Chapter 43#

Sound Waves: Little Pei Goes South of the River (10)#

“Secretary Pei seems quite popular with the ladies,” Yu Shaoyun said dryly, standing behind the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince replied, “He’s good-looking, generous, not frivolous, and knows a bit of sweet talk. It’s not surprising he’s well-liked.”

“Should we have someone keep an eye on him?” Yu Shaoyun asked.

“He has his own attendant. Why are you worried?” said the Crown Prince.

Worried for him? Yu Shaoyun sighed inwardly, then said as if reminding him, “Secretary Pei is still young and impetuous. At this age, people are most prone to spring fever. If he spends time with several beautiful young ladies, what if he takes a fancy to one and immediately sends word home to propose marriage upon his return?”

Indeed, anything was possible. The Crown Prince paused, then countered instead of answering, “Are you very concerned about his marriage prospects?”

Yu Shaoyun wasn’t Pei Xiting’s parent, nor did he harbor any such thoughts about him, so naturally, he wasn’t concerned about Pei Xiting’s marriage. But he always had to plan and worry on His Highness’s behalf. Although His Highness himself wasn’t clear about his own feelings yet, one must prepare for the worst. Before His Highness figured things out and made a decision, it was best that Pei Xiting not be betrothed—after all, forcefully taking another’s husband would be quite improper.

But Yu Shaoyun couldn’t say this directly, nor did he want to cause any misunderstandings, so he quickly said, “I’m afraid that if his heart stirs with spring desires, he’ll spend all his time thinking about romance and love, and won’t be able to devote himself wholeheartedly to his duties. Don’t you agree, Your Highness?”

The Crown Prince accepted this reasoning and said calmly, “You can keep an eye on his person, but you can’t keep an eye on his heart.”

With a temperament like Pei Xiting’s, if he truly developed feelings for someone, separating them would be easy, but shattering his heart would be another matter.

His slender fingertip slid across the zither strings, pressing a bit too hard, causing a slight sting. The Crown Prince furrowed his brow slightly, stared expressionlessly at the zither for a moment, then withdrew his hand and called the shopkeeper over. “The zither is fine, but the strings aren’t good enough. If a beginner uses them, they might easily hurt their hands.”

“To match this zither, these are already the best and most expensive silk strings in our shop.” The shopkeeper could tell at a glance that this was a distinguished customer and said with some difficulty, “If you’re looking for something even better, I’m afraid you won’t find it in Ningzhou’s zither shops.”

So he’s buying it for Pei Xiting? Yu Shaoyun, with his broad experience, could see that these zither strings were indeed top-notch—even the strings used in the mansions of dukes and marquises in the capital were no better. Giving them to a beginner was nothing short of a waste of heaven’s gifts, and yet His Highness still found them unsatisfactory…

Yu Shaoyun stole a glance at the Crown Prince, feeling increasingly uneasy, then said, “Take those strings off. We’ll pay the full price.”

That evening, Pei Xiting returned to Willow Bank. As soon as he entered, he saw a long wooden box placed on the table.

To be safe, it was Yuan Fang who reached out to open the box. Inside, there was no hidden weapon, but a zither—black lacquer, paulownia face, cedar base, with cracked ice patterns. Above the dragon pool was engraved the small seal script “Jade Sound, Clear Harmony,” exuding an air of antique elegance.

“This zither screams one word from head to toe,” Yuan Fang said.

Pei Xiting snapped back to reality. “What?”

Yuan Fang said, “Money.”

Pei Xiting chuckled. “Look at this small seal mark. The character ‘Jade Sound’ tells you its origin—Yang Yuyin, the most famous zither maker of our time. His previous zithers have sold for a thousand pieces of gold.”

“How much?” Yuan Fang exclaimed, poking the zither’s surface as if it had suddenly turned into dazzling gold. “How can it be worth that much?”

