Chapter 56#
Baring Teeth: Pei Ting: Ao—Ao—#
The next evening, Pei Xiting followed his two superiors into the palace, heading straight for Yuehua Hall where the banquet was being held.
The hall was packed with people, buzzing with excitement. Officials ranked sixth or above in the capital and two or three family members sat in two rows. Pei Xiting stood at the far end and looked up, thinking that those seated here must be comfortable—they couldn’t see the high platform clearly at all and could eat and drink to their hearts’ content without a care.
“What are you gawking at?” Lu Mang turned back and tugged Pei Xiting’s sleeve. “We’re in luck—we get to sit with Lord You.”
Pei Xiting hummed in acknowledgment and followed Lu Mang, catching up to You Zong. He didn’t notice that the Pei family members in the seats were all watching him.
Pei Yan watched Pei Xiting brush past him and finally sit behind You Zong. Emotions churned within him. He had drifted through officialdom for most of his life, and now he barely sat among the fifth-rank seats, yet Pei Xiting—a mere clerk without rank—had taken a seat ahead of him.
“You saw your father but didn’t even glance his way or come pay your respects. Utterly lawless,” Madam Wang said in a low voice.
Pei Yan came to his senses and said, “Xiting simply didn’t see us.”
Madam Wang: “…”
She swallowed her displeasure and turned her head to look at the quiet Pei Qinghe. “Today, if your second brother weren’t away and your third brother couldn’t sit at the same table due to official duties, you wouldn’t have been qualified to enter the palace for the feast. So seize this opportunity. Everyone here is from an official family. If you don’t marry the Young Marquis Mei, then you must choose a good match for yourself.”
Pei Qinghe didn’t take it seriously, nor did she agree, but she smiled softly and said, “I will bear your teachings in mind, Madam.”
Officials and their family members gradually arrived, and finally the eunuch announced Empress Qu. She entered accompanied by the Qu sisters, while the Crown Prince followed behind with Zong Lu.
Pei Xiting’s gaze cut through the crowd in front and landed straight on the Crown Prince. This was the first time he had seen the Crown Prince in his ordinary robes—purple robe with a jade belt, tall crown and jade hairpin, elegant and otherworldly. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was matchless.
“Spellbound?” Lu Mang asked slyly.
You Zong also glanced at Pei Xiting.
Pei Xiting was completely unwilling to lie. He hummed, smiled, and said, “Completely.”
Just then, the Crown Prince’s gaze swept across the crowd and landed on him in a single glance. Pei Xiting froze, but the Crown Prince had already looked away. That glance was like a bird skimming a lake—extremely light and fleeting, hard to catch, yet ripples spread across the surface.
The three of them took their seats. Everyone knelt in unison to pay their respects, and the eunuch announced, “Rise, be seated.”
Empress Qu, wearing her phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, radiated majestic grace, yet her tone was exceptionally gentle. After a few brief opening remarks, she toasted with the ministers and families, then let everyone eat and drink freely.
Dancers in pink skirts and flowery headdresses entered to the music, their sleeves fluttering on the stage. The hall buzzed with clinking glasses and lively chatter.
Empress Qu scanned the bustling crowd. Her gaze paused on the Longhe Guard area on the left, and she happened to spot Pei Xiting looking toward the high platform. She immediately smiled and waved.
Pei Xiting froze. He didn’t move from his seat, but Empress Qu waved again—clearly at him.
Pei Xiting set down his carnelian cup—different from those around him—and the pomegranate juice that no one else had. He rose, stepped out of his seat, and walked up the left staircase.
Instantly, countless eyes of all kinds fixed on Pei Xiting.
Today, Pei Xiting wore a brilliantly embroidered golden-brown robe, his hair tied back with a matching headband. He stood out like a jade scepter beneath the radiant palace lanterns.
Empress Qu smiled as she watched him approach. “This is your first palace banquet, isn’t it?”
Pei Xiting replied, “Yes.” The old “Pei Xiting” had been a social recluse—let alone a palace banquet, even attending various academy feasts and gatherings had been a struggle.
