Chapter 51#

Fury, Little Pei: C.#

The night wind blew, rustling the fragrant rose hedge with a soft rustle.

Yu Shaoyun had gone for a stroll with the little prince, Yuan Fang hadn’t returned yet either. The Crown Prince reached out and steadied Pei Xiting’s head, which was about to slump to the side. The palm beneath was fuzzy, tickling him slightly.

Letting Pei Xiting hold him for a while, the Crown Prince finally said, “Someone come.”

A shadow guard landed behind the Crown Prince and said respectfully, “Your Highness.”

“Take him inside the room,” the Crown Prince said.

The shadow guard acknowledged the order and stepped forward to support Pei Xiting, but Pei Xiting shook his head, refusing to be taken away. He grabbed the Crown Prince’s arm. The more the guard tried to help him up, the tighter Pei Xiting clutched the Crown Prince’s arm, and His Highness still wouldn’t pull away.

The shadow guard was momentarily at a loss for where to start and reported, “Your Highness, this…”

In fact, there were plenty of ways—just apply a little force—but who didn’t know that Secretary Pei was favored in front of His Highness, who treated him with extraordinary leniency? How could he dare to cause him any pain?

The Crown Prince looked at the person plastering his face against his own arm, refusing to let go, then turned his head to glance at the row of clothes belonging to both of them hanging on the bamboo pole. Suddenly he said, “Who am I?”

The shadow guard didn’t understand why His Highness would ask such a question, but Pei Xiting answered with considerable certainty, “That… the one surnamed Zong!”

This answer was disrespectful, even offensive. The shadow guard’s eyelid twitched, but then he heard His Highness let out a light laugh, as if amused. Then he leaned down, wrapped his arm around Pei Xiting’s waist, and lifted him horizontally.

This was almost terrifyingly shocking. The shadow guard stumbled back half a step, feeling he had discovered a huge secret.

His Highness and Secretary Pei were actually in this kind of relationship?!

The Crown Prince didn’t scold his subordinate for the obvious daze. Carrying Pei Xiting, he headed toward the bedchamber. He raised his foot and gently kicked the door open, glanced left and right, then turned left and walked to the couch by the window. He bent down to set Pei Xiting down. Just as he was about to step back, Pei Xiting reached out and wrapped his arms around his neck.

This embrace was reckless. The Crown Prince lurched forward, falling into Pei Xiting’s shoulder hollow. His nose was full of Pei Xiting’s fragrance, mixed with the faint scent of osmanthus wine—surprisingly intoxicating.

“…” The Crown Prince momentarily held his breath. His left hand braced the couch as he slightly turned his head, saying, “Pei Xiting.”

As soon as his backside touched the bamboo mat and the warmth in his arms was about to withdraw, Pei Xiting, unwilling and reluctant, reached out and grabbed blindly. He rubbed his face against the Crown Prince’s neck again. At the words, he hummed in acknowledgment and said tipsily, “Don’t go.”

Out of consideration for the drunkard’s state of mind, the Crown Prince didn’t immediately throw Pei Xiting off. “Why not?”

“I don’t want you to go!” In his drunken state, Pei Xiting’s true nature showed. He bossily circled the Crown Prince’s neck and shoulders, nuzzling his hair and complaining in a low voice, “Turning me down is one thing, but even in my dreams you have to leave—are you even human?”

Dream? Pei Xiting dreamed of him often? The Crown Prince was startled, not knowing how to react.

At this point, Pei Xiting gave a wicked grin and laughed softly. “The last few times you were way more passionate. Why are you so cold today? Let me tell you, I don’t go for that playing hard to get… well, actually, I do.”

“…”

The Crown Prince finally figured out where Pei Xiting had gotten his “cooling medicine.”

“Pour a cup of water,” the Crown Prince ordered the shadow guard who stood outside the door, not daring to enter. He reached out and patted the “chain” around his neck. “If you keep this up, my waist is going to get tired.”

