Chapter 36#
Wonton: Little Pei Goes South (IV)#
“I’ll never trust Lord You again.” The sky was overcast as Pei Xiting gazed at the six large doors not far from the carriage window, muttering, “He said it was just a meal, but it’s clearly making me work overtime.”
“What does ‘overtime’ mean?”
Pei Xiting turned to look at the Crown Prince, who was disguised with a plain face and dressed in coarse cloth, and said, “It means working beyond the prescribed hours.”
“I recall that when you first wanted to join the Crane Cage Bureau, you said that as long as the bureau would take you in, you could forgo a salary and be on call at any time to handle tasks for the bureau,” said the Crown Prince.
Pei Xiting raised an eyebrow. “Your Highness handles a myriad of affairs daily, yet you remember every trivial word I say—your memory is truly remarkable.”
The Crown Prince looked at him calmly.
That peerlessly elegant face was hidden under an ordinary, unremarkable appearance, but his eyes still held a myriad of wonders. Pei Xiting stared at him for a moment, then abruptly “swished” open his folding fan and waved it in front of his face a couple of times.
The carriage fell into an odd silence. Since the rain had temporarily ceased, there was no other sound to mask it, so both of them noticed this stillness.
The Crown Prince fingered his prayer beads, his gaze as deep as an abyss. Pei Xiting’s eyes flickered, and he said in a natural tone, “I wasn’t tricking Lord You. He was willing to take me in and save me from a lot of trouble. I’m truly grateful to him, and to Your Highness. I also know that the Crane Cage Bureau doesn’t support idlers. So, both publicly and privately, I’m willing to do whatever I can. But that doesn’t contradict me complaining a bit. See, I complain, but I’m about to get out of the carriage and get to work.”
With that, he stood up, pushed open the carriage door, and stepped down via the footstool.
The Crown Prince brushed his sleeve and followed him out.
The Prefect of Ningzhou had already received word and was coming out of the government office. Seeing Pei Xiting alight, he immediately stepped forward to greet him. “Are you Secretary Pei?”
“Indeed. Pei pays his respects to Prefect He.” Pei Xiting cupped his hands in salute.
“Secretary Pei, no need for such formalities.” Prefect He supported Pei Xiting’s wrist through his sleeve and said with a smile, “Our office has received your bureau’s document stating that Secretary Pei would be coming down to the prefecture to review old case files. We’ve already cleaned out the archives room thoroughly, ready for your perusal at any time.”
“Thank you for the trouble, Prefect He.” Pei Xiting said, “Our bureau is about to reorganize the document building, and all relevant case files need to be copied. Some files from other prefectures are still incomplete. Normally, we could just transfer and review them directly, but I have been ordered by Lord You to come to Ningzhou to create a painting as a gift for the Eastern Palace, to celebrate His Highness’s birthday. That’s why I came in person.”
Prefect He had been puzzled as to why other prefectures only received documents from the capital for file review, while Ningzhou got a personal visit from the Crane Cage Bureau. He had been uneasy for several days but now finally felt relieved. When he learned the visitor was Secretary Pei, he had investigated him thoroughly and found out that Pei had painted for Vice Minister Qu at the Qixia Banquet and was deeply appreciated. So it was not surprising that Lord You had entrusted Pei with painting a birthday gift for the Crown Prince.
“Lord You entrusting such an important task to Secretary Pei shows that you must be an exceptional painter.”
“Prefect He flatters me. I am merely grateful for Lord You’s regard.”
“If Secretary Pei needs anything during this trip, please don’t hesitate to ask. This prefecture will do its utmost to assist you in creating a masterpiece to celebrate His Highness’s birthday.”
“Then I thank Prefect He in advance.”
“…”
After a moment of pleasantries, Prefect He finally looked at the tall man behind Pei Xiting—plainly dressed, ordinary-faced but with an extraordinary bearing—and asked in confusion, “And this is?”
Pei Xiting also turned to look at the Crown Prince, uncertain of the other’s intentions, so he didn’t speak rashly.
“Crane Cage Guard Fu Shan, accompanying on this assignment.” The Crown Prince cupped his hands. “We apologize for the trouble, Prefect He.”
Prefect He said politely, “Captain Fu. Please, both of you, come inside.”
