TL: Hua
Chapter 95: Gossip
“Three twos, that’s it—pay up.”
Pei Xiting opened a full money box and only snapped it shut after Mei Xiu and Qing Lingling tossed their coins in.
“It’s almost New Year’s, and the Princes and others are busy with all these memorial ceremonies. We don’t see them for days. Only a few of us have no serious business to attend to and can get together for some fun,” Mei Xiu said, taking a sip of tea and letting out a comfortable sigh.
Zong Suiyang was also busy with various ceremonies lately, and Pei Xiting deeply empathized with that feeling. He changed the topic and asked, “Oh, by the way, how are your martial arts exams coming along?”
“Almost there,” Mei Xiu said proudly. “I just haven’t had the chance to show off; otherwise, you’d see how amazing this Young Marquis is!”
Pei Xiting quickly clapped his hands in praise. “No need to show off, Young Marquis. I can feel the overflowing martial prowess from you just sitting here. The radiance is so blinding that we mere mortals can’t look at you directly!”
Mei Xiu let out an arrogant scoff and then, noticing Qing Lingling’s expression, frowned. “Are you rolling your eyes?”
“No,” Qing Lingling said. “How could I dare?”
“I saw it with my own eyes,” Mei Xiu insisted.
“You’ve misunderstood,” Qing Lingling sighed. “My eye just had a bit of a twitch.”
Mei Xiu studied Qing Lingling’s eyes. “Did you put on too much gold powder? Your eyelids can’t handle it?”
Pei Xiting was speechless.
Qing Lingling predictably snapped back, “If you can’t appreciate it, just gouge out your eyes and give them to a dog!”
“You—”
“Alright, you two,” Pei Xiting interrupted Mei Xiu’s retort, raising his hands to manually calm them both down. He smiled and said, “It’s getting late. I have to go home to have dinner with my crown prince. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Qing Lingling shifted his gaze. “Your crown prince, huh?” he said with a mocking tone.
“If he’s not mine, then whose is he?” Pei Xiting smiled, stood up, and said, “I’m off.”
“Wait, give me a ride,” Mei Xiu said, getting up to follow. “I came in Lady Qu’s carriage and have no way to get back.”
Though Lady Qu didn’t have a good relationship with the Marquis and Marchioness Mei, she still adored Mei Xiu, a child she’d watched grow up. Mei Xiu was often difficult at home, but in front of a respected elder, his words were sweet and charming. He’d made Lady Qu laugh heartily and even shared a piece of gossip with him.
“The Crown Prince has someone,” Mei Xiu said mysteriously after they got into the carriage.
Pei Xiting, reclining on a golden silk pillow in the main seat, raised an eyebrow. “Your news is too slow. Everyone in Yejing knows the Crown Prince has finally found love.”
Gossip spreads fast. After Pei Xiting’s impromptu press conference with a crowd of onlookers on the street, “The Crown Prince’s rumored romance” went viral that very day. Within three days, it was the number one topic of conversation among the people of Yejing.
After all, the case of the late Crown Prince Yuanhe was a serious and conspiratorial affair, not a relaxing topic like this kind of gossip. This gossip was shocking, even a little bit thrilling!
“But do you know that many families are now eager to send their daughters into the East Palace?” Mei Xiu said.
The Crown Prince had never been interested in women before, and his harem was empty. Officials who had previously tried to persuade him to take a concubine were met with a harsh reception. Over time, no one dared to suggest or recommend a suitable daughter for the position of Crown Princess.
But now, things were different.
Since the Crown Prince had finally found love, it meant he had human emotions and was a normal man!
If other families’ daughters were an option, why not theirs?
Pei Xiting replied, “I really didn’t know that. I haven’t heard.”
“I heard it from Auntie Qu; she has an inside scoop,” Mei Xiu shared. “Recently, some ladies have been testing the waters with the Empress. After all, wanting to do it is one thing, but daring to is another.”
Pei Xiting laughed. “Surely no one would be the first to stick their neck out? The Crown Prince’s authority is so formidable.”
“Don’t underestimate these people,” Mei Xiu shook his head. “Yes, there’s a risk, but if they succeed, their family will reach new heights! Besides, even if they don’t dare to be the first, they’re afraid of others getting the jump on them.”
