Chapter 5#

Jintang: From Broke to Baller, Cast Meets for the First Time…#

Madam Wang sat upright in the main seat, wearing a bamboo-green cross-collar ruqun, adorned with a set of deep, dark green jade accessories. She was speaking with the Prince Ning’s Mansion ’s senior counselor, her demeanor reminiscent of Peixiting ’s middle school homeroom teacher, which then reminded him of the pancake uncle .

Ever since he went abroad to study, he often received WeChat messages from the pancake uncle . That simple, hardworking, middle-aged man was not good with words, and each time he would only send a few photos of hot pancakes and his little stray dog* honestly keeping watch at the stall, to express his longing and care for this old customer.

It was a pity he wouldn’t see him again. He didn’t know if uncle had received the snack tricycle he bought for him and the “Paw Patrol Captain” dog motorcycle… He hoped this man and the dog could be happy every day, smooth sailing all the way.

Peixiting lowered his eyelids, and thought of the Crown Prince’s string of glass prayer beads. He should have one made for himself too, so he could fiddle with it when he was annoyed.

Come to think of it, the Crown Prince’s beads were black glass. Black belongs to water, which overcomes fire, implying fire prevention. Black prayer beads are also associated with the practice of the Wrathful Lotus-Born Buddha. It seems His Highness the Crown Prince isn’t exactly as unyielding as a rock, without any cracks after all.

The counselor drank a cup of tea and stated his purpose. It turned out that the Prince Ning’s Mansion ’s heir was going to host this year’s Start-of-Summer Banquet at Pixia Mountain in a few days, and needed a few painters.

The so-called Start-of-Summer Banquet was a gathering held every year on the day of Grain in Ear for the sons of court officials. The purpose of this banquet, which aimed to promote friendly exchanges among peers (and if not friendly, also conveniently provided an arena for hair-pulling and conflict), was hosted in turn by the sons of aristocratic families. This year it was the Prince Ning’s Mansion heir’s turn. He had no interest in flower appreciation and rope-knotting, so he wanted to add horse racing and hunting.

Rumor had it that the Prince Ning’s Mansion heir valued appearance; none of the young men who associated closely with him were plain-looking. Therefore, the painters for this event would be selected from various families.

The counselor looked at the two brothers standing in the hall. He had seen Pei Jintang several times before—a very handsome and generous young man—but this was his first time seeing the Third Young Master of the Pei family… He was truly good-looking indeed.

“Can Third Young Master Pei paint and ride a horse?” the counselor asked.

Peixiting answered, “I have some knowledge in both.”

Madam Wang frowned slightly and glanced at Peixiting . She remembered that Peixiting couldn’t ride a horse. But because of the Prince Ning’s Mansion ’s man present, it was hard for her to speak. If others found out that a son of their own family was casually lying, where would the Pei family’s face be?

Seeing Peixiting ’s slender frame, his exposed wrists thin and delicate against his fair skin, he looked utterly weak, not like someone who could control a horse. But Peixiting showed no signs of lying, so the counselor said, “On the twenty-ninth of this month, both young masters can come to Pixia Mountain. It’ll be lively that day, with good food and fun.”

He left behind two gold-flecked invitation cards, gave a few more words of advice, and stood up to leave.

The steward waited outside the hall to see the guest out.

Madam Wang sat back down, staying silent. Both brothers thought in unison: Time for a lecture.

Sure enough, Madam Wang said in a deep voice, “The Prince Ning’s Mansion heir is of high status and proud by nature, not someone easy to get along with. At the horse racing meet, there will also be many sons of nobles, each with their own temperament. One misstep can easily cause offense. You must be proper and polite, don’t be timid and lose face on stage, and even less should you tell lies to stand out or attract attention, bringing disaster to the family.”

Peixiting was zoning out, feeling a stern gaze fixed on his face. He knew Madam Wang was directing this at him.

He let it in one ear and out the other, saying meekly, “Mother, rest assured.”

Pei Jintang also said, “Mother, don’t worry. I will take good care of Third Brother.”

Madam Wang’s original intention was for Peixiting to be honest, so that they could still find an excuse to withdraw the invitation. Seeing this, she frowned and said, “You both agree readily. If anything goes wrong, there will be severe punishment.”

Madam Wang rose and left. Peixiting and Pei Jintang walked back together.

On the way, Pei Jintang said, “I remember you don’t know how to ride a horse. A few years ago, you tried to learn once and nearly broke your leg. You never tried again after that.”

When Peixiting first learned to ride, he also fell, but after a few falls, he got the hang of it. He turned his head to meet Pei Jintang ’s curious gaze and smiled sheepishly, “I went to learn again later, but I was afraid of falling and looking foolish, so I learned in secret.”

Pei Jintang had thought this Third Brother seemed different today—before coming to the front hall to greet their mother, he wasn’t as timid and nervous as before; before the guest, he was calm and generous, his voice louder and steadier. But seeing this familiar smile now, he couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

“What’s so embarrassing about it? I fell too when I first learned.” Pei Jintang emphasized, “I wouldn’t laugh at you.”

