Chapter 60#

Sour Firewood: Little Pei Goes to Enzhou (Part 3)#

The warm curtain of the mutton shop was lifted and lowered repeatedly, business thriving.

All the round tables on the first floor were full, guests chatting and laughing. Pei Xiting walked ahead up to the second floor and saw that the left and right corridors were opened up, with several round tables set out, all also fully occupied.

“Greetings, masters! There are too many guests, and we’re really busy—please forgive us for any poor service.” The waiter glanced at the two of them. “Just the two of you?”

Pei Xiting nodded and said, “Your place is really bustling.”

“In autumn and winter, that’s how it is. Everyone wants to eat something warm to satisfy their stomachs. Our shop’s flavors are good, so as soon as it gets cold, people from near and far all come to support us.” The waiter smiled. “The front is full for now. If you wait, it might take a while. If you don’t mind, you could go to the backyard, but it’s not as lively as the front.”

“A quieter spot is fine too,” Pei Xiting said. “Lead the way.”

“Got it. Masters, please follow me.” The waiter gestured sideways and guided them forward.

Walking to the end of the corridor, the waiter opened a door. Outside was a staircase, leading down to a hallway. The hallway was sheltered from the wind by warm curtains on all sides, with square tables set out.

Yuan Fang reached out and lifted the curtain. In the courtyard, moonlight and flower shadows created an elegant scene.

“This spot is suitable for groups of no more than four. Any more and there wouldn’t be room. There are four tables total in the left and right corridors. As long as you’re not speaking especially loudly, you won’t hear each other.” The waiter wiped the table and smiled. “A table of guests just came to the front, so it’s quiet right now.”

“Here?” After Yuan Fang nodded, Pei Xiting sat down.

The waiter immediately presented the menu. Pei Xiting glanced at it and said, “A pot of mutton hotpot is a must, some mutton buns, and even though it’s not quite the season yet, bring a serving of the five-spice almond mutton too. And…”

Pei Xiting paused. Yuan Fang looked up at him.

Pei Xiting pressed his lips together and said, “One milk-braised fish.”

He handed the menu over. Yuan Fang didn’t look at it and passed it directly to the waiter. “That’s all.”

“Got it.” The waiter said, “Would you two like something to drink? Our shop’s lamb wine is quite good too.”

“I don’t drink that. Give me a cup of orange wine.” Pei Xiting glanced at Yuan Fang, who was staring at him, and lifted his chin. “What are you looking at?”

Yuan Fang couldn’t be bothered to scold him. “Add a cup of rice wine.”

Another waiter came with a tray, setting out bowls and chopsticks, and poured two bowls of steaming, milky-white mutton soup. The aroma immediately filled the air. The first waiter helped arrange the soup bowls and said, “Please wait a moment, masters. Drink some mutton soup to warm your stomachs. The food will be up soon. If you need anything, just pull the bell on the curtain, and I’ll be right over.”

With that, the two waiters quickly withdrew from the warm curtain.

Pei Xiting lowered his head and took a sip of the mutton soup. He closed his eyes and exhaled. “Fresh without being gamey, really fragrant.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be avoiding certain foods?” Yuan Fang said.

“I’m not taking any fever-reducing medicine now, and the wound on my back isn’t inflamed. What’s wrong with eating a little mutton?” Pei Xiting said. “Even if you stare me to death, I’m still eating it.”

Yuan Fang gave a cold laugh. “With your face as thick as it is, even staring through it would be hard. How could I possibly stare you to death?”

Pei Xiting was shameless. “Hehe. Make sure you eat plenty, since you’re paying. I’m broke now.”

Yuan Fang reached for his money pouch and counted. “Not bad. Enough to cover your gluttony. That money I gave away—I’ll have to get it back someday.”

“I don’t agree with the first part. I’m not being a glutton,” Pei Xiting protested. “I haven’t developed abs yet, but I don’t have any belly fat either. This is the only meal I’m eating today, so why can’t I eat a bit more?”

Yuan Fang chose to retreat. “I can’t be bothered with you.”

“You just can’t argue with me.” Pei Xiting lowered his head and slurped the mutton soup, making gurgling noises, a happy smile spreading across his face. “So good.”

“Excuse me!” The waiter lifted the curtain and had someone place a copper pot with charcoal, add water and seasonings, then set down neatly arranged plates of sliced mutton and dipping sauces. “Once the pot boils, you can start blanching the meat. Here are your drinks and mutton buns. The other two dishes will take a little longer.”

The waiter set the plates down and withdrew again.