Pei Xiting agreed that it made sense and thought he’d wait to see what happened once these people were done with their struggles and indecision.
Suddenly, the carriage came to a stop. Pei Xiting looked up. “What is it?”
“Someone’s here,” Yuan Fang’s calm voice came from outside the door. “Don’t come out.”
Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Pei Xiting heard the clash of weapons.
Mei Xiu leaned over, resting his chin on Pei Xiting’s head, and they both slyly pushed open a small gap in the window to observe the situation.
Confronting Yuan Fang was the long-unseen plump and skinny duo. Before the fighting started, Pei Xiting said, “Want to make a bet? How many rounds will it take to take them down?”
“These are backstreet fighters,” Mei Xiu said, observing the plump and skinny duo’s moves. He mused, “Ten rounds. It’s a two-on-one, and they’re well-coordinated.”
“I bet five rounds at most,” Pei Xiting said. “A small bet is fun. Five hundred taels?”
“I know your friend, who you hired from God knows where, is good at martial arts, but you shouldn’t be so—” Mei Xiu’s words were cut short. He only saw a flash before his eyes and then saw the plump man on his knees in the snow, his own sword pressed against his neck.
“Looks like I win,” Pei Xiting said, extending his hand.
Mei Xiu closed his mouth and took out a banknote from his pocket, placing it in Pei Xiting’s hand.
“Why are you following the carriage?” Yuan Fang held the plump man’s hand with an unyielding grip. The blade slowly moved in, cutting a thin line of blood. “Speak, or you die.”
“Wait!” the one-eyed man shouted, his voice sharp. Facing Yuan Fang’s calm gaze, he was shocked by who this person could be. He mumbled, “We want to see the sect leader!”
“Who is the sect leader?” Mei Xiu asked.
Pei Xiting raised an eyebrow, a guess forming in his mind.
“We know this is Pei Xiting’s carriage,” the one-eyed man said. “We also know he’s the East Palace’s clerk, so we want to kidnap him and negotiate with the East Palace!”
Mei Xiu scoffed. “Isn’t that stupid?”
“Give them a break; they don’t look very bright,” Pei Xiting said, pushing open half the window. He gestured at the one-eyed man. “Hey, you won’t be seeing Li Buyan.”
The one-eyed man approached the carriage, but a person suddenly appeared in front of him. It was one of the two guards Zong Suiyang had previously sent to Pei Xiting.
He drew his blade halfway and said, “Stop.”
The one-eyed man looked at the plump man and had no choice but to stop. The plump man hissed, “The sect leader saved our lives. We know we can’t save him, but we just want to see him one last time.”
“You won’t get a last glimpse of him, but you can die with him,” Pei Xiting said calmly. “You were also involved in the fight for the Four Treasures, weren’t you? Do you really think you’ll escape unharmed if you get taken to the authorities?”
“That’s fine with us!” the one-eyed man said.
The plump man also agreed.
“You’re very loyal, but Li Buyan appearing in Yejing without you means he didn’t want you to die here,” Pei Xiting said. “Think about it. Fang, let’s go.”
Yuan Fang let go of the plump man’s wrist. His feet were as light as feathers as he returned to the carriage.
Pei Xiting was about to close the window when the plump man suddenly knelt and bowed with his hands cupped. “When we first met, we brothers were disrespectful to Pei-wenshu. Please forgive us! If you’re angry, we’ll accept any punishment you give us!”
With that, he “clanged, clanged, clanged” three times, knocking his head against the ground.
Snow flew up. The plump man’s eyes were red, and he pleaded, “We’re not afraid to die; we just want to send the sect leader off. Please have mercy, Pei-wenshu!”
The one-eyed man also knelt and began to kowtow without a word. He was so fast and forceful that Mei Xiu was afraid they’d scramble their brains.
“Don’t be soft-hearted,” Mei Xiu whispered. “They’re part of a rebel faction. It’s already an act of grace from His Highness that they haven’t been purged. If you really take them to see their sect leader, what will His Highness think?”
“Li Buyan has been sentenced to death, and no one is allowed to approach him. I can’t and won’t help you,” Pei Xiting said, looking at the two men. He paused. “But if you write a letter, I can pass it on for you.”
The one-eyed man stopped and shakily sat up, exchanging a look with the plump man. The plump man turned to Pei Xiting and said, “But we… can’t write.”