“Stop pretending to be a big bad wolf,” Pei Xiting didn’t believe him. He murmured, “Your waist is insane. I kept screaming, and you wouldn’t stop.”

“…” The Crown Prince closed his eyes and took a breath. He thought that someone like Pei Xiting should be banned from drinking—he was already loose-tongued, and when drunk he spouted all kinds of obscenities.

“Let go.”

“No!”

After failed negotiations, the Crown Prince reached out, wrapped his arm around Pei Xiting’s waist, and effortlessly lifted him up.

Pei Xiting yelped, kicked his legs, and clung even tighter to this “big tree,” wrapping his arms and legs around it like a monkey hugging a tree trunk. The Crown Prince had originally intended to move him to a different spot so they could both sit down and talk properly. But now he was being held even tighter, and for a moment, he was speechless.

Then Pei Xiting felt his rear touch something warm and hard—he was sitting on the Crown Prince’s lap.

The shadow guard entered with the water, and at the sudden sight, immediately closed his eyes. He walked swiftly to the Crown Prince’s side, handed over the water, turned around, and left, closing the door behind him.

The Crown Prince pressed the cup to Pei Xiting’s lips. “Drink it.”

Pei Xiting shook his head. “You feed me.”

The Crown Prince said, “Isn’t that what I’m doing?”

Pei Xiting buried his face in the Crown Prince’s nape and said in a muffled voice, “Before, you used to feed me with your mouth.”

He was quite unhappy, quite aggrieved, quite incredulous. “Why are you so off your game today?”

The Crown Prince really hadn’t expected that in Pei Xiting’s dreams he was so “on his game.” He said patiently, “I’m poisoned today. I can’t touch you with my mouth, or else you’ll get poisoned too. Be good, drink the water.”

“What!” Pei Xiting jolted upright. If not for the Crown Prince’s quick reflexes dodging in time, he would almost have sent the cup flying.

The Crown Prince exhaled, contemplating whether to tie the person up. But suddenly, two warm, soft hands cupped his cheeks. That flushed face abruptly leaned in to inspect him, and those wet eyes instantly turned red.

“Who poisoned you? Who!” Pei Xiting was furious. “You’re poisoned and you’re still acting so tough? Say something! I’ll go find the antidote! I’ll pound the poisoner into mincemeat!”

The Crown Prince: “…”

It was clear that this person had been deeply immersed in his dreams before, but the Crown Prince, looking at his red-rimmed eyes and trembling lips, listening to him curse him and the poisoner, still felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

“I was joking with you,” the Crown Prince said softly. “It’s nothing.”

Pei Xiting stared at him fixedly, then suddenly let go of his hands. “You just don’t want to kiss me! Damn it, you come all the way into my dreams and still play hard to get? Think I’m dead? Spoiled brat!”

With that, Pei Xiting stood up and grabbed the Crown Prince to see him out. But in a messy tangle of steps, the Crown Prince didn’t budge an inch, while Pei Xiting landed on his backside on the carpet, rolled his eyes, and passed out.

“…”

The Crown Prince set down the cup, let out an almost inaudible sigh, and once again picked up the person to lay him on the couch. This time, Pei Xiting didn’t cling to him anymore; he was docile. But a faint feeling of loss stirred in the Crown Prince’s heart.

Before he could dwell on this strange and terrifying emotion, a sudden disturbance came from outside the door.

The shadow guard stopped pondering His Highness’s love life, drew his blade, and knocked down the suspicious figure in a bamboo hat lurking on the eaves, barking sternly, “What rat dares to show himself? Come out!”

The man in the bamboo hat saw the shadow guard and instantly understood who was inside the room. He turned to flee, but in the next moment, he doubled back, knelt in the courtyard, and said, “Xianlang Hu Shun’er pays respects to His Highness the Crown Prince! Long live Your Highness, long live Your Highness!”

Inside the room, the Crown Prince removed Pei Xiting’s short boots. As he withdrew his hand, he suddenly remembered something. He grasped Pei Xiting’s right ankle again, using his thumb to rub down a bit of the sock. Seeing that the injury had almost healed, he finally let go.