The two followed Prefect He into the government office and headed to the archives room. Pei Xiting said, “Prefect He must be busy with official duties; no need to accompany us. Just leave the office clerk here.”
Prefect He gestured to the man standing by the door and said, “This is the office’s registrar. He will guide you both. I will take my leave now.”
Pei Xiting nodded. “Take care.”
After Prefect He had left, the accompanying judge said, “Sir, should we prepare a banquet to entertain those two?”
“Not a good idea. The Crane Cage Bureau is different from other offices. Being too warm and attentive is not good. Just fulfilling the necessary courtesies will do.” Prefect He adjusted his sleeves thoughtfully. “Secretary Pei is still young. You see, he smiles gently, but it doesn’t reach his eyes—clearly a distant person. And that Captain Fu, with his extraordinary bearing and deep gaze, is definitely not simple either.”
The judge said, “As expected, you have keen insight, sir.”
“These two are both protégés of the Eastern Palace. Instruct the staff in the office to serve them with utmost care. If they offend them accidentally, a single word from them in His Highness’s ears could cost me my official hat. Besides, the Bai family matter is still pressing,” Prefect He said as he walked. “Have the criminals been found?”
The judge shook his head. “We’ve stationed men at all the ferry crossings, but nothing unusual has turned up. Without useful information, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“The Bai family is related by marriage to the Duke of Wen’s manor. And now that the Crown Prince’s son is in Ningzhou, we must show our commitment. We cannot let His Highness think we are negligent.” Prefect He sighed in frustration. “Search again, all night if necessary. Also, send someone to the Bai family to offer condolences and reassure them.”
The judge acknowledged and left.
“Please have the registrar find the case files listed in this booklet and carefully copy them out. I will check them later,” Pei Xiting said, handing a document to the registrar. Once the registrar went inside to search, he stepped closer to the Crown Prince and said quietly, “You didn’t really just want me to make a trip to the office, did you? What’s the real order?”
“No other orders,” said the Crown Prince.
“…Really?” Pei Xiting asked. “This matter shouldn’t need to be done tonight, right?”
He said unhappily, “I haven’t eaten yet.”
One stood at the door, the other on the steps below, height reversed. The Crown Prince’s gaze dropped slightly and landed on the water-red ribbon tied around that slender waist. “You like eating so much, yet you don’t put on any weight?”
Pei Xiting said, “I eat, but I also exercise. And I don’t usually eat much; I only indulge occasionally, so I don’t get fat.”
The Crown Prince said nothing more, turned, and walked out. Pei Xiting shook his head, called out loudly to the registrar, and followed.
Once outside the office, Pei Xiting said, “Brother Fu, come on, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
The address “Brother Fu” and “you” signaled that Pei Xiting was completely letting loose and starting to get bold. The Crown Prince paused briefly, said nothing, and merely replied, “No longer puzzled?”
Pei Xiting smiled. “Whether you deliberately made me run this errand or have another purpose, I don’t mind. It’s like taking a walk. But I’m really hungry. I saw a wonton shop on the way here; it smelled great. Let’s go have a bowl?”
The Crown Prince did not refuse, so Pei Xiting stepped forward, tugged lightly at his arm, and said, “Let’s go.”
In summer, the fabric was thin, and they could feel each other’s skin temperature. Pei Xiting quickly let go. The Crown Prince’s steps paused slightly before he followed.
The distance wasn’t far; Pei Xiting didn’t feel like taking the carriage. “I’ve been sitting all day—carriage, stools—so it’s good to walk a bit now.”
The Crown Prince walked beside him, his left hand behind his back, and said calmly, “Was Little Spring Garden fun?”
“The music was good. As for whether the people were fun, I don’t know,” Pei Xiting turned his head to smile at the Crown Prince. “I’m a proper person; I don’t do debauched things.”
The Crown Prince made no comment.
The two wandered to the wonton stall and chose a corner seat under the awning. The owners were a couple who called their son over to serve them. A chubby boy of seven or eight asked, “What fillings would you gentlemen like? We have seventeen kinds: mallow, chives, celery, turnip, lotus root, crab, duck, tofu, clove, and more. We also have ‘hundred-flavor wontons,’ seventeen in a bowl.”
