Chapter 79#

Feigning Escape: Little Pei’s Getaway Record (Part 1)#

The Hundred Charms Brothel had shut its doors for good. Upstairs and downstairs, everyone who could move about freely was one of their own. None of them had anticipated that Pei Xiting would vanish without a trace, so quietly and soundlessly.

Yu Shaoyun and You Zong had stood guard outside the door all night, never hearing the sound of a window opening or closing. They didn’t know whether that open window, partially obscured by a gauze curtain, had been deliberately left that way by Pei Xiting—had he already planned it back then?

The second floor of the brothel wasn’t high off the ground. With Yuan Fang there, getting Pei Xiting down safely wasn’t a problem. The window faced a back alley with little foot traffic, but the streets beyond were already bustling with noise, which would conveniently mask any sounds from the room, preventing detection. Pei Xiting had been exhausted all night, looking thoroughly wilted—hardly the image of someone plotting a full-blown escape. None of them had been on guard. The timing, the location, the people—Pei Xiting had calculated everything with perfect clarity, executed his escape with flawless precision, and left a room full of people staring blankly after him.

Zong Suiyang was already awake. Clad in an outer robe, he sat on the edge of the bed. The bowl of medicine in his hands had gone cold. He hadn’t taken a single sip, and no one dared to urge him.

Zong Suiyang remembered that before he had fallen into a drugged slumber, Pei Xiting had been securely nestled in his arms. The fierce intimacy of the night before had left Pei Xiting sweating, his heartbeat strong and full of life, warming him like a little stove. He never expected that when he opened his eyes, the space beside him would be empty. If it weren’t for the evidence of their passion scattered across the floor and the bed—the bruises and bite marks still on his own body—he might have thought last night was just another spring dream.

The atmosphere in the room was stifling. Yu Shaoyun knelt at the foot of the bed. Su Zhongyan attended to him at the bedside. All remained silent.

“To capture the rebels, Enzhou’s city gates are under tight control, with strict entry and exit checks. If Xiting wants to leave the city, he’ll have to leave his name or use his token,” You Zong finally broke the silence after a moment. “There are men from the Crane Cage Division at the gates. Everyone knows Xiting. The moment they see him, they’ll bring him back without harming him.”

“He won’t leave the city right now,” Zong Suiyang said, looking down, his tone slightly cold. “Yuan Fang can come and go freely alone. No mountain path or waterway can stop him, but it’s different if he’s carrying Xiting. Xiting doesn’t know martial arts, and his body isn’t strong right now. He can’t travel through mountains or cross rivers. So they must be hiding somewhere safe and secret within the city.”

The coldness in Zong Suiyang’s words sent a chill down the spine. Su Zhongyan weighed his words for a moment and said softly, “Chief Clerk Pei is injured and has a fever. He will definitely need to buy medicine.”

He deliberately brought up Pei Xiting’s physical condition, not only to suggest that all medicine shops in the city should be watched, which might yield a lead, but also to subtly plead Pei Xiting’s case. He was sick, after all—surely one should be gentle with him, especially since His Highness seemed genuinely angry.

Yes, he had cried out for half the night, and in the end, even with a fever, it hadn’t stopped him from tremblingly climbing out of bed and running away. What was Pei Xiting after? Zong Suiyang knew very well. But the clearer he was, the more torn he felt inside. He didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry.

“Send an order to the Prefect’s office. Say that a member of my household has been kidnapped by ruffians and has entered Enzhou territory. Their whereabouts are unknown. Starting today, conduct a citywide search. Leave no place unchecked. Even if it’s a dog hole or a pigsty, dig it out,” Zong Suiyang said, his gaze gloomy, sealing the decision. “Within three days, I want to know where he is.”

The guard outside the door responded and left.

“Now you’re in a panic?” Fu Wei arrived after receiving the news quickly. He spoke even before stepping through the doorway. “I told you before, having ‘Yuan Fang’ by his side was asking for trouble. Those two aren’t afraid of anything, and together they’re a disaster. One has brains, the other has brawn. What can’t they do? But you wouldn’t listen. You wanted to play the generous, considerate gentleman. Well, now your man has run off, and the person I’ve been searching for forever has also disappeared without a trace.”

Zong Suiyang’s expression darkened, and he said nothing.