Pei Xiting was thin, and his ankle was so slender it could be easily gripped, pale, smooth, and fine, like a piece of fine silk. The ball of his thumb, which had touched the skin, felt vaguely hot, but the Crown Prince didn’t let go. He just lifted his eyes to look at the oblivious Pei Xiting.

The night wind howled outside the window. No one knew how long passed before the Crown Prince withdrew his unreadable gaze, pulled Pei Xiting’s sock back up, and removed his hand.

He got up and fetched a thin blanket from the bed. Something underneath the blanket tumbled to the floor—a slim, hardcover booklet with the title The Evening Record of Pomegranate Blossoms. A bookmark tucked into one of its pages also slipped out, revealing a tail end.

“My lord, you do not know…”

It was Pei Xiting’s handwriting.

The Crown Prince looked at the corner of the bookmark, bent down, and pulled it down a little further. The two hidden words finally appeared.

“My heart yearns.”

—My heart yearns for you, my lord, but you do not know.

Pei Xiting had diligently copied the Yue People’s Song a hundred times. The Crown Prince had checked every single word a hundred times. But when these two words met his eyes, he was shaken.

The room was silent for a long time. The Crown Prince pushed the bookmark back in, picked up the book, and put it back on the bed. He returned to the couch, spread the thin blanket over Pei Xiting.

That sleeping face was tranquil and beautiful. The Crown Prince looked at it for a long time before finally turning and leaving the room.

Hu Shun’er didn’t dare raise his head. He heard the door gently closed, followed by the Crown Prince’s voice: “How has Buzhi been lately?”

“To report to Your Highness, my master is well.” Hu Shun’er licked his lips and considered his words. “I have no ill intentions toward Secretary Pei. I only wanted to bring him back to the southwest.”

The Crown Prince walked down the steps. “How did Buzhi instruct you?”

Hu Shun’er rose and followed the Crown Prince. “My master said, just as long as he’s not missing any limbs.”

The shadow guard stepped forward and opened the door. The Crown Prince walked out and said flatly, “You are no match for Yuan Fang. How would you make him lose an arm or leg?”

“Well… you have a point.” Hu Shun’er said glumly, “Then what should I do? Please, Your Highness, show me the way.”

The Crown Prince boarded the carriage and said flatly, “Go back and tell your master: The man has found a job in Yejing and is living happily. If he can’t bear to see even an arm or leg missing, perhaps he should just let him be free.”

Hu Shun’er smiled awkwardly. “My master searched for two or three years before finding him. There’s no way he’ll let him go.”

“Then tell your master to think it through clearly. Is he willing to bring him back, no matter the cost? Until he decides, let the man stay here, under my watch. Nothing serious will go wrong.” The Crown Prince lifted the carriage curtain and cast a faint glance at Hu Shun’er. “This is your family affair. You can fuss all you want, but you must not accidentally harm my man.”

Hu Shun’er’s heart jumped, and he quickly said, “Rest assured, Your Highness. How would I dare lay a hand on Secretary Pei? If I may be so bold, I’ve already helped Secretary Pei deal with several batches of spies lurking in the shadows!”

The Crown Prince hummed in acknowledgment and casually took a pouch of gold ingots from a case, tossing it to Hu Shun’er. “I’ll settle Secretary Pei’s wages for him. Tomorrow, go to Longhe Si and bring two jugs of osmanthus wine to your master for me.”

“Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you!” Hu Shun’er beamed with joy, thanked him profusely, and once the carriage had departed, he jingled the money pouch and slipped away.

But just as he turned a corner, a figure appeared before him.

Hu Shun’er stuffed the money into his bosom and said warily, “Don’t you touch me. I’ve just accepted a commission from His Highness the Crown Prince!”

Yuan Fang rolled his eyes. “Go back and don’t come again. The next time I see you, I’ll kill you outright.”