Pei Xiting picked up a bun and bit into half of it. “Mm, thin skin, lots of filling. Small as it is, the flavor is quite rich.”

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice. “Hey, that table ahead hasn’t made any sound at all.”

Yuan Fang, with sharper hearing, said, “They have—the pot is bubbling. The people inside aren’t talking, and even if they were, with the wind outside and the thick warm curtain, we wouldn’t be able to hear clearly here.”

“Oh.” Pei Xiting finished the remaining half bun. “This whole plate is yours.”

As Yuan Fang ate his beloved mutton buns, he saw Pei Xiting pouring wine and still said, “Take it easy.”

“Fruit wine. It won’t get me drunk.” Pei Xiting took a sip, found it pleasant, and poured a cup for Yuan Fang. “Come on, let’s have a toast.”

Yuan Fang raised his cup and clinked it with his, then downed it in one gulp. He sneered, “Is this wine? Tastes like that orange juice you like.”

“Damn, your sense of taste is broken,” Pei Xiting shot back. “Tomorrow I’ll take you to a pharmacy to see a doctor.”

Yuan Fang gave a cold laugh, and Pei Xiting added, “Wine is best when it’s chilled.”

As he spoke, he cast a seemingly casual glance at Yuan Fang, the meaning obvious.

Yuan Fang smiled slightly. “Don’t even think about it. Push your luck any further, and you won’t get any wine at all.”

“Oh…” Pei Xiting let out a disappointed sigh, not daring to defy the tyrant, and resigned himself to losing the orange wine.

The two sat waiting for the pot to boil. In the meantime, Pei Xiting heard the waiter’s voice again, bringing in another table of guests, but they didn’t pass by outside.

“They sat at the table ahead,” Yuan Fang said. “Focus on your food… The water’s bubbling. You can start blanching now.”

Pei Xiting immediately lost interest in the outside world. He picked up his chopsticks, dipped a slice of mutton into the pot, his eyes gleaming with hunger.

A corner of the warm curtain lifted, but nothing was visible. Yu Shaoyun lowered it again and stood behind the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince said, “Sit.”

Yu Shaoyun acknowledged and sat to the Crown Prince’s right, his gaze falling on the man seated across from the Crown Prince. He smiled and said, “Did Corridor Master Fu come alone?”

The Corridor Master of the Immortal Corridor was a demon who had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, yet he had long eyebrows and elegant eyes, with a gentle demeanor. “What’s lost is not far away. Once I catch him and bring him back, naturally I won’t be alone.”

“I’m afraid he doesn’t want to go back,” Yu Shaoyun teased.

“That’s not for him to decide.” Fu Wei got straight to the point. “Does Your Highness intend to intervene?”

The Crown Prince used his chopsticks to blanch mutton. “Wait a bit longer.”

“This is my family affair, yet Your Highness wants to interfere,” Fu Wei said with a wry smile. “Fu Chuan, oh Fu Chuan, you’ve really tripped this time.”

The Crown Prince gave him a cold glance. “Not as bad as you. The one by your side ran off for two years before you found him.”

“If he didn’t have that skill, he wouldn’t have dared to run.” Fu Wei wasn’t angered by the jab, remaining genial. “Kids want to spread their wings and fly a lap. That’s fine, as long as they come home obediently in the end. Then everything can be talked about. As for the Po Yinlin matter, many thanks to Your Highness for letting it slide.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Shaoyun said, “With Secretary Pei vouching for him, and with Corridor Master Fu’s goodwill, His Highness naturally wouldn’t press the matter.”

Fu Wei smiled but said nothing. Earlier, Hu Shun’er had relayed the Crown Prince’s words to him, and now Yu Shaoyun was deliberately speaking well of Pei Xiting. His Highness the Crown Prince was clearly protecting him, plain and simple.

The Crown Prince stared at the bubbling hotpot and suddenly said, “If Yuan Fang doesn’t want to go back, what will you do?”

“Plenty of ways.” Fu Wei raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone gentle.

“You’re willing to go that far?” the Crown Prince said.

“If he won’t behave, I’ll teach him. But if he doesn’t even want to come home, what do I have to lose?” Fu Wei smiled. “Why do you ask? Got something on your mind?”

The Crown Prince’s gaze passed through the warm curtain, and he said indifferently, “Break his bones, shatter his sinews—you keep the person, but the heart is still outside.”

“Shaoyun, listen to what your master is saying.” Fu Wei laughed and sighed. “Everyone has weaknesses. Once you grasp them, even the hardest thing can be destroyed. Didn’t you say something like that before?”

The Crown Prince’s gaze flickered, but he said nothing.