“Don’t be nervous. Just think of it as coming for a meal.” Empress Qu took Pei Xiting’s arm and gestured for him to lean closer. She caught a faint scent of honey and red dates emanating from his neck.
The fragrance was subtle and lingering. Empress Qu sniffed, glanced at the Crown Prince beside her, and said softly, “Tonight I’m presiding. There aren’t that many rules.”
Pei Xiting dared not and would not gossip about the Crown Prince in public. He smiled and said, “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I’m not nervous.”
Empress Qu nodded. “Ah, Xiting, what fragrance are you wearing today?”
“Your Majesty, it’s Jiangzhen incense. My younger sister Qinghe made it herself, blending it from a recipe,” Pei Xiting said.
“Very pleasant,” Empress Qu said. “The honey fragrance and the red date scent complement each other perfectly. The proportions are just right. Your sister must be well-versed in the art of incense.”
“Your Majesty flatters her,” Pei Xiting smiled. “The girl has nothing to do in her boudoir on ordinary days, so she just tinkers around. It’s fine for her own use, but it would be embarrassing to show it off. I’m the one who took it off her hands.”
“Now, don’t downplay your sister’s skill on her behalf. If I say it’s good, then it’s good.” Empress Qu lifted her chin. “Do you think I’m embarrassing myself?”
“How would I dare? Your Majesty has seen much and knows much. If you say it’s good, then it must be good.” Pei Xiting smiled ingratiatingly. “If Your Majesty doesn’t mind, I’ll dare to offer it as a borrowed gift—let you try it. If you like it, I’ll send a pot of the balm to Fengyi Palace another day?”
Empress Qu gave an expression that said “that’s more like it.” “Quick, let me try.”
“Of course.” Pei Xiting took a small jar of fragrance from his sleeve, scooped out a tiny bit with a small spoon, and applied it to Empress Qu’s wrist. He then gently rubbed his wrists together. “Try it?”
Empress Qu did as he showed, then brought her wrist to her nose and sniffed. She smiled and said, “This balm isn’t greasy at all. I like it. Has your younger sister come to the palace tonight?”
“She is in the audience,” Pei Xiting said.
“If your Majesty permits,” Empress Qu said, “Ruo Hui, bestow this plate of crabapple cakes upon the Pei family girl.”
Bestowing pastries didn’t require the head maid of Fengyi Palace to go down in person. This was clearly a desire to have her evaluate Pei Qinghe on the Empress’s behalf. Pei Xiting knew the fragrance had been sent out, so he smiled. But as he glanced away, he met the Crown Prince’s all-seeing gaze.
He hadn’t done anything wrong, so Pei Xiting had no guilt. He smiled at the Crown Prince—bright eyes, white teeth, a smile that radiated charm.
“…” The Crown Prince withdrew his gaze and sipped his wine.
Zong Lu, sitting beside the Crown Prince, took in their exchanged glances. His mind began to churn again, when suddenly a piece of crabmeat appeared in his small dish.
He turned his head in surprise. The Crown Prince’s gaze was calm as he said, “Eat your meal properly.”
“Yes, Fifth Uncle.” Zong Lu guiltily turned away, then immediately wondered: why should he feel guilty?
Why should he feel guilty for merely watching his Fifth Uncle and Clerk Pei exchange glances in such a public setting?
In full view of everyone, Fifth Uncle had only shared a brief glance with Clerk Pei. Why was he not allowed to look?
Zong Lu felt that his “contemplation” had taken a big step forward. Just a little more, and he might understand why the atmosphere between Fifth Uncle and Clerk Pei was so peculiar.
Empress Qu ordered wine to be poured. “How about a toast?”
Pei Xiting inclined his head. When the eunuch approached with the tray, he lifted the wine cup and was about to drink, but then he met the Crown Prince’s dark, deep-pool eyes. His wrist hesitated, and he stopped, not daring to drink.
“What’s wrong?” Empress Qu asked, puzzled.
Just as Pei Xiting was about to speak, the Crown Prince said, “Change his cup.”