“Then you might as well kill me now, because going back is no better!” For the past two years, Hu Shun’er had crossed mountains and seas searching, scraping the soles of his feet raw. Now that he’d finally found the man, the man wouldn’t go back. He ran between Yejing and the southwest, and here he was, a perfectly good assassin reduced to writing travelogues!

He glared at Yuan Fang and said through gritted teeth, “You’ve got guts, don’t hide now. Come back with me and lay everything out in front of the master!”

“I don’t have guts. I dare not,” Yuan Fang said honestly. “So I can only make things difficult for you. This is actually your fault. If you hadn’t found me, you wouldn’t be in this mess, would you?”

“…” Hu Shun’er pressed a finger to his philtrum.

Yuan Fang showed no guilt. He pulled a stack of banknotes from his chest and handed them over seriously. “I can never repay the kindness of upbringing and instruction. This is what I’ve earned in recent years. Take it back and tell the Corridor Master that I’m very happy working as a servant in Yejing. My young master treats me very well. Please let me go. Of course, I’ll send all the money I earn in the future back to Xianlang.”

Hu Shun’er glanced at the stack of banknotes, then at Yuan Fang, and said seriously, “Are you trying to anger the master to death?”

“Corridor Master won’t die that easily,” Yuan Fang retorted.

“Yes. More likely than dying of anger, the master might kill you in a fit of rage,” Hu Shun’er sneered. “After all, you’ve even gotten mixed up in the breaking of the rainstorm case.”

Yuan Fang frowned. “I didn’t know about it beforehand. My young master has already explained to the Crown Prince, and His Highness didn’t kill me.”

“That’s out of respect for my master. His Highness the Crown Prince treated this as a family matter, saying we should discipline our own children!” Hu Shun’er snatched the banknotes into his chest with a snort. “I suggest you come back with me now, explain yourself to the master, apologize, and beg for mercy. Otherwise, just wait!”

“I can’t leave here,” Yuan Fang said.

“Why—oh.” Hu Shun’er turned and pointed toward the small courtyard. Seeing that Yuan Fang didn’t refute it, he couldn’t help but sigh. “With His Highness the Crown Prince protecting him, does Secretary Pei really need you?”

Yuan Fang remained unmoved. “The Crown Prince’s thoughts are as deep as an abyss. I don’t trust it.”

Hu Shun’er laughed incredulously at that. “How long have you known Secretary Pei? And you’ve already offered up your heart?”

Yuan Fang couldn’t be bothered to explain, so he borrowed Pei Xiting’s standard brush-off: “None of your damn business.”

Hu Shun’er dared not curse him back. Seeing he wouldn’t listen, he shook his head with a sneer and swaggered away, his bulging chest full of banknotes.

The next day, when Pei Xiting woke up, he rolled over and, caught off guard, fell straight to the floor.

Yuan Fang pushed the door open.

Pei Xiting lay sprawled on the carpet, wailing, “How did I end up sleeping here?”

Yuan Fang didn’t help him up. Holding a broom, he swept the room. “Who knows? The Crown Prince dumped you here.”

“The Crown…” Pei Xiting pursed his lips, blinked, rubbed his head, and lay back on the floor, staring at the ceiling. After a while of thinking, he finally remembered that yes, he had been drinking with the Crown Prince last night.

So he must have gotten dead drunk.

“I didn’t go on a drunken rampage, did I?” Pei Xiting was still a little concerned about his image in front of his crush.

“I wouldn’t know. I was blocked outside by Yu Shaoyun and the little tiger. I sat under a tree for a good while. By the time I came back, you were already out cold like a dead pig.” Yuan Fang swept a full circle around Pei Xiting.

Pei Xiting lay on the floor, a “squatter among the trash.” “Why did Commander Yu block you?”

Yuan Fang shrugged. “He said the Crown Prince was having a talk, no disturbances.”

“Alright.” Pei Xiting scratched his head. “Fang, I feel like I forgot something.”