Pei Xiting asked, “So a bowl of hundred-flavor wontons is seventeen pieces?”
The boy nodded. “Yes, our wontons have thin skins and generous fillings; each one is plump!”
Here, “wonton” was similar to modern dumplings, wrapped in round skins with pointed ends and flat edges, forming a half-moon shape. Pei Xiting flipped through the menu and wanted to try several fillings, so he said, “I’ll have a bowl of hundred-flavor wontons. What about you, Brother Fu?”
The Crown Prince said, “Clove, small bowl.”
“Coming right up! Please wait a moment, sirs; the wontons will be ready soon.” The boy took the menu and went inside the shop.
Pei Xiting picked up chopsticks, dipped them in the cup of water to rinse them, and said, “I’m planning to redeem Ying Zi Yu from Little Spring Garden, so I need to watch my spending. Brother Fu, when you traveled before, you probably didn’t eat delicacies every meal, right? This will have to do… Do you want yours rinsed?”
The Crown Prince hummed in acknowledgment. “One visit and you already have someone you want to redeem?”
Pei Xiting picked up the chopsticks in front of the Crown Prince and said, “It’s not lust at first sight, nor am I trying to save a courtesan. It’s that Ying Zi Yu can paint. I’ve seen his work; it’s fresh and full of life, which reflects his state of mind. Meeting someone so far from home is fate, so helping out a bit is fine. He can paint and embroider, so once he’s out, he’ll have ways to make a living.”
Pei Xiting placed the rinsed chopsticks on the chopstick rest in front of the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince said, “Thank you.”
Pei Xiting was startled, then teased, “I thought Brother Fu would consider that as serving.”
The Crown Prince said flatly, “Am I not ‘Brother Fu’ right now?”
“Yes, you are Brother Fu,” Pei Xiting said, rubbing the empty water cup. “But are you everyone’s Brother Fu, or just mine?”
The Crown Prince lifted his eyes. “What’s the difference?”
“A huge difference. For example, if you were ‘Brother Fu’ to that Chun Sheng, I’d be a little upset,” Pei Xiting said.
The Crown Prince said, “I don’t understand your ‘upset.’”
“Not understanding now is fine. Maybe someday you will.” Pei Xiting said, “Chun Sheng has an ambiguous relationship with the Crown Prince’s son. Brother Fu, don’t ask him to sing next time.”
The Crown Prince savored the words. “You don’t like Chun Sheng?”
“He’s a stranger; I don’t have like or dislike. I just don’t want to witness a story where Your Highness, traveling incognito, falls in love in Ningzhou and even brings a beloved back to the capital. The way Chun Sheng looked at you, he practically wanted to devour you. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.” Pei Xiting said.
The Crown Prince said, “His eyes wanted to devour someone. What do your eyes mean?”
Pei Xiting blinked. “Don’t blame me. Appreciating beauty isn’t a crime.”
You never look at others with those eyes, thought the Crown Prince. He glanced at Pei Xiting and said, “I’m not a beauty right now.”
Pei Xiting said, “I see the fake face, but my mind automatically converts it to the real one.”
The Crown Prince looked at Pei Xiting and suddenly asked, “How many times have you copied ‘The Song of the Yue Boatman’?”
“…” Pei Xiting said, “The agreement was before returning to the capital, not right now.”
The Crown Prince said, “Fine. I’ll return to the capital after eating the wontons.”
Pei Xiting said, “Don’t do that. Really or just joking?”
“It can be real,” said the Crown Prince.
Pei Xiting laughed. “You really are willing to go to such trouble just to whip me.”
The Crown Prince smiled faintly. “So when you’re being beaten, shout loudly. I’ll listen and it’ll help me relax.”
“Pervert,” Pei Xiting muttered.
The Crown Prince did not deny it.
“Wontons are here!” The boy carried a tray to the square table and set down two bowls of wontons. He put away the tray and said, “Enjoy your meal, sirs.”
Pei Xiting thanked him. After the boy left, he took out his folding fan and fanned the Crown Prince’s bowl of wontons to cool them down. “Good Brother Fu, don’t be like this. With my frame, twenty lashes would send me straight to the afterlife.”
The Crown Prince said coldly, “Remember to be a good person in your next life.”