“Looks like you remember. You just can’t bring yourself to do it.” Fu Wei was practically gloating. “You’ve really taken a nasty fall this time.”

The Crown Prince said coldly, “You think you understand very well?”

Fu Wei chuckled. “A little more than His Highness, who’s just blossoming like an iron tree.”

The Crown Prince said nothing.

Fu Wei gave a placating smile. “If you ask me, you don’t need to overthink things. Since you like him, keep him by your side. Once the novelty wears off, who knows? Maybe one day you won’t like him anymore. People’s hearts change. Rather than worrying about the future, it’s more reliable to focus on the present. Overthink things, and you might miss your chance.”

The Crown Prince remained silent for a long time, so long that Fu Wei thought he wouldn’t answer. Finally, he gave a soft “Mm.”

The mutton they’d ordered earlier was finished. Fu Wei pulled the bell and had the waiter bring two more plates of mutton. After the footsteps faded, he said, “By the way, that Immortal cult—is it particularly troublesome?”

“He Ying can handle it,” the Crown Prince said.

“Then why did you make a special trip here… Oh,” Fu Wei’s tone rose, a guess forming. “Don’t tell me you came to clear your head?”

The Crown Prince cast him a sidelong glance. “Is that not allowed?”

“Of course it is. The world is vast—you can go wherever you want, do whatever you want, take whatever you want. Who can control you?” Fu Wei said seriously. “I just find it a bit amusing.”

And with that, he laughed out loud.

The Crown Prince: “…”

“I originally planned to visit you in Yejing, but I learned you’d gone to Enzhou. I thought it must be some huge trouble requiring your personal attention, so I followed, intending to show my loyalty. I never expected you to be troubled by love and out on a trip to clear your head.” Fu Wei turned and glanced at the warm curtain, thoughtful. “With ‘Yuan Fang’ here, it’s a bit troublesome. Should I have someone distract him so you can go find your heart’s desire?”

“Don’t do anything reckless,” the Crown Prince said. “I don’t want to see him.”

Fu Wei understood. “Can’t see him and miss him; see him and get annoyed. Either way, you’re not happy, right?”

“You talk too much,” the Crown Prince said.

Seeming to have hit the mark, Fu Wei clicked his tongue. “I’m trying to help you work through it, and you don’t even appreciate it.”

“This meal is on me,” the Crown Prince said.

“It should be you paying anyway.” Fu Wei paused, suddenly remembering something. “Oh, I passed by the auction house east of the city today. They have a bracelet of red jade inlaid with black jade—strikingly bright. Ordinary people couldn’t pull it off, but it looks like it would suit your heart’s desire. It’s up for auction tomorrow.”

The Crown Prince acknowledged it, then after a moment added, “He returned the qin I gave him.”

“Oh?” Fu Wei mused. “He wants to settle the score with you. Quite a temper.”

“Not just a temper,” the Crown Prince said flatly. “He’s got plenty of nerve.”

Fu Wei laughed. “Looks like you like it. Probably hit you right where it hurts.”

The Crown Prince made no reply.

The warm curtain fell silent. The three of them quietly blanched mutton. After a while, they all heard footsteps and voices growing closer:

“I’m so full I’m dying,” Pei Xiting whined with a fake cry. “My abs are gone.”

“The abs in your dreams… Watch where you’re going. Bump your head again and you’ll have a matching pair.” Yuan Fang said. “Two horns on top—you can become a dragon.”

“My abs can only be seen by smart people. A fool like you, Yuan Fang, naturally doesn’t have the fortune to appreciate them. But no matter,” Pei Xiting said magnanimously, “when we get back, I’ll let you feel them. Really experience them.”

Yuan Fang said with “affection,” “Sure, I’ll dig a few out for you. However many you want.”

“You heartless man. Ptooey.”

“Don’t cling to me.”

“I can’t walk anymore. Carry me… Ugh, I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Keep hopping around, then. Get on up… If you throw up on me, you’re dead.”

“I’d be happy to die in your arms.”

“…”

The two of them… Yuan Fang carried Pei Xiting on his back as they ascended the stairs, disappearing into the bustling front hall. Their voices faded completely.

Inside the warm curtain, silence reigned. Yu Shaoyun listened to the wind outside and felt the mutton in his bowl turn ice-cold. He didn’t dare look at his master.

Fu Wei unhurriedly poured himself a cup of wine, then reached over to pour one for the Crown Prince. His voice was warm. “Speaking of which, they haven’t known each other long. They really seem to hit it off.”

“Clink.” The Crown Prince clinked glasses with Fu Wei and said flatly, “Mm.”