“Master Yang is in his seventies. He’s only made seven zithers in his life, each taking years or even over a decade to complete. To us, it’s just a fine zither, but to the maker, every detail is the result of careful deliberation and polishing.” Pei Xiting explained, “A good zither naturally attracts wealthy buyers. Sometimes, if two or more people compete for it, the already high price gets bid up even further, and the final selling price is astonishing.”

Yuan Fang nodded in understanding. “So it seems this zither must have cost a fortune too. The only person who could afford it, enter this place, and give it to you as a gift is that one person.”

Pei Xiting was uncertain. “Do you think His Highness gave me this zither as a subtle hint that I shouldn’t use his precious zither anymore?”

“You’re overthinking it.” Yuan Fang looked at Pei Xiting with difficulty. “If he didn’t want you to touch it, he’d just say so directly. Would he need to buy you such an expensive zither?”

To be honest, he thought it was already an unbelievable miracle that the Crown Prince was willing to teach Pei Xiting the zither in the first place.

That’s right. One phrase awakened Pei Xiting from his confusion. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Indeed, the person involved is blind, but the bystander sees clearly. So, it’s simply a gift for me.”

Yuan Fang thought Pei Xiting’s smile was rather pathetic, but still said, “Congratulations. I think you have a chance.”

“I think so too.” Pei Xiting was a bit excited. “If I succeed, I’ll definitely give you a raise. Double it.”

With that, he gently closed the zither case. “Let’s go out for a stroll.”

Yuan Fang was taken aback. “We just got back.”

“I’m happy. I need to go out and express myself,” Pei Xiting said.

Yuan Fang rolled his eyes but followed along.

Late at night, when the Crown Prince returned, Pei Xiting’s door was open. The short white boots he had worn out today were placed by the entrance, but he was nowhere to be seen.

The Crown Prince withdrew his gaze and was about to enter his own room when he heard footsteps behind him.

Pei Xiting, dressed in a short shirt and shorts, wearing wooden clogs, came in through the courtyard gate. Large patches of skin were exposed, and his fair fingers hooked a money pouch. He seemed in a good mood, even humming a tune. When he saw the Crown Prince, his eyes lit up, and he immediately walked over.

“Your Highness.” Pei Xiting approached the Crown Prince and clasped his hands in greeting.

The Crown Prince looked at him. “Dressed like that, where have you been?”

“I played some cards with my colleagues up front and even won a tael.” Pei Xiting shook his money pouch as he spoke, then added, “Thank you for the zither, Your Highness. I really like it. I’m sorry for the expense.”

“The original strings weren’t good enough. When we return to the capital, I’ll get you proper ones.” The Crown Prince paused. “You came back quite early.”

Pei Xiting said, “Yes.”

The Crown Prince glanced at him, then turned away. Pei Xiting sensed something off and pursued, “Have I committed a heinous crime again?”

Drawing portraits for young ladies, sitting around a stove brewing tea—these were just young people chatting together in their free time, hardly a fault. The Crown Prince rubbed his prayer beads, feeling a sudden displeasure—not just with Pei Xiting, who had done nothing wrong, but also with his own inexplicable emotional fluctuations.

This emotion was indescribable, hard to accept. He looked at Pei Xiting, his gaze turning somewhat heavy.

Pei Xiting’s heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, he straightened up and looked at the Crown Prince without speaking. But after a rapid mental roll call, he still couldn’t figure out what he had done wrong today.

If he had really displeased His Highness, why would he have bought him a zither? If not, why did His Highness seem to be turning into a human air conditioner again?

Pei Xiting didn’t understand and thought to himself: Serving a prince is like being with a tiger—no lie there.

The corridor suddenly fell silent, the atmosphere strange. Just then, Yu Shaoyun came from behind and said, “Secretary Pei is back?”

Pei Xiting hummed in acknowledgment. Seeing Yu Shaoyun stop behind the Crown Prince and smile at him, he asked, “What do you think of the tea snacks at Pure Breeze Pavilion?”

The young lady had really liked the portrait Pei Xiting drew. Afterwards, they had left the painting studio together and gone to a nearby estate for a stove-side tea party as dinner. That estate was called Pure Breeze Pavilion.