Seeing this, You Zong interjected, “Now that Huo Yue’s whereabouts are unknown, having Yuan Fang by Xiting’s side can at least keep him safe.”

“That’s easy to say.” Fu Wei snapped his fan open with a sharp flick, his voice cold. “If it weren’t for relying on ‘Yuan Fang,’ could he have gotten out of this room? If he had just stayed put, why would safety even be a concern?”

“As long as he’s safe, we can find him in a few days,” Zong Suiyang said, downing the medicine in one gulp and handing the bowl to Su Zhongyan. Su Zhongyan bowed and quietly withdrew.

Zong Suiyang looked up at Fu Wei and said, “Since you’re so anxious, go find him quickly. If I find him first, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do.”

No matter how angry Zong Suiyang got, he wouldn’t kill Pei Xiting. But Yuan Fang was another matter. Fu Wei understood this. He smiled and said, “Since Your Highness is so angry, you’d better not meddle in my family affairs for the sake of your precious heart again. That way, you won’t end up shooting yourself in the foot again. I’m not afraid of the pain, but I’m embarrassed for you just hearing about it. This time, I’m taking him away.”

Zong Suiyang didn’t say anything, which was a tacit agreement. Seeing this, Fu Wei said no more and left to find the man.

The room fell silent again. Zong Suiyang looked at Yu Shaoyun and said, “You’re very good. Efficient in your work, and even faster with your mouth. Even my orders can’t restrain you.”

“I have failed. I am willing to accept whatever punishment you deem fit.” Yu Shaoyun kowtowed.

Zong Suiyang said flatly, “You admit you made a mistake, but you’re not acknowledging it, and you’re certainly not confessing your guilt. Am I right?”

Yu Shaoyun bit his lip, then quietly kowtowed again, saying, “First mistake: I failed to protect Your Highness properly. Second mistake: I disobeyed your orders and disturbed Chief Clerk Pei on my own accord. Third mistake: I brought Chief Clerk Pei here but failed to keep a close watch on him. Whatever punishment Your Highness decides, I will accept it willingly.”

Over the years, Yu Shaoyun had been diligent and dutiful. Zong Suiyang knew this well. If the rule was that any injury to the master meant the subordinate had failed in their duty, then with the number of times Zong Suiyang had been injured, Yu Shaoyun would have been beaten to death long ago. This time, Huo Yue had caught them all off guard. Zong Suiyang didn’t intend to blame anyone for inadequate protection. But a subordinate disobeying orders, paying lip service while acting otherwise—that was a grave offense.

Under normal circumstances, Zong Suiyang would have imposed a heavy punishment. But this time was different. He looked at Yu Shaoyun, hesitating over how to proceed.

“Your Highness.” You Zong clasped his hands. “In Commander Yu’s heart, nothing is more important than your safety and health. The situation was critical at the time, and there truly was no other option. If we had called someone else to serve you, aside from the potential security risk, Xiting would never have agreed to it either.”

Hearing Pei Xiting’s name, Zong Suiyang’s gaze flickered.

Seeing this, You Zong continued, “Xiting said something at that time.”

“What did he say?” Zong Suiyang asked.

“He said, ‘You are his,’” You Zong replied.

Zong Suiyang curled his fingers inward but said nothing.

“Your Highness and Xiting are in love with each other. Wouldn’t it be a shame for a villain’s scheme to create a rift between you? Moreover, Your Highness has never liked having strangers close to you. Commander Yu did disobey your orders, and he deserves punishment. But there was a reason for it. He was caught between two equally impossible choices. He had no way out. Your Highness has a clear heart and understands these difficulties perfectly, so I am sure you can be understanding.” You Zong paused, then added, “Fortunately, Xiting is an honest man with sharp eyes. He will surely understand that Commander Yu’s actions were not meant to humiliate him, and that Your Highness had no such intention either. He won’t misunderstand.”

You Zong had built a ladder. Yu Shaoyun kowtowed again to confess his error, and His Highness could now gracefully step down.

“Go and find him yourself. Three days. Or I’ll add this punishment to the others.” Zong Suiyang glanced at Yu Shaoyun. “Get up. Leave.”

Yu Shaoyun kowtowed in thanks, rose, bowed, and hurried out to search.