Fu Wei took a sip of wine. “Does Your Highness still intend to meddle in my family affairs?”

The Crown Prince downed his drink in one gulp, staring at the empty cup. “Break up the ‘lovebirds,’ you mean?”

Fu Wei smiled. “I’ll handle it. You just sit back and watch.”

The Crown Prince was silent for a moment before saying, “Wait a bit longer.”

Fu Wei sighed, then turned to Yu Shaoyun. “Look at that. His Highness has grown a bodhisattva’s heart these days.”

His tone was light, but it carried a chill of displeasure—not directed at the Crown Prince, but at the two who had been so intimate earlier. Yu Shaoyun sighed inwardly. With one big sigh, he felt he had to appease both sides—an impossible task!

“Because of the Po Yinlin matter, Secretary Pei was forced to get involved. Yuan Fang must feel guilty and wants to protect Secretary Pei until the hidden demons and monsters lurking in the shadows are swept clean.” Yu Shaoyun chose his words carefully. “Secretary Pei and Yuan Fang hit it off from the start. On the surface, they’re master and servant, but really they’re good friends. Both are people of passion, so their interactions can be a bit casual. Yuan Fang is Corridor Master Fu’s man and has grown up with Your Highness. You know his character best, Corridor Master Fu.”

He paused, stealing a glance at the Crown Prince, then continued. “Secretary Pei is unrestrained and open, occasionally too direct in his actions and words, but he’s definitely not a flirtatious or fickle person. Since he admires Your Highness, he would never be ambiguous with someone else at the same time—even if he wanted to sever ties with you, that was only two or three days ago. And even if he were to seek a new love, it wouldn’t be Yuan Fang, or he’d be cheapening the bond between them.”

“Mm…” Fu Wei seemed thoughtful. “That’s true.”

The Crown Prince cast a cool glance at the visibly uncomfortable Yu Shaoyun. “Why the long speech?”

With you radiating cold air beside me, did I have a choice?! Yu Shaoyun roared inwardly, but his face remained cautious. “Your subordinate has eaten too much. Talking helps with digestion.”

The Crown Prince accepted this explanation and said no more, drinking two more cups in succession.

In the past, the Crown Prince had been someone who drank through the night under the moon. After returning to Yejing, he rarely had the scent of alcohol on him. Fu Wei smiled at this but didn’t call him out or say anything more, lest he stir up the man’s thoughts and add to his irritation—after all, if he added more fuel to that pile of sour firewood, it might just explode.

After finishing the hotpot, the three left the warm curtain one after another.

Fu Wei looked around. “Jiezi isn’t here?”

The Crown Prince hummed in affirmation, offering no further explanation.

Jiezi had always been the Crown Prince’s personal guard. Unless the situation was urgent, he would never be away from the Crown Prince’s side. Fu Wei’s eyes darted, forming a guess, but he shook his head without saying it out loud. Instead, he teased, “Would you say this is a good thing or a bad thing?”

The Crown Prince’s gaze flickered. “Hard to say.”

“I think it’s both. When someone takes a place in your heart, emotions inevitably fluctuate—you start worrying about gains and losses, sometimes unable to control yourself. For you, that’s an enormous vulnerability. But in life, good and bad things come in turns. Even someone with overwhelming power and the ability to stir clouds and rain isn’t an exception.” Fu Wei looked out at the night and said gently, “If you wanted to be flawless, you should have eliminated this trouble long ago, cut it off at the root forever—but for you, that would have been a single word, and you’ve never been able to do it. Now it’s clearly too late. You were once forced to have things you didn’t want, and that was painful enough. Why force yourself now to give up what you do want? Fu Chuan, no one in this world can control everything. You can’t either. Since you’ve encountered it, why not follow your heart? Consider it letting yourself off.”

The night wind was biting. Under the eaves, there was silence.

The Crown Prince gazed at the bright moon, the stubborn, beautiful eyes appearing before him again—clear and moist autumn pools now filled with intense emotion, pressing and staring at him with a plea, demanding an answer.

In the past, the Crown Prince had not been without romantic interests. On the contrary, there had been many. Pink, tender and sweet; white, cautious and fearful; black, hiding venom. Only this one, a vivid and dazzling red, fearless and unhesitating, so open and intense it made one’s heart race.

“Fu Chuan, look—you killed your own brothers without batting an eye. So cold-hearted, so decisive, so ruthless and cruel. You were born to sit on that lonely throne.”

A hoarse, delighted laugh rang in the Crown Prince’s ears. Emperor Xining walked toward him from the front, reached out to pluck a fallen leaf from his shoulder, not sparing a single glance for the Third Prince, who was nailed to a wild boar.