“Of course you forgot something.” Yuan Fang looked down at him from above. “You’re on duty today, but it’s already almost the end of the Si hour—”

Before the words were finished, the “squatter” finally got up.

Pei Xiting washed up and packed, didn’t even buy breakfast, and was about to head out. As he left, he said, “Remember those earrings I ordered near the Mandarin Duck Pavilion? It should be about time. If you have nothing to do later, pick them up for me and pass them to Qing Lingling next door.”

Yuan Fang acknowledged.

Pei Xiting went to the yamen. Fortunately, the document building didn’t require roll call, or else Secretary Lu and Secretary Pei would have half their pages marked with red crosses.

Lu Mang, with dark circles under his eyes, was drinking porridge at his desk. Seeing Pei Xiting also looking spiritless, he said, “I have another bowl of porridge here. I got it from the kitchen earlier. Want some?”

“Sure.” Pei Xiting grabbed a small stool and sat across from Lu Mang. Opening the food container, he saw a bowl of osmanthus porridge with a small dish of sugar paste beside it. He didn’t add any sugar. Drinking it, the aroma was refreshing. One sip, and the discomfort from his hangover dissipated a little.

Lu Mang had a piece of paper at his hand. Pei Xiting spotted the names of medicinal herbs at a glance and asked with concern, “Chief Secretary, are you sick?”

“Just a sore throat. I happened to meet Dr. Su in the Eastern Palace this morning, so I got a prescription from him. I’ll pick up the medicine later,” Lu Mang said.

Pei Xiting’s thumb holding the spoon paused. “Dr. Su went to the Eastern Palace this morning. Was it to check His Highness’s health?”

“Probably not. Dr. Su only goes to the Eastern Palace at the beginning and end of each month to check His Highness’s pulse,” Lu Mang said.

So was His Highness sick, or was there another reason? Pei Xiting brought the spoon to his mouth and swallowed the porridge in a gulp.

Worried, Pei Xiting left work early. When he got home, he planned to go next door and ask Dr. Su. But Dr. Su wasn’t home. Instead, a servant from the Pei residence was waiting outside the tightly closed courtyard gate.

The servant saw him, stepped forward with a bow, and said, “Third Young Master, Madam requests your presence at home.”

Pei Xiting wasn’t keen on wasting time going back to the Pei residence. “What’s the matter?”

“I wouldn’t know, young master.” The servant looked at Pei Xiting awkwardly. “But there must be something to discuss. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare disturb you.”

Pei Xiting didn’t say anything. He followed the servant onto the carriage and rode back to the Pei residence. Entering the flower hall, he found that not only Wang-shi, but Bu Suying and Pei Yan were also present.

Bu Suying looked at him with a worried expression. Pei Xiting nodded in acknowledgment, stood in the hall, and bowed. “Father, Madam.”

Wang-shi looked at Pei Xiting, nodded slightly, and waved her hand. “Sit.”

Pei Xiting took a seat to Bu Suying’s left, waiting for Wang-shi to speak.

“Today I called you back to discuss a joyous matter with you,” Wang-shi said.

Please don’t tell me it’s another matchmaking attempt, Pei Xiting thought. And as it turned out, it was exactly that—and the match wasn’t just anyone; it was Wang-shi’s niece.

Pei Yan looked at his indifferent son and found him utterly unfamiliar. After some deliberation, he said, “Si Cheng Wang and I serve in the same court, and he is also my father-in-law. The two families know each other well and are well-matched in status. If this works out, it would be a union sealing the bond.”

Pei Xiting felt impatient inside but asked, “May I ask who proposed this?”

“It was Si Cheng Wang who mentioned it to me. He thinks highly of you. After I returned home and discussed it with Madam, we both felt it was a good match. That’s why we called you to talk it over,” Pei Yan said.

“If it’s for discussion, then I’ll speak frankly.” Pei Xiting looked back at Pei Yan. “I refuse.”

Wang-shi frowned. “Why?”