You Zong walked to the bedside and said, “Xiting has indeed been a bit reckless this time. Running around while he’s injured—that’s just torturing himself. But I wonder why he did it. If there’s some misunderstanding, when we find him, we can clear it up properly.”

“He’s forcing me to be soft, to admit I’m wrong, to confess my feelings.”

Pei Xiting didn’t want Zong Suiyang’s silent tolerance, nor his ambiguous answers. All that talk of a brief affair was just a cover. What he wanted was for Zong Suiyang to clearly say “I like you.”

If Zong Suiyang went after him, he would have to comply with Pei Xiting’s wishes. If he wasn’t willing to do that, then he shouldn’t go at all. After that, it would be an ocean of freedom—truly “finish the fun and part ways.”

This was a runaway act, but also a reverse lure, a trap to draw the enemy in.

Zong Suiyang finally couldn’t help himself. He sighed and muttered, “A little brat who needs to be taught a lesson.”

Pei Xiting sneezed, and the cloth on his forehead fell onto the couch. Yuan Fang picked it up and threw it into the basin.

Yuan Fang reached out and felt Pei Xiting’s forehead. “The fever hasn’t broken yet. It won’t burn you into an idiot, will it?”

“It’s not that bad, the temperature isn’t high.” Pei Xiting was wrapped in his blanket, his eyes barely open, half-lidded, his voice extremely hoarse. “I’ll sleep it off. I’ll be fine by tomorrow morning.”

Yuan Fang wasn’t convinced. “Can’t we get a doctor? At least get some medicine to take.”

“If you go, what’s the difference between that and walking into a trap myself?” Pei Xiting said weakly. “Getting caught less than half a day after running away—how embarrassing. And Zong Suiyang is definitely still angry right now. If I fall into his hands, it’s goodbye to my little life.”

Yuan Fang said, “Then why did you make a scene?”

“Who’s making a scene? I have my strategy, my rhythm. Don’t just question me,” Pei Xiting retorted confidently. “That guy Zong—I stripped him naked. Sure, he didn’t lose out, and I had my private reasons, but I was also trying to help him. Still, I went against his will. I’m in the wrong there. Given his temper, if I hadn’t run away today, he definitely wouldn’t be talking to me right now. He’d be giving me the cold shoulder.”

“Well, now the cold shoulder has turned into a hot pursuit. Just wait until you get caught and taken back for a good scolding.” Yuan Fang’s voice was cold.

Pei Xiting pouted. “Anyway, I have my goal. Zong Suiyang will definitely understand. We’ll just hide for a few days, wait until he’s probably cooled down, and then see what he chooses to do. If he doesn’t come looking for me, I’ll wander the world with you and never bother with him again.”

Yuan Fang said mercilessly, “Carrying you, I’d be lucky to wander around a small valley.”

Pei, the weakling, had no strength to argue. He buried his head and retreated into his own little world.

Just then, there were three knocks on the door. Then someone pushed it open and slipped in quickly. It was Haozi, the owner of the toy shop.

“Oh my ancestors! What heavenly offense have you two committed?!” Haozi began reporting the situation outside as soon as he entered the secret room. “The city gates are under martial law. All the mountain paths, waterways, even the cliff edges that can be traversed are guarded. The Prefect’s office is turning the whole city upside down looking for people. They haven’t even spared the dog holes by the walls or the night-soil carts on the streets! And that’s just the official channels. On top of that, the underworld has issued pursuit orders—over three hundred in just half a day!”

Haozi clasped his hands, looking at the two with admiration. “You two are now being hunted by both the black and white worlds. Even murderers who slaughter entire clans and the most vicious outlaws don’t get such a grand treatment!”

Yuan Fang: “.”

“Of course, I also admire myself for daring to harbor such great Buddhas as you two,” Haozi said. “Me, my little life is over!”

“Brother Haozi, don’t be afraid. It’s not as serious as you think.” Pei Xiting pulled the blanket down to reveal his face and comforted him. “Just keep your shop open as usual. Yuan Fang and I will hide in this secret room. Once the storm blows over, everything will be fine.”

This secret room was originally built by Haozi as his own disaster shelter in the toy shop. After all, running on the streets, who knew if they’d encounter a life-or-death crisis? He never expected to use it for these two great Buddhas first.