“We haven’t had much schooling and only learned a few characters after following the sect leader,” the one-eyed man said.
“If you can’t write, can you draw?” Pei Xiting said. “Draw what you want to say, and deliver it to the archway on Lanyin Street tomorrow. Someone will come to get it. Once you’ve dropped off the letter, leave Yejing immediately, or I can’t guarantee your safety.”
With that, Pei Xiting slammed the carriage window shut. “Let’s go.”
“Thank you, Pei-wenshu!”
The voices entered the carriage, gradually becoming faint until they were swallowed by the wind and snow, replaced by the heavy tolling of a temple bell on a nearby mountain in the evening.
—
The next morning, someone delivered the letter to Pei Xiting. “It’s been checked; there are no issues.”
Pei Xiting was polishing the zither Zong Suiyang had given him. He had newly named it “Feiyan Suiyang.” Hearing this, he said, “I won’t read it. Give it to Li Buyan.”
The guard acknowledged the order and quietly left.
A moment later, a palace servant entered with a small food box. “Pei-wenshu, Lady Bu made you some chestnut cakes again. She said to eat them while they’re warm.”
Bu Suying had only recently entered the palace and was still a junior, but who didn’t know her reputation as the “Fairy on the Waves”? The day she entered the palace, she didn’t wear a dancing dress. She simply performed a quick sleeve dance, proving she was still an expert, and with her skills, she became an instructor at the Music and Dance Chamber.
“Is Mother still rehearsing a dance today?” Pei Xiting put down the cloth he was using, washed his hands, and took a piece of the chestnut cake, offering one to the servant.
The servant smiled and thanked him. “Yes, everyone at the Music and Dance Chamber is preparing for the New Year’s palace banquet. The doors were closed when I left.”
Pei Xiting had planned to visit her later but decided against it. “Is His Highness in Mingzheng Hall?”
“He went to Fengyi Palace earlier,” the servant said. “If you want to go, I’ll have a sedan chair prepared.”
“No need for a sedan chair; I’ll walk.” Pei Xiting finished his chestnut cake, washed his hands, closed the food box, and waited for someone to put his cloak on him before heading out with the box in hand.
Pei Xiting stepped out and whistled. The snow on a nearby pine tree shook, and Little King ran out from behind it, following him out for a stroll.
Pei Xiting and Little King walked and played in the snow. When they reached the entrance of the Fengyi Palace, they saw Zong Suiyang in a pavilion, trimming some flowers in the distance.
He jogged over quickly. “Why are you outside?”
Zong Suiyang put down his shears and stepped forward to brush the flakes off Pei Xiting’s head and shoulders. He touched his face. “Why did you run over?”
“My mother steamed some chestnut cakes for me, and they’re still warm. I came to share them with you,” Pei Xiting said, placing the food box on the table. He took a piece and fed it to Zong Suiyang.
Zong Suiyang took a bite, and Pei Xiting casually ate the rest, mumbling, “I’ll go in and pay my respects first, then I’ll come back and stay with you.”
“Don’t go in,” Zong Suiyang said. “It’s not just my mother in there, but also a few ladies.”
Pei Xiting blinked, remembering the gossip Mei Xiu had shared. He whispered, “Are they here for a marriage proposal?”
Zong Suiyang nodded. “I didn’t want to stay inside, so I’m helping my mother trim the flowers. I was going to wait for them to leave and then have someone call you for dinner, but since you’re here, just keep me company… Why do you look a little smug?”
“I don’t,” Pei Xiting replied.
Zong Suiyang narrowed his eyes and watched him silently.
Pei Xiting gave in. “Okay, maybe a little. I didn’t realize the Crown Prince could also get ganged up on for marriage.”
“They’re all people who often come to chat with my mother, so I’m being lenient. Otherwise, I would have had them all thrown out by now,” Zong Suiyang said, pinching Pei Xiting’s cheek. “You have food all over your mouth.”
Pei Xiting mumbled, “You can wipe it off for me.”
Zong Suiyang tilted Pei Xiting’s face up, leaned down, and kissed the corner of his mouth. With their lips still touching, he whispered, “So sweet.”
Pei Xiting parted his lips and gently bit him.
Zong Suiyang’s eyes shifted, and just as he was about to deepen the kiss, Pei Xiting turned and stepped back. “Whoever moves is a dog. One, two, three, go!”