Pei Xiting was taken aback. “Was Your Highness at Pure Breeze Pavilion earlier too?”

“We passed by and happened to see Secretary Pei sitting at a table with several young ladies,” Yu Shaoyun mentioned casually.

“Why didn’t you two come in? I only had a small piece of tea snack, but it tasted good. Their tea leaves are very fragrant, and there’s one called Ice and Snow Tea that’s excellent.” Pei Xiting clutched his money pouch. Could it be that he hadn’t seen the Crown Prince at that time, and the Crown Prince was unhappy because he thought he was blind?

Thinking this, Pei Xiting quickly added, “No worries about missing it today. Another day, I’ll treat Your Highness to a taste?”

The Crown Prince said coolly, “Didn’t you say your purse was tight? How do you have spare money for Pure Breeze Pavilion?”

“Was it expensive? I didn’t know. Miss Fang paid, saying it was to thank me for drawing her portrait and for her friends accompanying her out for the painting. Of course, if Your Highness and Commander Yu had come over then, I would definitely have treated,” Pei Xiting said.

“You hit it off with the young ladies at first sight. Why would we barge in?” the Crown Prince said. “If anything, we would have been the third wheel.”

“It wasn’t exactly hitting it off at first sight, but we’re all fated to meet in this vast sea of people. Sitting together and chatting is just one way to pass leisure time, isn’t it?” Pei Xiting said. “If you two had come, it would have been livelier, not intrusive.”

“But you were strangers meeting by chance. What could you talk about?” Yu Shaoyun took the opportunity to probe.

“Paintings, clothes, makeup, good food, fun things, beautiful sights, and gossip about this family or that… We talked about everything, whatever came to mind. Although we were only passing acquaintances, as long as everyone behaved politely and knew their boundaries, it’s not easy to offend anyone.” As he spoke, Pei Xiting suddenly caught on. It seemed these two were somewhat concerned about him having tea with the young ladies?

Among the young ladies, two were from official families. Pei Xiting glanced at the Crown Prince, then at Yu Shaoyun, and asked, “Is there an old acquaintance of Commander Yu among them?”

“No,” Yu Shaoyun smiled. “I was just curious if Secretary Pei was about to perform a scene from The Lotus Island Romance?”

That was a Ningzhou opera. Pei Xiting had heard it at Little Spring Garden. It told the story of the lotus-viewing season, where the crowd on Lotus Island was so dense that the male lead fell in love with the female lead at first sight and gave her a lotus flower to get acquainted.

So they were just gossiping. He immediately chuckled and said, “That’s a grave injustice to me.”

Yu Shaoyun said, “Just a casual chat. Don’t take it to heart, Secretary Pei.”

Pei Xiting said, “Of course.”

Back in his room, Pei Xiting lay down on a bamboo chair. He replayed the Crown Prince’s few sentences and expressions in his mind, treating it with the seriousness of an exam passage analysis, and finally arrived at a very bold conclusion:

Could it be that the Crown Prince was jealous?

Pei Xiting turned over, scratching the armrest with his fingertip.

It shouldn’t be. He had maintained proper boundaries with the young ladies—no physical contact, no intimate behavior. Even if someone wanted to be jealous, there was absolutely no reason for it.

Besides, would the Crown Prince really be jealous of him…? If not jealousy, then why ask so much… But if it was jealousy, it didn’t quite fit… And if it wasn’t, then what was so strange…

Pei Xiting couldn’t figure it out, tangled and hesitant, unable to settle on an answer. Finally, he bounced up and went next door.

He walked to the window, knocked, and asked directly, “Your Highness, are you unhappy because I spent half a day with the young ladies?”

So direct, Yu Shaoyun was inwardly shocked.

“No.” After a moment, the Crown Prince’s voice came from inside, somewhat muffled.

Pei Xiting felt relieved at that, but inexplicably a little disappointed. He said “Oh” and went back to his room.