“Fu Chuan, you are far more remarkable than your elder brothers. A son unlike his father,” Emperor Xining said with a faint smile, a startling brilliance flashing in his eyes. “A son… most like his father.”

Those words were a curse. In countless midnight dreams, the Crown Prince clearly remembered the joy and satisfaction in Emperor Xining’s eyes.

But at some point, another voice had entered his dreams—a clear voice that squeezed in from some unknown crack, lingering close to his ear, soft as autumn wind:

“Your Highness, when you killed the Third Prince, were you afraid?”

In the room at Yangliu’an, Pei Xiting sat beside him, unwilling to look at the qin score any longer, insisting on talking to him. Sometimes he talked about what he’d eaten that day, sometimes about imperial secrets. But his tone held no probing—just curiosity, no different from asking, “How can Zhang Ji’s iced yuanzi possibly taste that bad?”

“Why do you ask? Are you afraid?” the Crown Prince had replied.

“I’m not afraid,” Pei Xiting said. “I feel like Your Highness is quite indulgent with me.”

“Taking advantage of favor never ends well.”

Pei Xiting choked. “Come on, I’m just chatting with you. Don’t make it sound like I’m plotting something big. When you’re out and about, don’t keep up that Crown Prince air. It’s exhausting. Brother Fu~”

“Do you think I was afraid?”

Pei Xiting had dared to be angry but not speak out, rolling his eyes in what he thought was a subtle way. “If I knew, why would I ask you?”

The Crown Prince pretended not to notice that subtle eye roll.

“I always knew that, compared to blood ties, you care more about true bonds between people. So in your heart, Youjing’s younger brother matters more than your imperial brother. The Third Prince hired assassins to kill you; Youjing bravely protected you. When you settled accounts afterward, whether to avenge him or to assert your authority, it was entirely justified. But to others, the Third Prince was your blood relative, while Youjing was merely your subordinate, with status differences between them. So they don’t say you have a sense of loyalty—they say you’re devoid of family feeling.” Pei Xiting tilted his head, resting his chin on the qin score. “I don’t know if you care at all about what others think or say, and I know that no matter how strong and cold a person is, as long as their blood is warm, they can’t be invulnerable and unflappable every second. That’s why I can’t be sure whether you were afraid.”

“If I said I wasn’t afraid at all, would you be scared?”

“No, it’s not like I’m the Third Prince. I don’t have any bad intentions toward you,” Pei Xiting said. “Besides, I think you’re a pretty good person.”

The Crown Prince looked askance. “I’m good?”

“Yes. First, you’re a good superior. As long as your subordinates work diligently and remain loyal, you don’t mistreat them. Throughout history, not many superiors have managed that. Second, you’re a good Crown Prince—you purge corrupt officials and punish wicked clerks, reduce taxes and show compassion to the people, you know how to employ people wisely regardless of their background. Third, you’re a good uncle and a good younger brother—you keep the little imperial grandson by your side, raising him without mistreatment, teaching him carefully. Fourth, you’re a good teacher.” Pei Xiting blinked and smiled. “You teach your students patiently and fulfill your duties. It makes the student feel especially secure.”

The Crown Prince was silent for a moment. “But the student doesn’t study seriously and loves to chatter, making the teacher feel very insecure.”

Pei Xiting said, “The student studies very seriously, but also wants to get to know the teacher better, to close the distance. If the teacher would just talk more with the student, the student’s heart would feel like… like drinking some kind of elixir. The fire in my heart burns, and I could even play The Phoenix Seeks His Mate without issue.”

The Crown Prince mocked, “More like you’ve drunk an immortal potion. Describing your progress as ‘swift’ isn’t enough—you’ve had a complete transformation.”

Pei Xiting replied, “The teacher’s voice is like a spring breeze brushing past my ears, like fine nectar going down my throat. That’s exactly what an immortal potion is.”

“Glib tongue.”

“I’m telling the truth.” Pei Xiting said softly. “Teacher, your voice is incredibly beautiful. It’s intoxicating.”

Those eyes held no fear or deference, only frank adoration, sparkling brightly—recently always flickering in the Crown Prince’s dreams, impossible to extinguish.

But in these past couple of days, the stars had been wet, carrying tears. The Crown Prince wanted to reach out and wipe them away, but they had already turned their back, nestled close to something else, flying off intimately together.

“—I’d be happy to die in your arms.”

Pei Xiting’s sweet words seemed to be something everyone could get a share of.

The Crown Prince stared at the shadows in the courtyard, his eyes dark and sinister.