Pei Xiting chuckled. “Come on, I’ll copy it ten times tonight to show my attitude. How about that?”
“Last-minute cramming shows no sincerity,” said the Crown Prince.
Pei Xiting thought to himself that a connoisseur like His Highness could tell at a glance whether the handwriting was done seriously. Still, he had a sudden idea and seized the opportunity: “Then I’ll copy it in front of you. If you condescend to watch me, would I dare to be the least bit negligent?”
The Crown Prince looked at him for a moment and said, “Hard to say. Your audacity knows no bounds.”
Pei Xiting muttered something under his breath. The Crown Prince didn’t catch it, but suddenly sensed something. Keeping his expression unchanged, he ate a wonton as if he hadn’t noticed a thing.
At the end of the street, Zhao Fan gazed at the small table by the stall. His eyes swept over the man sitting across from Pei Xiting. “Who is that?”
“Fu Shan, a member of the Crane Cage Bureau. He’s accompanying on this assignment,” said the attendant.
Pei Xiting opened his fan and fanned the steaming bowl in front of Fu Shan. His fingers holding the fan were pale and slender. Suddenly hearing someone call his name, he paused, turned his head, and saw his face flushed from the hot food, as if rouge were seeping through his skin.
Zhao Fan gave a soft, appreciative chuckle. “I happened to pass by and ran into Xiting.”
“Shi… Xingjian.” Pei Xiting hastily stood up to greet him.
Hearing Pei Xiting’s intimate address and his obedient demeanor, the Crown Prince couldn’t help but snicker inwardly. Then he stood up, cupped his hands, and said, “Greetings, Young Master Zhao.”
As expected of His Highness, who has traveled extensively—he plays his role without any stiffness or exaggeration, completely natural. Pei Xiting sighed inwardly and then said, “This is my colleague, Fu Shan. Since it’s my first time handling an assignment away, Lord You was worried I might not do well and kindly asked him to assist me.”
“I see. No need for formalities, Captain Fu.” Zhao Fan withdrew his gaze, smiled, and said to Pei Xiting, “Won’t you invite me to sit and have a bowl?”
Although the wonton stall was clean, Young Master Zhao had never deigned to visit such a place before. The attendant glanced at Pei Xiting and thought to himself: It seems the young master is willing to go to some trouble for this great beauty.
Pei Xiting said awkwardly, “It’s just street food. I’m afraid it’s beneath you, Young Master.”
The attendant fetched a small stool and placed it at the side. Zhao Fan lifted his robe and sat down. “It’s fine. It smells good. Which kind are you having?”
“Hundred-flavor wontons.” Seeing Zhao Fan seated, Pei Xiting called the chubby boy over to order another bowl of hundred-flavor. He sat upright, looking at Zhao Fan.
Zhao Fan smiled. “There’s no need for so many formalities outside. Don’t wait for me; go ahead and eat.”
“Alright.” Pei Xiting resumed eating, his head down.
The Crown Prince casually looked up and saw Zhao Fan staring fixedly at Pei Xiting’s profile, his brows and eyes smiling, those peach blossom eyes seemingly soaked in a honey jar. That amorous, flirtatious aura was practically overflowing.
Though not a man of such inclinations himself, and never having been in love, he was no blind man. He could tell at a glance that Zhao Fan had likely taken a fancy to Pei Xiting.
Zong An… Shangguan Jie… Zhao Fan.
The Crown Prince glanced at Pei Xiting, who was immersed in the wonton’s aroma. Indeed, he had the looks to stir trouble. Just then, Pei Xiting, wonton in mouth, looked up and met his eyes. Those beautiful phoenix eyes crinkled in a hint of a smile.
“Crab and clove are the best,” Pei Xiting commented.
The Crown Prince looked at his bowl. “You’re only halfway through.”
“I’m giving a mid-course review. All right?” Pei Xiting asked earnestly.
The Crown Prince considered it. “All right.”
There, that’s settled. Pei Xiting let out a soft laugh, his nose wrinkling slightly, giving him a playful, youthful look. The Crown Prince’s expression shifted slightly as he glanced at Zhao Fan. The latter’s gaze was full of complex emotions, among which “desire” was hard to hide.