The eunuch behind the Crown Prince acknowledged the order and quickly swapped it for a carnelian cup for Pei Xiting. Empress Qu watched, utterly baffled. “May I ask what ritual this is?”
“Don’t you think he looks very much like carnelian today?” the Crown Prince said, gazing at Pei Xiting. His eyes were profound. “Luminous, bright, and striking.”
Though the Crown Prince’s assessment was objective, Pei Xiting’s heart skipped a beat. Amid the clinking glasses and lively chatter, his heart fluttered.
Empress Qu was also taken aback. While Pei Xiting deserved such praise, hearing it from the Crown Prince’s lips was strange indeed.
“Thank you for your compliment, Your Highness.” Pei Xiting suppressed his emotions and proactively clinked glasses with Empress Qu. “On this fine day, I offer this cup to Your Majesty: may your lord be like the moon—bright and full—and may your fortune be long and enduring.”
“May your words be auspicious.” Empress Qu smiled. “Then I wish you a bright future and all your heart’s desires.”
Pei Xiting smiled and thanked her, then raised his cup and drank. The sweet pomegranate juice tasted exactly like what was in his own cup. He placed the carnelian cup back on the tray, exchanged a few more words with Empress Qu, and then withdrew.
When he returned to his seat, he saw Ruo Hui go back and say something to the Empress. The Empress smiled and nodded, then said something else, and Ruo Hui also smiled and nodded. It seemed she was quite satisfied with Pei Qinghe.
Mei Xiu carried his wine cup over and sat beside Pei Xiting. “What are you staring at?”
“Young Marquis, why did you come over?” Pei Xiting asked. “You’re not supposed to switch seats.”
“Who said that? No one stopped me along the way,” Mei Xiu said dismissively. “Come on, let’s have a drink.”
Pei Xiting didn’t chase him away. He picked up his carnelian cup and clinked it with Mei Xiu. Catching something in his peripheral vision, he said, “Marquis Mei is staring at you.”
“Let him stare,” Mei Xiu said. “Did you notice? Mei Yi didn’t come today.”
Pei Xiting glanced over. The Mei and Qu families sat opposite each other. The lady beside Marquis Mei, resplendent in jewels, was all smiles. Meanwhile, the lady beside Qu Zhao had a cold profile, her expression clearly displeased and unwelcoming.
With that atmosphere, if Mei Yi had come, he probably wouldn’t have dared to lift his head all night.
Mei Xiu gloated. “You can bet, if this weren’t a palace banquet, and if Mei Yi hadn’t stayed away, Madam Qu would have stormed over and slapped him.”
Pei Xiting raised an eyebrow. “That fierce?”
“Qu Zhao’s parents are a mix of civil and military—fire and water,” Mei Xiu said, picking up Pei Xiting’s wine flagon and pouring himself a cup. He tossed it back, then frowned and savored it before confirming, “This isn’t wine. What is it?”
“Pomegranate juice,” Pei Xiting said, snatching the flagon back. “If you don’t like it, don’t drink it. Wasting it.”
“Where did you get pomegranate juice?” Mei Xiu said. “Did you bring it yourself? No, this flagon looks like it’s from the imperial supplies… Did your father use his position to sneak it to you?”
“What’s so strange about pomegranate juice in the palace?” Pei Xiting took a bite of crabmeat and glanced left and right, noticing that his crab dish was smaller than anyone else’s—clearly, he had been specially attended to.
“The strange part is that no one else has it, only you.” Mei Xiu looked at the dish of crabmeat. A lightbulb went off. “They won’t give you fine wine, fob you off with pomegranate juice, and only give you this tiny bit of fat crab—have you offended someone in the palace?”
Pei Xiting: “…”
“No, Empress Qu just now specifically called you up…” Mei Xiu understood. “Ah, she specifically called you up to scold you!”
“Enough.” Pei Xiting pushed the crabmeat dish in front of Mei Xiu. “Eat up. You need it for your brain.”
