard a knock at the door from outside, three consecutive taps, unhurried, but each one echoing in the hearts of the three.
When a normal shop closes, who would specifically knock on the door?
The three were already feeling guilty, and now their expressions changed, especially Haozi, who felt as if he heard a summons from the King of Hell.
“O-open it?” Haozi asked, trembling with fear.
Pei Xiting’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he swallowed with difficulty.
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