The chubby boy brought the wontons and placed them in front of Zhao Fan. Just as he was about to leave, Pei Xiting called him back. “Do you have raw, uncooked wontons packed to go?”
“Yes, sir. How many would you like? I’ll wrap them up for you right away.”
“Fifty, with every filling. I’ll take them with me.” Pei Xiting took out some loose silver from his pocket. “I’ll pay now. Keep the change.”
“How can that be?” the boy said. “This money could buy you several more big bowls. I definitely need to give you change.”
“Even if you give me copper coins, I wouldn’t want to carry them. Just keep it for now. I’ll come back and eat again, and then I won’t have to pay.” Pei Xiting smiled. “Remember what I look like.”
The boy grinned widely. “Sir, you look like an immortal. One look and I’ll remember you for years! Don’t worry, I’ll recognize you in an instant next time.”
“Alright, go on.” Pei Xiting patted the boy’s back; it was soft and springy.
Zhao Fan scrutinized the wonton bowl in front of him. “Like their wontons?”
Pei Xiting hummed in affirmation. “Very fragrant.”
“Easy. I’ll have someone buy their recipe or bring them directly to the capital to open a shop. You can have it when you return,” Zhao Fan said.
Pei Xiting didn’t know if the owner would agree, but he wasn’t willing to accept such a favor. “Wontons can be had anywhere. There are several shops in the capital with great flavor too. This place isn’t irreplaceable.”
Zhao Fan said nothing, lowered his head, and tried one. The taste was surprisingly good. He said casually, “I just came from the government office and heard from Prefect He that you had been there. How did things go? Do you need any help?”
“No trouble. Just checking a case file. I just need to wait for the archives to copy one for me.” Pei Xiting said, as if making small talk, “It’s getting late. Did you go to the office on important business?”
Zhao Fan had gone to the office specifically to find Pei Xiting. He lied, “Oh, my third cousin from the Bai family was kidnapped by some thugs. There’s still no news, so I went to ask the office about it.”
“What?” Pei Xiting put down his chopsticks, his brow slightly furrowed. “The Bai family is a prominent household, and they’re related to your family by marriage. How dare those thugs provoke them? Truly reckless.”
Zhao Fan spoke as if chatting with a friend, his tone deliberately casual. “We’re related by marriage, but that’s all. You may not know this—my mother holds a grudge against the Bai family, especially her father and brothers. Over the years, she’s had little to do with them and hasn’t returned. Only when the younger generation of the Bai family visits the capital each year does she still receive them.”
“I really didn’t know. I remember Si Fan once mentioned that the Duke and Duchess weren’t married by parental decree or matchmaker arrangement. They fell in love on their own and refused to marry anyone else. The Duke returned home and informed his parents. At first, they didn’t approve, but later the Emperor spoke a good word and completed the match,” Pei Xiting said.
“If it had been by parental decree, the Duke’s manor would never have allowed the daughter of a merchant family to marry their legitimate son, let alone as his principal wife. So back then, although my grandparents didn’t break them apart, they refused to nod. But my father persisted, kneeling day after day in supplication. Finally, my grandmother relented and agreed to let my mother enter the manor as a concubine. My father, however, said he would marry no one but my mother, or else he would immediately enter the palace and become a eunuch to serve His Majesty. My grandfather was furious and had my father beaten until his back was covered in blood in the ancestral hall. My father passed out from the pain but still refused to yield. Fortunately, His Majesty came in disguise, saved my father, and said, ‘A rare true heart.’ Only then was the marriage permitted,” Zhao Fan said.
“I see,” said Pei Xiting.
Since the Emperor himself had approved, how could the old Duke and Duchess dare to object? It could almost be considered an imperial bestowal, and no courtier would dare mock the Zhao family for this unequal match.
“The Duke and Duchess share a deep love. I can feel it even when Si Fan speaks of his parents. Truly rare,” Pei Xiting said, thinking to himself, With the same parents, one son is pure and the other promiscuous—truly polar opposites.
Unaware that he was being silently judged, Zhao Fan smiled. “They often bicker, but they never break apart. In our family, my mother is the one who makes the decisions. She’s an open-minded person and never interferes arbitrarily in important matters concerning us. Otherwise, I would already have a houseful of children. Speaking of which, Xiting, are you engaged?”