Pei Xiting couldn’t be bothered to spin a long story and said bluntly, “I don’t even know this Miss Wang. I don’t like her, and I don’t want to marry her.”

Wang-shi said, “Marriage has always been the parents’ command and the matchmaker’s word. How can it be decided by your personal feelings alone?”

“So today, you two didn’t call me here to discuss but to inform me?” Pei Xiting’s gaze swept over Wang-shi and settled on Pei Yan’s face. “Fine, then I won’t talk about personal feelings. Let’s talk about ‘official’ matters. Since Father has served with Si Cheng Wang for years, you must know better than I do that Si Cheng Wang isn’t particularly valued in the Grand Temple. Ever since Shaoqing Qu took office, he’s become increasingly dissatisfied with him.”

Pei Yan knew that well. “But official appointments come from the Ministry of Personnel, with the central government above. Shaoqing Qu’s personal preferences don’t affect much.”

“Is it just personal preference? Don’t forget that Shaoqing Qu is the nephew of Empress Qu, the Crown Prince’s cousin, and a close minister of the Eastern Palace. In his years at the Grand Temple, has the Crown Prince not been paying attention? Since he pays attention, he knows about this so-called personal preference. If His Highness feels that Shaoqing Qu has slighted a senior or his former superior, wouldn’t he offer more guidance?”

Pei Xiting spoke unhurriedly, saying just enough. Pei Yan rubbed the armrest of his chair, thoughts churning in his mind.

He knew well that Si Cheng Wang was betting on Pei Xiting’s future prospects. A marriage alliance between the two families, considering each other’s future prosperity, was not unreasonable. He had originally thought that the Wang family, being in-laws, were a deeper connection than others, and since the Pei family couldn’t reach the ranks of nobility, the Wang family seemed like a decent choice. But now, with Pei Xiting’s words, he inevitably hesitated. If forming a closer bond brought no benefits and instead dragged them down, that would be bad.

“Si Cheng Wang’s career in the Grand Temple has reached its limit. Even if those above him fall, it won’t be his turn to climb. Not because of anything else,” Pei Xiting said regretfully, “but because his abilities fall short. Relying solely on seniority won’t be enough.”

He bluntly told Wang-shi right to her face that her uncle was struggling. How could Wang-shi tolerate that? She said coldly, “Even if the Wang family stops here, it’s far from beneath you. Don’t think that just because you’ve entered Longhe Si, you’re about to soar to the heavens.”

“Can’t say I’m soaring to the heavens, but I have a bright future ahead.” Pei Xiting’s smile was gentle, but his tone was cutting. “Me, I just want to marry up and enjoy an easy life. But this meal from the Wang family isn’t noble enough for me.”

Wang-shi slammed the table and stood up, furious. “You bastard! Have you no shame!”

Pei Xiting grabbed Bu Suying, who was about to rise and beg for mercy, and still smiled. “What is shame compared to wealth and rank? Besides, Madam, why are you so anxious? If I one day climb the social ladder successfully, won’t that lift the entire Pei family up too? I just wonder, in Madam’s heart, which is more important: the Pei family or the Wang family?”

Pei Yan was a scholar and couldn’t stand such blunt talk. Upon hearing this, he frowned and scolded, “Xiting, don’t talk nonsense.”

“Father, don’t be angry.” Pei Xiting glanced at Wang-shi, then smiled at Pei Yan. “I just fear that Madam has been fooled by her natal family. For the sake of the Wang family’s interests, I’m worried they might ruin the Pei family’s prosperous future.”

Wang-shi had visited her mother a few days earlier and had naturally heard about her father’s awkward position in the Grand Temple. At that time, her mother had brought up this marriage. After several days of thought, it did seem good to strengthen ties between the two families. If a Miss Wang married into the Pei family, Wang-shi could look after her, and in her old age, have a close confidante to rely on. More importantly, Pei Xiting’s wife and children would carry Wang blood, meaning they would never be able to sever ties with the Wang family; they would have to share honor and disgrace.