Zong Suiyang didn’t care. He grabbed Pei Xiting and pulled him back, holding him still. “I won’t move you. Just eat your chestnut cake.”
Aunt Ruohui came out, pulling back the curtain, intending to see if the Crown Prince had secretly left. Instead, she saw Pei Xiting, who had arrived at some point, joking and laughing with the prince in the pavilion. Remembering the purpose of the ladies inside, she shook her head.
Aunt Ruohui dropped the curtain and went back inside.
Empress Qu sat on her throne and, seeing her return, quickly asked, “He didn’t run away, did he?”
“No,” Aunt Ruohui said. “Pei-wenshu came with Little King and is keeping the Prince company.”
“Oh,” Empress Qu’s voice rose at the end, and then she quickly said, “Go check if the jasmine soup is ready in the small kitchen. Bring a pot out for them to warm their stomachs.”
Aunt Ruohui acknowledged her and quietly left.
The ladies exchanged glances. One said, “It seems this Pei-wenshu is highly favored by His Highness.”
It’s more than just favored. Empress Qu thought to herself: they’re like dry wood and a fiery flame. She secretly told herself to be more reserved, lest she reveal their relationship too soon. She smiled and said, “Indeed. Xiting is especially likable. If Fuchuan didn’t like him, he’d have to be blind.”
The ladies were speechless.
Empress, you are so in love!
“I heard that the Wang family wanted to strengthen their ties with the Pei family through marriage, but it fell through. I wonder what happened.”
“Oh, the Wang family’s values aren’t great. There isn’t a single outstanding person in the whole family. Marrying into the Pei family would not be a good match for Xiting,” Empress Qu said. “Xiting has both looks and talent, and he’s generous and delightful. He deserves a better match.”
A better match, like Fuchuan!
The ladies exchanged glances again. One of them smiled and said, “It sounds like you’re planning to take this promising match into your own family, Your Majesty?”
Empress Qu knew they were referring to the girls in her Qu family. She smiled and said, “Well, I believe in destiny. I liked this child the moment I saw him. After spending some time with him, I think he’s good in every way. If he can’t be my son-in-law, I’d be happy to adopt him as a godson.”
If he can’t be a son-in-law, he could be a daughter-in-law… or a son-in-law by marriage. It’s all the same as a son!
The ladies collectively sighed. The Empress was so head over heels. They thought to themselves that they must go home and warn everyone in their families not to offend this Pei-wenshu, who had so skillfully won the hearts of both the Empress and the Crown Prince!
Right now, he must have the most powerful connections in the entire world!
As they chatted and laughed, Aunt Ruohui entered quietly. She had the jasmine soup served and smiled, saying, “A while ago, Pei-wenshu had a bowl of jasmine soup outside and liked the taste, so he invited Her Majesty to try a bowl as well. Her Majesty also enjoyed it and had the small kitchen try to make some. The flavor is just about right now, so please try some, ladies.”
This short speech was full of information, primarily to reinforce that the Empress and Pei-wenshu had a close relationship, one where they could go out and eat together privately. The ladies understood and quickly rose to thank her.
“There’s no need to be so formal. Please, sit,” Empress Qu said, then looked at Ruohui. “Where are the two boys?”
“They’re building a snowman outside.” The wind wasn’t strong at the moment. Aunt Ruohui said, walking to the long window beside the throne and gently pushing it open, revealing a small gap. “Look.”
Empress Qu turned her head to look. The ladies also leaned forward to peer outside and saw Pei-wenshu, wrapped in a cloak, squatting in front of the pavilion. With a hand covered in a cloth, he was diligently rolling a ball of snow. The Crown Prince was also kneeling on one knee beside him, doing… what was he doing?
It looked like the Crown Prince was observing Pei-wenshu’s profile!
No, he was examining it.
That didn’t seem quite right, either.
The ladies were struggling to find a word to describe the look in the Crown Prince’s eyes when Aunt Ruohui suddenly closed the window.
Empress Qu withdrew her gaze, straightened up on her throne, and put a hand to her forehead. “This wind is quite cold.”
The ladies quickly expressed their concern for the Empress’s health. Empress Qu said she was fine, asked everyone to sit down, and said, “I know the purpose of your visit. We are all sensible people, so let’s be frank. Fuchuan’s marriage is his own business. Neither the Emperor nor I will interfere.”