Pei Jintang was expressing friendliness and closeness, and Peixiting picked up on it.

Pei Jintang didn’t like being pinned to a desk by Madam Wang to study for examinations all day, and he didn’t want to constantly learn this rule and that etiquette. He just wanted to be a wanderer, traveling the world, even if he lived in a broken temple and wore coarse cloth, he would be unrestrained. He was a straightforward person, with a youthful spirit hidden in his bones, unlike " Peixiting ." " Peixiting " was a tamed, soft gourd—soft on the outside, empty on the inside. His friendship with Qing Lingling was his only source of vitality, so after Qing Lingling was gone, " Peixiting " couldn’t hold on for long.

“I didn’t think Second Brother would laugh at me,” Peixiting said. “Don’t misunderstand, Second Brother.”

“You’re the one who shouldn’t misunderstand. Brooding all day will only narrow your heart.” Pei Jintang patted Peixiting ’s shoulder. “Don’t be afraid at the Start-of-Summer Banquet. Just stick with me. Nothing will go wrong.”

Sticking with you would be asking for trouble, wouldn’t it? Where you are, the scumbag group will inevitably gather and form a party. Peixiting said gratefully, “Then I’ll trouble Second Brother to take care of me.”

“Between brothers, don’t thank me at every turn. Saying it too much makes things distant.” Pei Jintang put his arm around Peixiting . “Our family has few people; there’s no need for so much sibling rivalry. Loosen up a bit—honestly, if you can outshine me and bring glory to the family, I’ll definitely thank you!”

Peixiting said, “Alright. But the responsibility of bringing glory to the family—let Second Brother bear it.”

Pei Jintang was a bit surprised, because in the past, Peixiting would have immediately dodged and nervously said, “Arm on shoulder, improper and disrespectful.”

All because Mother had managed them silly! What’s wrong with brothers slinging arms around each other?

So now, Pei Jintang was quite happy. Enjoying the novelty, he hugged Peixiting again and said, “Alright, you go back. Another day I’ll take you out to get some new clothes.”

“I have—”

“After all, it’s an occasion where nobles will gather. Even if you don’t intend to compete for attention, you still need to tidy yourself up. Otherwise, tongues may wag, spreading rumors that Mother is pinching your monthly allowance. If those rumors get back to the mansion, you’ll be lectured again.” Actually, Pei Jintang didn’t care about this implicit competition. But he knew how much this younger brother feared their mother, and he worried that Peixiting would revert to his old ways after being scolded, so he said this.

He patted Peixiting ’s shoulder. “It’s settled. I’m off now.”

Peixiting didn’t refuse anymore. He nodded and said, “Second Brother, go slowly.”

Pei Jintang left, walking with dignity, but couldn’t help hopping at the corner—another caged bird, but with an active mind, always thinking of flying outside.

Peixiting withdrew his gaze. While heading back to Wangchun Courtyard, he pondered: The Crown Prince’s thigh is hard to cling to. Clinging to it was only in hopes of saving his life in an emergency. But connections—having a few more wouldn’t hurt.

The Start-of-Summer Banquet was an opportunity.

Peixiting sighed and muttered, “Such a hassle.”

If only those three bastards, Shangguan Jie and his crew, could inexplicably knock their brains out.

“Brainless fool!” Shangguan Jie smashed a teacup, furious. “Didn’t see him, didn’t see him—did the man sprout wings and fly away?”

The two men tasked with surveillance knelt before the couch, both pale. One of them said, “Marquis, please see clearly! We honestly didn’t slack off. From last night until just now when we came back, we really didn’t see the Third Young Master Pei.”

“Shut up!” Shangguan Jie’s already throbbing forehead felt even more swollen. He pressed the white bandage on his forehead, then abruptly fell back onto the cushion, his fists cracking.

The Po Yin Lin was stolen. If it got out, he would bear the crime of losing an imperial gift. So after waking up last night, he could only send guards to search secretly. Those Jianghu people always had their own ways of hiding things, and the thief’s skills were excellent, leaving not a trace, making the search naturally difficult. But strangely, Peixiting had also vanished without a trace.

Earlier, Shangguan Jie had gone to Yuanyang Hall. Qing Lingling said straightforwardly that she had put up Peixiting for one night, and he had left in the morning. With a tone of “How should I know where he got off to,” and because of the Prince Ning’s Mansion heir, he couldn’t use force.

The gatekeeper had also seen Peixiting leave Yuanyang Hall with his own eyes, but asking along the way, no one had seen where he went. He hadn’t returned to the Pei residence either… Could the treasure thief have killed him and left his body in the wilderness?

Shangguan Jie was furious, not because he was worried about Peixiting , but because that face was truly exquisite. It would be a pity if he died just like that.

“Marquis.” A personal guard entered quickly, kneeling before the couch. “Found him.”

Shangguan Jie abruptly threw off the blanket, but it pulled at the wound on his forehead and below his navel, making him inhale sharply.

The guard quickly reached out to support him, but Shangguan Jie raised his hand to stop him, enduring the pain and saying, “Where?”