Wang-shi indeed had selfish motives. Feeling a bit guilty, and seeing that this brat dared to drive a wedge between her and Pei Yan, she was infuriated and barked, “Impudent nonsense! Disrespect toward elders! Someone, seize the Third Young Master and administer the family discipline!”

“I dare anyone to try!” Pei Xiting shot a glare around. The several servants stopped in their tracks, not daring to move forward.

Seeing this, Wang-shi said, “Pei Xiting, are you going to be unfilial and rebellious!”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Pei Xiting said. “But I ask Madam, what have I done wrong? Is it wrong to speak the truth, embarrassing Madam and making her feel guilty? Sorry about that, but I am a Pei after all, and I still need to think about the Pei family’s interests.”

Pei Yan looked at Wang-shi at these words. “Madam, just talk. Why resort to the family discipline? And if colleagues from Longhe Si see this, wouldn’t it be shameful?”

“Master, he’s just a secretary now and already so insolent. If he really gets promoted and rises high in the future, will he still have any regard for us? He’ll have forgotten his roots!” Seeing Pei Yan’s expression wavering, Wang-shi added earnestly, “A mistake at home is nothing. But if he lets this arrogance run wild outside and commits an offense, by then, bringing trouble upon the Pei family—it will be too late!”

That last part struck a chord with Pei Yan.

Pei Yan knew he had neglected Bu Suying all these years and hadn’t cared much about Pei Xiting. Did the mother and son harbor resentment? Now Pei Xiting was forging his own path, and his personality was completely different from before—he was probably less and less inclined to put Pei Yan in his sights. Moreover, Pei Yan had spent half his career as an official, becoming increasingly cautious, and feared offending anyone or making mistakes more than anything.

Seeing Pei Yan fall silent, Wang-shi let out a cold laugh, turned, and ordered the servants to seize Pei Xiting and carry out the family discipline.

Seeing that the master silently acquiesced, the servants dared not disobey Madam’s orders. They rushed forward to apprehend Pei Xiting. Pei Xiting naturally wouldn’t just surrender. He grabbed Bu Suying’s teacup and smashed it on the head of the servant in front, then turned to leave. But two servants lunged and grabbed his waist. For a moment, he couldn’t break free.

“This is treason!” Wang-shi pointed at Pei Xiting. “Strike him directly! Make him kneel and admit his mistake!”

Hearing this, a servant raised a rattan cane and swung it at Pei Xiting’s back. Pei Xiting was too slow to dodge and took a hit. Then Bu Suying rushed forward, shielding him with her own back, taking two blows for him.

The rattan cane was about half a wrist thick, bound with red silk. When it came down, it hurt plenty. Bu Suying let out a muffled groan but still held onto Pei Xiting. Not only did she block him, but she also tried to pull him away. She stretched out her slender wrists to push and shove at the servants grabbing Pei Xiting. Finding she couldn’t move them, she didn’t hesitate—she bit down on a servant’s wrist.

Pei Yan stood up in shock, staring in disbelief at Bu Suying, whose hair was coming loose and who looked like a madwoman.

“You… you…” Wang-shi was also startled. “Seize Bu-shi!”

Thump! Pei Xiting headbutted one of the servants. The force sent the man stumbling back, and Pei Xiting staggered back too, dragging the remaining servants down to the ground with him.

The world spun, his ears ringing. Pei Xiting scrambled up from the floor, rushed forward without thinking, grabbed the white figure charging toward him, and shielded her behind him. He grabbed a nearby chair and hurled it forward. The servants cried out and fell back. He then grabbed a small table and turned to throw it at the long table between Wang-shi and Pei Yan.

The long table wobbled and finally fell forward with a crash.

Pei Yan was a scholar. Wang-shi was a lady from a good family. Neither had ever seen such a reckless, grab-and-throw fighting style. For a moment, they stood frozen in shock.

In the midst of utter chaos and silence, Pei Xiting lifted his leg and stepped on the fallen long table. He pulled a dagger from his boot, his eyes icy cold. “Come on.”