Mei Xiu beamed, touched. “Xiting, you really do care about me—from my future to my meals, you’re thorough.”
Lu Mang, sitting nearby, gave Mei Xiu an indescribable look. Isn’t this guy an idiot? Can’t he tell when he’s being mocked?
And as a man of romantic letters, he stole another glance up at the high platform. Sure enough, the Crown Prince was holding his wine cup, drinking, but his eyes were fixed on this direction. Though the prince’s gaze was hard to decipher, as long as he was focused on Pei Xiting, it was the easiest thing in the world to interpret.
Lu Mang withdrew his gaze. “Ha ha ha ha!”
Pei Xiting and You Zong simultaneously turned to look at Lu Mang, who had suddenly burst into laughter. Mei Xiu also gave him a look, as if recognizing a kindred spirit.
“…” Lu Mang grinned and buried his face in the small plate of snacks.
Among the Qu family seats, Qu Zhen was eager to move. Qu Lan quickly held her down. “There are so many people. Don’t do anything rash.”
“I don’t plan to do anything rash,” Qu Zhen said, staring straight at Pei Xiting’s face. “Just watching him makes the meal taste better.”
Qu Lan poked her forehead. “You have no pride, girl!”
“Don’t look anymore. The more you look, the more you want; the more you want, the less you get. All it does is add to your worries,” Qu Zhao said.
“Why do you always throw cold water on me!” Qu Zhen glared resentfully at Qu Zhao, then turned to Madam Qu, who was sitting in front. “Mother! Brother always hurts me with his icy words. He’s being unfraternal—you need to talk to him!”
Madam Qu shot a furious glare. Qu Zhao sighed, raised his hands in surrender, and grabbed the wine pot to pour Qu Zhen a drink. “Alright, alright, I was wrong. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll drink this cup, and you can do as you please.”
Qu Zhen was satisfied. But then she saw Pei Xiting and Mei Xiu leave the hall together. She couldn’t sit still any longer. She put down her cup and chased after them.
“…Stubborn girl!” Qu Zhao glanced around and saw that, sure enough, those two had also left one after the other.
Pei Xiting and Mei Xiu stepped out for some air. Mei Xiu knew the way and led Pei Xiting to the Golden Osmanthus Garden behind Yuehua Hall. As they chatted and laughed along the path, Pei Xiting suddenly stopped. He turned to look at a nearby rockery and said, “Come out.”
Mei Xiu turned, his eyes turning wary. He said coldly, “Are you deaf? Get out!”
“What are you yelling about!” Qu Zhen emerged from behind the rockery, strode up to Mei Xiu, and planted her hands on her hips, chin raised. “It’s me. What are you going to do about it?”
At the sight of her, Mei Xiu’s coldness dissipated. He relaxed again and said in a roguish tone, “Sister, you’re not at the banquet. Instead, you’re following us secretly. What do you intend?”
“Who’s following you? Move aside!” Qu Zhen shoved Mei Xiu aside, then looked up at Pei Xiting. Their eyes met. Her mind went blank, and she forgot what she had wanted to say.
Pei Xiting had spotted this girl sitting behind Qu Zhao earlier. Given her temperament, he naturally guessed she was Qu Zhen of the Qu sisters. He said, “If you have something to say, Miss Qu, please speak.”
“I—I wanted to ask you,” Qu Zhen cleared her throat to regain her momentum, “why don’t you want to marry me?”
Mei Xiu: “What!”
Pei Xiting looked at the girl’s bright eyes and said gently, “Because I don’t like you, Miss.”
Qu Zhen frowned. “But you don’t even know me. How can you be sure you won’t like me?”
“Perhaps because I already have someone I like,” Pei Xiting said with a smile. “And he is completely different from you, Miss.”
Mei Xiu: “What!!”
Behind a corner of the nearby veranda, the Crown Prince stopped. He heard the young man’s clear, cheerful voice—earnest and sincere.
Qu Zhen said stubbornly, “Maybe after you get to know me, you’ll find I’m better than her.”