Light footsteps faded away, and the neighboring door closed. The Crown Prince sat behind the zither table, his fingertip pressing on the strings. Dim candlelight cast a cold, heavy shadow over his profile.

His prayer beads lay silently in the corner of the zither table. The Crown Prince turned his head to look at them, and before his eyes appeared Pei Xiting’s smiling eyes as he took the hair ribbon from the young lady’s hand.

When heartless, he was like this. If one day he were moved by emotion, what would those eyes look like?

The Crown Prince couldn’t imagine it, nor did he know why he needed to imagine it. It had nothing to do with him.

Inexplicable, muddled emotions intertwined. The Crown Prince only felt a nameless frustration. He released his fingertip, and the zither string vibrated uncontrollably, scattering tiny drops of blood.

Yu Shaoyun outside seemed to sense something and said softly, “Your Highness?”

“…It’s nothing.” The Crown Prince looked at the crimson seeping from his fingertip, unsure if he was answering Yu Shaoyun or himself. “It’s nothing.”

The misty rain lifted, revealing Ningzhou in a fresh, charming hue.

Over the next few days, Pei Xiting went out every day, wandering around gathering impressions. Occasionally he dined with Bai Yunying, drank with Zhao Fan, or “happened to meet” Shangguan Jie—but whenever that happened, Zhao Fan would also “happen to pass by,” turning their duo into a trio or sending them all home separately, saving Pei Xiting a lot of trouble.

Once, in between, Bai Yunying brought Bai Yunzhi out. The Third Miss Bai had rested at home for a few days and recovered well. With a thin layer of rouge, she was truly as beautiful as a peach blossom, radiant and spirited.

At night, with no one to disturb them, Pei Xiting studied the zither with the Crown Prince, night after night.

On the incense stand burned an orange-scented incense that Pei Xiting had found. Its fragrance was sweet and natural, and he had successfully coaxed the Crown Prince into lighting it. Outside, the night was deep. Pei Xiting plucked a string and said, “Prefect He and the Bai family have called off the engagement. They only said the young people’s temperaments didn’t match and they weren’t suitable for marriage. That’s still fairly decent of them.”

The Crown Prince sat nearby, turning the pages of a zither score, and responded with a casual “Mm.”

“Master and Madam Bai aren’t willing to give up. They still want to form a marriage alliance with the Zhao family. When Third Miss Bai went out today, the rouge on her face was very thick, but it still couldn’t hide the slap mark.” Pei Xiting glanced at his own scroll of zither score and played awkwardly. “Everyone says Third Miss Bai is doted on at home. I’m not so sure.”

“The Bai family is wealthy and prosperous; raising a daughter in luxury is easy. But that doesn’t stop them from tossing her out for profit without hesitation.” The Crown Prince turned his head to look at Pei Xiting’s calm profile. “Do you sympathize with Third Miss Bai?”

“‘No parents don’t love their own children’—that’s a lie. There are parents in this world a thousand times worse than the Bai couple. If I sympathized with every one of them, how could I live?” Pei Xiting said flatly. “I see that Third Miss Bai is still fairly clear-headed, and with Bai Yunluo’s help, she probably won’t go after the Zhao Crown Prince .”

Speaking of the Zhao Crown Prince , Pei Xiting suddenly remembered Shangguan Jie. He stopped his hands, turned his head to meet the Crown Prince’s gaze, and said seriously, “Marquis Shangguan left the capital without authorization and neglected his duties. Are you going to do something about it, Your Highness?”

The Crown Prince said, “Before leaving the capital, he left a note at the department and swapped shifts with someone. It’s fine.”

Pei Xiting was disappointed at this, and he showed it openly.

Seeing this, the Crown Prince said, “Do you know what you look like right now?”

Pei Xiting raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”

“Slandering with sweet words,” the Crown Prince said.

“Wrongful accusation,” Pei Xiting said. “At most, it’s petty revenge.”

The Crown Prince looked at him. “Keep playing.”