“At the Pei residence. Today, people from the Prince Ning’s Mansion went to deliver invitations for the Start-of-Summer Banquet to the two young masters. I happened to meet him on the street and asked casually. Only then did I learn that the Third Young Master Pei had indeed been at the Pei residence today.”

“Drag these two useless wastes out and give them twenty lashes each.” Shangguan Jie didn’t even look at the two wastes being dragged away. He sneered, “Start-of-Summer Banquet… He actually dares to go.”

The guard lowered his eyes and silently lit an incense stick for Peixiting in his heart.

“What incense?”

At noon on the twenty-first, Peixiting and Pei Jintang had chosen the fabric and styles at a cloth shop on Willow Street and then wandered into the incense shop next door. Before Peixiting could answer, Pei Jintang leaned in to sniff the small jar in his hand, identifying, “Citrus fruit wine, citron, tea fragrance, ginger… and maybe musk…”

“Dog nose,” Peixiting said.

He didn’t change perfumes often. One of his most commonly used perfumes before was a gin and tonic with bubbles. He definitely couldn’t find the same thing in Da Ye. The ingredients in the jar he held were somewhat similar, and it smelled decent. Even though it was a paste, it wasn’t too cloying. If he applied it to his philtrum, he would be perpetually tipsy.

Peixiting took the jar to the counter. The owner quoted the price: twenty taels.

“How much?!” Pei Jintang gasped.

This was the land of gold and jade, everything expensive. Buying from a good shop was basically offering your money pouch and saying, “Come, rob me.” He expected this Third Brother of his to immediately blush and put the incense back… Ah well, since he barely wanted to buy anything, he would grit his teeth and pay.

Pei Jintang reached for his thin money pouch. “Slap.” The money was already on the counter, and his Third Brother said flatly, “Wrap it up.”

“Oh?” While the owner was wrapping the jar, Pei Jintang leaned in close and whispered, “Where did you get that much money?”

“I saved it.” In the past half month, Peixiting had sneaked off to a painting studio to sell two paintings, earning a little money.

Pei Jintang naturally had no idea that his brother had followed him twice while he climbed over the wall to earn extra income. He was shocked. “You can save that much? And you’ve been saving for a year, but you spend it all in one go just for a jar of incense? And such a small jar at that. If you use it daily, it’ll last at most a month.”

“I need incense, so I bought it. What’s the problem?” Peixiting took the pouch handed over by the owner, casually tucked it into his sleeve, and glanced at Pei Jintang . “Want me to buy you one?”

“I just got you new clothes, and you want to return the favor already? Forget it. Keep your money and let it breed. I don’t like incense.” Pei Jintang ’s eyes were fixed, certain. “You’re really, truly, absolutely different.”

After these past few days, Peixiting had figured it out. To build connections, he couldn’t perfectly replicate " Peixiting ’s" personality. Since he was now Peixiting , even if they were suspicious, they couldn’t find out anything.

These two brothers didn’t spend every day and night together and didn’t know each other perfectly well. He didn’t need to overdo the act. As he turned to walk out, he said, “Is that so?”

“Yes. It feels like your soul has been swapped,” Pei Jintang said, following.

“Oh,” Peixiting said. “Then go invite a monk or a Taoist priest to perform an exorcism.”

Hopefully send him back.

There were far too few entertainments in this place. Even though he could spend a whole day setting up an easel in a remote mountain valley before, now he had to guard against the scumbag group. Every time he went out, it felt like stealing—troublesome and annoying.

Besides, his daily routine was completely out of sync with the Pei household’s. He could get up early, but staying up late was absolutely out of the question. If he needed to burn the midnight oil, he had to pretend to study in the study. And sneaking out was even more of a hassle. Really inconvenient.

Pei Jintang scoffed. “Why waste that money? I’m more than happy with you like this. I’ve told you before, a person needs some backbone, or they’ll be bullied everywhere… Jingzhu?”

Hearing those two words, Peixiting looked up.

Standing in front of the shop was a man in a pale yellow gauze robe, his hair tied simply with a bean-green ribbon, a delicately carved jade-like face adorned with a pair of beautiful, lovely deer-like eyes.

At that moment, those clear, bright eyes were fixed on Pei Jintang , and he called out affectionately, “Hanzhang-gege.”

“Hanzhang” was Pei Jintang ’s courtesy name. In those days, people didn’t necessarily wait until the capping ceremony to receive a courtesy name. Some favored children or scions of prominent families even had them from birth.

Peixiting watched the man come up and talk to Pei Jintang , smiling sweetly. It was precisely this innocent-looking face, combined with superb acting skills, that had tricked " Peixiting " completely, made him treat the man as a true friend, and even cry to this very perpetrator after being drugged and raped.

“And this is?”

Those eyes suddenly looked at him. Peixiting keenly caught a flash of cunning that vanished in an instant.

Hmph. Putting on an act.

“He’s my third brother, Xiting.” Unaware of the acting going on between the two, Pei Jintang patted Peixiting ’s shoulder and introduced warmly, “Xiting, this is the Prince Ning’s Mansion ’s Fifth Young Master.”