“Of course, Miss Qu is very good. But such comparisons are meaningless. Since I already have someone in my heart, no matter how wonderful others are, they won’t catch my eye,” Pei Xiting said.
Qu Zhen bit her lip. “Then will you marry her?”
“If he is willing.” A flicker of loss crossed Pei Xiting’s eyes, and Qu Zhen saw it. Her heart jumped to a different conclusion. “She doesn’t like you?”
Pei Xiting said, “That’s right.”
Mei Xiu: “WHAT!!!”
That shout made Pei Xiting’s ears ring. He couldn’t hold back any longer and shoved this heckler away.
Qu Zhen had originally wanted to ask Pei Xiting whether he and the Crown Prince really had that kind of relationship, but Mei Xiu was still standing there. Now that she heard that the person he liked didn’t like him back, she didn’t care whether that person was the Crown Prince. She reignited with hope. “If she doesn’t like you, it means you two aren’t meant to be! At a time like this, you have to look forward!”
Mei Xiu: “Right!”
“There are so many people in the world. You’ll find someone you like who likes you back!”
Mei Xiu: “Right!”
“Stop thinking about her! Look at someone else!”
Mei Xiu: “RIGHT!!!”
“…Alright, you two.” Pei Xiting covered his ears, assaulted by sound waves from both sides. He smiled faintly. “I’ll be going now.”
They both moved to follow. Pei Xiting quickened his pace and said without turning back, “Young Marquis, help me out, and I’ll treat you to a meal another day!”
At that, Mei Xiu braked and stretched out his arm to block Qu Zhen. He stood there with style. “Alright, sister. Give it up. He doesn’t like you.”
“You give up too.” Qu Zhen shook her fist in front of Mei Xiu’s face, baring her small white teeth and saying fiercely, “Don’t even think about using your philandering tricks to fool Pei Xiting. You’re not worthy of him!”
Mei Xiu, flustered and furious, reached out to grab Qu Zhen’s small bun. Qu Zhen retaliated by scratching him. The two of them started tussling on the spot, allowing Pei Xiting to escape.
Pei Xiting circled around the layered rockery, stepped onto the veranda, took a right, and hurried along. He left the veranda, crossed a flower path, and slipped through a moon gate. What came into view was a garden.
There was no one around. The night breeze rustled. Pei Xiting let out a breath and was hesitating whether to go left or right when hurried footsteps sounded behind him.
The footsteps came straight for him. Pei Xiting turned and met Shangguan Jie’s gloomy face.
“I heard what you said to Qu Zhen,” Shangguan Jie said, staring into Pei Xiting’s eyes. “Were you lying to her, or is it true?”
Pei Xiting said, “True.”
Shangguan Jie refused to let any expression on Pei Xiting’s face slip past him. He was certain there was no guilt or hesitation on that face. Pei Xiting spoke lightly and naturally—absolutely sincere.
Shangguan Jie’s mouth twitched. “Who is it?”
Pei Xiting said flatly, “Young Marquis, you’re drunk. Go back early.”
He turned to leave, but Shangguan Jie grabbed his arm and yanked him back. That brute force made Pei Xiting’s wrist ache. He flared up instantly.
“Shangguan Jie!” Pei Xiting looked up. “If you’re sick, go get treated.”
Shangguan Jie sneered. “I asked you who that woman is!”
Pei Xiting laughed too. “What business is it of yours?”
“What business is it of mine?” Shangguan Jie’s face contorted with anger for a moment. He said viciously, “You’re mine.”
“I’m your ancestor!” Pei Xiting laughed, utterly helpless. “I have absolutely nothing to do with you. Before you declare sovereignty, I suggest you take a piss and look at yourself. Do you even deserve to?”
The moment the words landed, Shangguan Jie reached out to grab Pei Xiting’s face. But Pei Xiting drove a knee into him.
Damn, if it wasn’t that same familiar move. Shangguan Jie dodged immediately, his expression twisting. “You dare use that move again!”
“I’ve already done it, and you’re still asking if I dare—tell me, do you have a screw loose?!” Pei Xiting took the opportunity to break free and flipped him off. “Scram!”