Pei Xiting pouted. “I’m not very good at it.”

“Everything starts from unfamiliarity and grows into familiarity. Calm your heart,” the Crown Prince said.

Pei Xiting couldn’t calm down. He said, “I’m hot.”

The Crown Prince glanced at the carved ice mountain in the room and said, “A calm heart makes you naturally cool.”

“You won’t let me wear short sleeves and shorts,” Pei Xiting grumbled.

The Crown Prince said, “Dressed improperly—what kind of appearance is that?”

“There’s no one else in this courtyard. Why all the fuss? Some court officials are most particular about etiquette during the day, but when summer comes and they return to their own courtyards, they wear whatever is coolest, just barely covering their bodies.” Pei Xiting muttered, “You’re even more old-fashioned than them.”

The Crown Prince said, “How do you know what others wear in their own homes?”

Pei Xiting had read about it in a book before—couldn’t remember the name, but it described ancient people’s cooling inventions, like little halter tops and tiny bustiers. This place was fictional, so he couldn’t be sure if they existed, but he still stiffened his neck and said with great confidence, “I saw it through a dog hole.”

“Oh,” the Crown Prince said coolly, “Secretly peeping into officials’ residences, recording their private affairs—ill intentions.”

The moment the words fell, Pei Xiting placed both hands on the zither and simultaneously swept forward, producing a thunderous sound from the ancient instrument.

The Crown Prince was attacked by this, furrowing his brow slightly. He was about to speak when he saw Pei Xiting lift the zither, turn it around to face him directly, and launch another wave of attack.

“…”

Pei Xiting’s expression was serious, his fingers flexibly strumming the strings at random, with the air of someone who had cultivated a thousand years of skill and could kill with zither sound.

The Crown Prince suddenly didn’t know what to say. Calling Pei Xiting presumptuous? But this man was presumptuous every day. If he really called him out on it, there would be too many to count. Calling him childish? But there was a certain charm to his childishness. The attack was quite fierce, though. The Crown Prince reached out, placed his hand between Pei Xiting’s, pressing down on the zither’s surface, and said, “Is this revenge?”

Pei Xiting stopped his attack. “False accusation with no basis.”

“Didn’t you say it yourself?” the Crown Prince said. “Going out of your way to crawl through someone else’s dog hole—how can you blame me for suspecting you have ulterior motives?”

“Does everything have to have a reason?” Pei Xiting asked. “What if I’m simply mentally ill?”

The Crown Prince thought for a moment. “Indeed, no one has ever ruled that a person cannot be mentally ill.”

“Exactly,” Pei Xiting said. “When I have an episode, I don’t just like crawling through dog holes—I also like going mad-dog style, running wildly through the streets biting whoever I see.”

He said boldly, “When that happens, you’d better stay out of my way, or I might bite you.”

“When that happens, you’d better keep your distance from me. Otherwise,” the Crown Prince’s gaze slid down to Pei Xiting’s red lips, and he said flatly, “I’ll tie a rope around your tongue and chain you up in the courtyard, ridding the people of a scourge.”

Such a calm tone and expression, yet such a twisted thing to say.

Pei Xiting was stunned, momentarily unable to retort. But he refused to back down, so he once again transformed into a ten-fingered zither demon, launching a sound wave attack on the Crown Prince.

“…” The Crown Prince clicked his tongue softly, then suddenly reached out and snatched the innocent zither from Pei Xiting’s hands, placing it back in its spot. He then grabbed Pei Xiting by the back of the neck. “Stand up.”

His movement was too fast; Pei Xiting had no time to react before being “disarmed.” The hand on his nape was warm and strong, burning his skin so that he instinctively shrank back. “No—”

Before he could finish, the fingertip pressed slightly, as if in warning. Pei Xiting wisely stood up and was dragged by the neck to the door, then pushed out.

He turned around. The Crown Prince stood behind the threshold, his dazzling face as calm as ever, a stark contrast to the warmth of his hand.