“His Highness has been a man of his own mind and judgment since childhood. He doesn’t need to trouble Your Majesty or the Emperor. We certainly wouldn’t dare to have any ulterior motives. We just heard the rumors and worried that someone might be maliciously spreading falsehoods, so we came to the palace for clarification.”
“Yes, yes,” the others echoed.
They were all clever, and Empress Qu smiled, not bothering to expose them. She simply said, “Thank you all for your concern. It’s not a rumor. My Fuchuan really does have a sweetheart.”
“In that case, Your Majesty, do you know which young lady it is?”
Empress Qu nodded. “Not only do I know, but I also adore the child. Let me tell you a little secret.”
The ladies looked at Empress Qu expectantly and said in unison, “Please tell us, Your Majesty.”
“My Fuchuan and this child are a perfect match, a match made in heaven,” Empress Qu said. “When his heart is already taken, he can’t have eyes for anyone else. And Fuchuan is a devoted person; he wishes he could be with that child every day.”
The Crown Prince had a person, a sweetheart, and it was approved by the Empress. The Empress was very satisfied, and this person was already in the East Palace. The ladies came to this conclusion simultaneously, and their hearts sank.
The ladies half-heartedly chatted with Empress Qu for a while before she mercifully allowed them to leave.
A group of them walked together to the pavilion, where they bowed and took their leave from Zong Suiyang. Zong Suiyang was busy helping Pei Xiting rub the head of a snow rabbit. At their words, he only gave a slight nod and went back to his task.
“The ground is slippery in the snow. Please walk carefully, ladies,” Pei Xiting instructed the palace servants holding umbrellas in front. “See them out properly.”
The ladies subconsciously looked at Zong Suiyang, wondering if it was appropriate for Pei-wenshu, no matter how favored, to be ordering around the servants of the Fengyi Palace, especially in front of the Crown Prince. But the Crown Prince didn’t even lift his head, and the servants bowed and responded to Pei Xiting as if they were completely used to him giving them orders.
“?!….”
The ladies left with a heavy heart. Once they were out of the palace, they immediately got into a carriage and started a heated discussion.
“Sisters, don’t you think something is off?”
“If a young lady had entered the East Palace, we couldn’t have heard absolutely nothing about it.”
“Could she not be from Yejing? Or maybe she’s not from a prominent family but just a commoner? Otherwise, why would Her Majesty be so secretive?”
“That doesn’t make sense. If His Highness were interested in someone, why would he care about their family background? Unless she’s going to be the Crown Princess?!”
“There are only a few families whose daughters could become the Crown Princess, and there hasn’t been any news at all. I’ve checked. None of our families’ ancestral graves have been sending off auspicious smoke.”
The ladies went back and forth, feeling that there were too many unanswered questions, but they couldn’t figure it out. Suddenly, one of them whispered, “Could it be… not a girl?”
The other four said, “What?”
“A sweetheart doesn’t only refer to a woman; it can also be a man.”
“You’ve been reading too many of those romance novels! They’re not real life!”
“But it’s not impossible.”
The ladies fell silent.
That’s right, it wasn’t impossible.
Who could be sure whether the Crown Prince liked men, women, or both? If that were the case, his sweetheart could indeed be a man.
“But I haven’t heard of any young master having a close relationship with the Crown Prince—”
The words got stuck in her throat. The group suddenly remembered Pei Xiting, who had just been playing in the snow with the Crown Prince, and fell silent.
Pei Xiting satisfied the conditions of being favored, liked, and close to both the Prince and Empress, and he was currently in the East Palace! Although the Pei family was not of a high social standing, their third young master was already on a first-name basis with Young Marquis Mei, playing cards at the same table as Prince Zong, and even squatting in the snow with the Crown Prince. What else was he capable of?!
The more they thought about it, the more they felt that it had to be him!
“So His Highness wasn’t just observing Pei-wenshu. He was staring at him!”
The ladies realized they had discovered a huge secret. They didn’t dare make a sound, let alone share it with their families. They wished they had never come to the palace that day!
But the ladies had no idea that the most impatient and eager person was the Crown Prince himself.
Successfully failed! Crown Prince has to be the one to step up and share the news with the whole Empire!