Shangguan Jie flew into a rage and lunged forward, but then a familiar voice sounded from behind:
“Young Marquis.” Zhao Fan stepped in from behind the moon gate and said gently, “Let’s talk things over. There’s no need to resort to violence.”
Shangguan Jie said impatiently, “Zhao Xingjian, don’t play the good guy here. Don’t you dare tell me you don’t want to get your hands on him!”
“The Hereditary Prince is not that kind of person!” Pei Xiting said fiercely to Shangguan Jie. “You, Young Marquis, are drunk and hot-headed, picking fights and going berserk. You couldn’t care less that this is the imperial palace. You are a marquis’s son, shameless and despicable to the extreme. Do you really think everyone is as vile as you?!”
“…He’s not that kind of person?” Shangguan Jie laughed in anger. “Are you serious?”
“One person’s heart is hidden behind their ribs. I can’t see through everyone, but I know the Hereditary Prince has never hurt or forced me. You, on the other hand, Young Marquis, wanted to trample and humiliate me from the very start!” Pei Xiting glared at Shangguan Jie with resentment, his eyes red-rimmed. Finally, he just turned his head away, hastily bid Zhao Fan farewell, and walked away quickly.
This time, Shangguan Jie did not chase after him. In front of him was that resentful glare from Pei Xiting—like a knife gouging into him, leaving a stinging pain.
Zhao Fan watched Pei Xiting’s robe billow as he quickly disappeared. His gaze was deep and unreadable.
Shangguan Jie sneered. “Put on an act! He’s gone!”
“Then what do you want to do?” Zhao Fan withdrew his gaze, his tone still gentle. “This is the forbidden palace. Tonight is a palace banquet. Do you want to make a scene for everyone to see?”
“Spoken like you weren’t right there under the veranda listening to their conversation along with me,” Shangguan Jie said.
“True,” Zhao Fan laughed softly. “But Xiting doesn’t fear me or resent me. He sees you and me as two different kinds of people.”
“…” Shangguan Jie’s gaze turned cold. “So what? Didn’t you just hear him? He has someone in his heart. You want to use the methods of the pleasure quarters to coax him—do you think that’ll work?”
Zhao Fan’s expression flickered for a moment, then he said, “So he has someone he likes. So what?”
Shangguan Jie raised an eyebrow. “What do you plan to do?”
Zhao Fan smiled gently. “Once we find the person he likes, all problems will solve themselves.”
On the other side, Pei Xiting stopped after crossing through the moon gate. He looked at the Crown Prince, who stood three paces away, and watched those cold eyes. The irritation in his heart dissipated in an instant, replaced by a complex emotion he couldn’t control.
“Did Your Highness hear everything?” he asked.
The Crown Prince did not answer.
Pei Xiting touched his headband and suddenly said, “Was my wine and crabmeat ordered by you?”
The Crown Prince said, “Yes.”
“I remember the doctor’s orders—no alcohol, spicy food, or cold dishes,” Pei Xiting laughed. “Does Your Highness remember them too?”
“That day I went with you to get treated. Of course I remember,” the Crown Prince said.
Pei Xiting listened to his tone, so calm, so matter-of-fact, and his own voice turned sharp. “Why do you care so much about me, Your Highness? I thought such trivial matters wouldn’t catch your eye or occupy your heart.”
“Because I—”
“Among all the guests, I was the only one with pomegranate juice. When I came out, I asked the Guanglu Temple. Today’s banquet menu had no pomegranates. They thought it was too much trouble to pick out the seeds, so they used other fruits instead.” Pei Xiting seemed to be pondering. “At today’s palace banquet, the people who could swap a guest’s wine and cup without the Guanglu Temple noticing are few. It wasn’t you, so it must be Empress Qu—I’m going to ask her right now!”
He turned to leave, but the Crown Prince quickly stepped forward, grabbed the slender, pale nape of his neck, and pinned him in place.