“No, I’m not.” Pei Xiting said with a bashful air. “I’m not considering marriage for now.”
Zhao Fan said, “There’s no need to rush. At the very least, you can’t go ahead of your elder brother.”
Hearing him mention Pei Jintang, Pei Xiting smiled. “Yes, that’s right.”
In the original novel, Zhao Fan’s feelings toward Pei Jintang were the least clear among the love interests. Shangguan Jie had fallen for Pei Jintang at first sight; Zong An saw sunny, cheerful Pei Jintang as his redemption. Zhao Fan, however, was more motivated by lust at first sight. Still, this ’lust’ was different from his usual type—refined, delicate, and soft—making it particularly unique.
Pei Xiting didn’t think these men truly loved Pei Jintang. If they genuinely loved someone, would they seek substitutes? Looking at a substitute to satisfy their eyes could be somewhat explained, but every single one of them eagerly and frequently went to bed with the substitute, craving that body—what kind of logic was that?
Pei Xiting couldn’t quite understand the heart of a scum gong. After parting ways, he carried a large bag of wontons and walked alongside the Crown Prince. “Hey, Brother Fu, can I ask you a question?”
The Crown Prince said, “No.”
“Alright,” Pei Xiting said. “If you liked someone but couldn’t have them for the time being, would you look for a substitute?”
The Crown Prince asked, “Why can’t you have them?”
“Even an inanimate object can be unattainable, let alone a living person. Maybe you like them very much and try every way to win their favor, but they remain unmoved, utterly indifferent. Or,” Pei Xiting said teasingly, “are you a potential enthusiast of ‘forced love’? If you can’t have their heart, you’ll at least have their body?”
“Forced love”—the Crown Prince had never heard the term before, but he could guess its meaning. “A person’s bones can be easily broken, but some hearts are harder than cold steel, unyielding even under coercion and torment. What’s the point of forcing someone whose heart doesn’t belong to you? As for the saying ‘if you can’t have the heart, at least have the body’…”
The Crown Prince’s expression was calm, but clearly perplexed. “What’s so good about having a ‘corpse’? I would never stoop to forcing someone in bed.”
“What if someone forced you?” Pei Xiting said.
The Crown Prince said, “I’ve yet to meet something that dares to court death that way.”
Pei Xiting kicked a small pebble. “Doesn’t the Spider Woman count?”
The Crown Prince turned abruptly, his back to the alley. Pei Xiting was forced to retreat until his back was against the wall, apparently worried about dirtying his clothes, so he used the head of his fan to press against the Crown Prince’s chest, stopping him just short of the wall.
The Crown Prince’s gaze slid from the bamboo fan to Pei Xiting’s brows and eyes. “Where did you hear that?”
“Every past event leaves traces if it ever existed.” Pei Xiting tilted his head slightly. “Is it a crime for me to overhear something?”
Avoiding a direct answer meant something was definitely up, but the Crown Prince didn’t press further. He only said, “She wanted to sexually assault and kill me, not force me into love.”
Pei Xiting asked, “Was the Spider Woman beautiful?”
The Crown Prince said, “I didn’t notice.”
Pei Xiting didn’t believe him. “She was going to kill you, and you didn’t even spare her a glance?”
“It was dark at night. I snapped her neck before she even got into my bed. Since she was dead, I didn’t care whether she was beautiful or not,” said the Crown Prince.
Pei Xiting was momentarily speechless. “Oh.”
The Crown Prince looked at him. “What are you trying to find out?”
“Your aesthetic preferences.” Pei Xiting gave an example. “Young Master Zhao likes those with delicate features, slender figures, and a somewhat androgynous look when dressed up. That’s his aesthetic orientation in terms of appearance. You don’t like people, but you must have aesthetic standards. What kind of looks would most attract you?”
Thus far, the Crown Prince had only been attracted to Pei Xiting’s face. Perhaps because he was exceptionally handsome, or maybe because of those eyes, like autumn pools condensed.
But he wouldn’t say that, for fear Pei Xiting would become smug.
“Probably light and gentle types,” the Crown Prince said casually. “Like Doctor Su, who lives next door to you.”
Pei Xiting had never met the Doctor Su. “Oh,” he said.