Pei Xiting stared at those indifferent phoenix eyes, tilting his head slightly as if standing at the mouth of a well, carefully studying and exploring its depth, guessing whether jumping in would offer any chance of survival. His expression was dazed and hesitant.

The Crown Prince felt a bit displeased by the “interrogation,” along with some indescribable emotions. In any case, he didn’t want to be stared at by Pei Xiting any longer, so he turned away.

Pei Xiting snapped back to reality as the Crown Prince was about to step away. “Your Highness, tomorrow is the Lotus Picking Festival. Don’t forget.”

The Crown Prince did not turn around. “I haven’t forgotten. But I never agreed to anything.”

Pei Xiting was taken aback. True enough, the Crown Prince had agreed to return to the capital with him after the Lotus Picking Festival, but he had never said he would go out with him that day.

“Then I’m inviting you now,” Pei Xiting said. “Tomorrow, I’ll be waiting for you at Lotus Island.”

Without waiting for the Crown Prince’s reply, he turned and went back into his room, his steps faster than usual, betraying a hint of haste—as if if he were any slower, the Crown Prince might refuse, and if the Crown Prince didn’t refuse tonight, he would surely come tomorrow.

The door of the neighboring room closed, a bit heavier than usual, as if the person shutting it had momentarily forgotten to control their strength, carried away by emotion.

The Crown Prince stood still for a moment before finally moving into the inner chamber.

The next morning, a luxurious carriage arrived at Willow Bank.

Gao Liu entered the inn and quickly came out to stand by the window. “Master, Third Young Master Pei has already left.”

“Alone?” Zhao Fan asked.

“With his attendant,” Gao Liu said.

As long as it wasn’t Shangguan Jie, it was fine. Zhao Fan shook his fan. “Let’s go.”

But speak of the devil. Gao Liu looked ahead. “The young marquis has arrived.”

Zhao Fan raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to look at Shangguan Jie, who had come to the window. He smiled. “Jianhe is here to see Xiting?”

“Exactly,” Shangguan Jie replied without hesitation, also smiling. “And Xingjian too?”

“Yes, but unfortunately, we’re both too late.” Zhao Fan let out a leisurely sigh. “Xiting has already left with his attendant.”

Seeing Shangguan Jie’s displeasure, he added, “Since we’ve run into each other, why not keep each other company? It’ll be livelier. What do you say?”

Shangguan Jie had no interest in the Lotus Picking Festival, but he knew Zhao Fan would never miss an opportunity to use such a festive occasion to invite Pei Xiting out for a pleasant outing. Together, they would share the festival, enjoy the perfect moon and flowers, and Pei Xiting might easily be fooled, letting Zhao Fan coax him into losing his head.

Although Pei Xiting had already left, if he stayed with Zhao Fan now, Zhao Fan wouldn’t have a chance to be alone with Pei Xiting. Having made up his mind, Shangguan Jie nodded. “Sure, then I’ll take the ride.”

He got into the carriage, and Gao Liu closed the door. The carriage drove away.

Shang Xifeng came out of the entrance, glanced at the departing carriage, cracked a melon seed, and said, “Secretary Pei sure has a lot of friends.”

You Zong was brewing tea behind the door and said, “That’s not a good thing.”

Shang Xifeng didn’t fully understand but walked over, picked up a large palm-leaf fan, and fanned You Zong. “We rarely have leisure time. Why don’t you go out?”

“There’s nothing out there worth going for,” You Zong said. “His Highness has Commander Yu to escort and protect him. He doesn’t need me.”

“Speaking of which, it’s strange. They’re both going out, but why is His Highness leaving separately from Secretary Pei today?” Shang Xifeng was puzzled.

You Zong watched the flame under the tea stove. “They’re both heading to Lotus Island. They might run into each other.”

“Lotus Island is huge, and today it’ll be packed with people. That might be hard.” Shang Xifeng said.

You Zong didn’t confirm or deny. “If fate wills it, you can meet by just turning your head. If there’s intention, fate is everywhere.”