Pei Xiting refused to give up. He struggled forward with both hands and feet. Suddenly, the Crown Prince reached around from behind and seized his neck. Forced to tilt his head back, Pei Xiting fell against the Crown Prince, meeting those eyes looking down at him.
The Crown Prince looked at Pei Xiting’s flushed eye sockets and pressed lightly with two fingers. “Are you taking your anger out on me?”
Pei Xiting showed no fear. “Are you feeling guilty?”
The Crown Prince’s eyelids lowered slightly. “Why should I feel guilty?”
Pei Xiting didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “If Hereditary Prince Zhao hadn’t come earlier, and the Young Marquis hadn’t let me go, would you have stepped in to help? Or would you have still stood here, utterly unruffled, looking on from the sidelines?”
The Crown Prince didn’t hesitate. “I would have stopped it.”
Pei Xiting’s eyes widened slightly. But then he heard the Crown Prince continue, “Because this is the forbidden palace, and you are an official of the Eastern Palace.”
His tone was calm. No matter how Pei Xiting tried to dissect it, he could find not a trace of emotion. Pei Xiting stared at him intently, and from those dark eyes, he saw himself—a clown.
A sharp pain shot through Pei Xiting’s head. He suddenly used force, twisting and slamming into the Crown Prince, stumbling back a couple of steps before steadying himself.
The Crown Prince didn’t move an inch, narrowing his eyes.
“Do you have no personal feelings for me?” Pei Xiting looked at the Crown Prince. “There are countless officials in the Eastern Palace. Have you treated even one of them the way you treat me?”
Yu Shaoyun had been prescient. But Pei Xiting wasn’t just suspicious; he was aggressive, clearly trying to tear an answer out of the Crown Prince’s mouth.
“I thought I made myself clear enough that night in Hezhou.” Even so, the Crown Prince had an instinct that tonight wouldn’t be easy to brush off. This baring-teeth little fox wouldn’t be pacified with a few words so easily.
Sure enough, Pei Xiting said, “But your words and deeds don’t match.”
The Crown Prince’s gaze wavered. “You’re being impudent.”
“I’ve been impudent so many times I could die a thousand deaths over. When you’re already up to your neck in debt, what’s a little more? I’m not afraid of anything!” Pei Xiting lifted his chin slightly. Though he was a head shorter than the Crown Prince, his gaze looked down on him. “The person from the Longhe Guard who came to the Pei residence that day wasn’t actually Longhe Guard. He was your man. You’ve been watching me all along. When you knew I was in danger, you came to pick me up in person, took me to Imperial Physician Liu’s manor for treatment, and gave him special instructions. Your concern for your subordinate has crossed the line!”
The Crown Prince still seemed unmoved. “So you think I have personal feelings for you?”
“Yes.” Pei Xiting ignored everything else and declared it with conviction. “And I guarantee it’s not just me who thinks so. The head eunuch was inexplicably polite; Commander Yu’s meaning was ambiguous; Vice Minister Qu’s expression was knowing; Lord You seemed to understand; even the little heir apparent looked at us with a contemplative gaze.”
He lifted an eyebrow slightly, with a hint of mockery. “Your Highness, aren’t all of them old faces around you?”
The Crown Prince didn’t answer, didn’t defend himself, but an implicit disdain emerged. “You’re very pleased with yourself?”
“No, I’m very sad.” Pei Xiting looked at the Crown Prince with earnest eyes. “Why won’t you admit it?”
“You—”
“Do you think my status is too low, that I’m not worthy of someone as noble as you? Or do you look down on me because I’m a man?”
“…” The Crown Prince pressed his lips together. “I don’t look down on you.”
“Then why?” Pei Xiting said. “Are you going to cut off all ties and feelings and seek immortality?”
The Crown Prince could take no more. He turned and walked away. “You’re drunk. Get out of the palace.”
“I didn’t drink today,” Pei Xiting said. “And that night, I wasn’t completely drunk either.”
The Crown Prince whirled around, his gaze ferocious.
Pei Xiting flinched slightly, but he lifted his chin and met his eyes with a challenging look. “At least when you held me, I still had some sense left.”