“Great Buddha, don’t try to fool me.” Haozi pointed outside. “I just got back from the city gate. I saw some more people there. All of them are armed and uniformed. One of them I’ve dealt with before—he’s from the Crane Cage Guards! The Crane Cage Guards are personally guarding the city gates. You two haven’t offended the Crown Prince, have you? And judging by the scale, it’s not a minor offense!”

Hearing this, Yuan Fang looked at Pei Xiting, who shrank back cautiously, not daring to speak.

Seeing this, Haozi laughed ruefully, understanding everything. “Whatever. Meeting you two is my eight lifetimes of bad luck. I accept it. It’s still early. I’ll go prepare my funeral arrangements and then spend all my savings on incense, praying to the Bodhisattva that I don’t meet you two in my next life. I’m off. You two rest well.”

His words made Pei Xiting feel deeply ashamed. He quickly reached out to stop him. “Brother Haozi, wait.”

Haozi stopped and turned around, meeting Pei Xiting’s sincere eyes.

“We’ve implicated you in this. But don’t worry—you won’t die,” Pei Xiting said. “At worst, you’ll get a severe beating.”

Haozi suddenly laughed, a sound of release.

“Don’t worry. If we are really discovered, I will definitely stand in front of you and not let anyone hurt you,” Pei Xiting promised, patting his chest. But then he coughed weakly. “But look at me now. I can’t even get out of bed. I really have the will but not the strength.”

Haozi said, “So?”

Pei Xiting gave an embarrassed smile and said modestly, “I’d trouble Brother Haozi to secretly buy some medicine for me. Some anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving ointment—the kind used after… after sex.”

This morning, Brother Haozi had just returned from the shop next door when he saw the two great Buddhas appear from who knows where behind the curtain. Pei Xiting was smiling at him. It was the same face, but his eyelids and lips were swollen and red, and his fair neck was covered in marks. He exuded an aura of sensual indulgence from the inside out. Haozi wasn’t some inexperienced young man; he understood what this meant.

—So, you two managed to have a fierce battle while fleeing for your lives?!

Haozi didn’t know and didn’t dare to ask. He nodded in agreement and turned to leave.

Pei Xiting sighed and said, “Brother Haozi really is a good person.”

Yuan Fang said, “Won’t sending him to buy medicine expose us?”

“Brother Haozi has good connections and is well-informed. He definitely won’t go to a regular, obvious pharmacy,” Pei Xiting sighed. “The fever isn’t a big deal. I can tough it out. But my butt really hurts.”

Not only was that Zong guy’s thing scarily huge, but his technique was also terrible. And he was drugged with an aphrodisiac. Pei Xiting suddenly felt a bit of relief, thinking he must have a truly iron butt.

Vulgar words. Yuan Fang’s ears hurt. “I don’t want to hear it.”

Pei Xiting pouted pitifully and buried his head again, retreating into his own little world.

Meanwhile, the good man had left the shop and locked the door behind him. He was pondering where it would be safest to buy medicine without exposing the two great Buddhas’ whereabouts and implicating himself, when he turned and came face to face with someone.

Haozi was startled. Holding his pounding heart, he said, “You are?”

“I’ve heard you’re well-informed. I’d like to ask you to help me find two people,” Yu Shaoyun said. “If you can find them, there will be a great reward in gold and silver.”

This person was dressed low-key, with a low-key demeanor, but his background was definitely high-key. And he happened to be looking for two people. Haozi’s heart thumped. He tried his best to appear normal and said, “I do occasionally take on some odd jobs for information, but I wouldn’t dare brag and say I know everything. If you don’t mind, why don’t you first tell me the characteristics and clues of these two, and I’ll see if I can help you find them?”

Yu Shaoyun took out two portraits and opened them one by one. The first was a portrait of Pei Xiting—a self-portrait, lifelike. The second showed two faces, one handsome and delicate, the other rugged and ordinary. These were Yuan Fang’s true appearance and the face he usually used for disguise.

Oh my god, Haozi groaned inwardly. But Yu Shaoyun suddenly asked, “Your expression—do you recognize them?”

Haozi looked up and met Yu Shaoyun’s probing gaze. He thought about it and decided that denying it would only raise suspicion. So he mixed truth with falsehood. “These two… I have seen them before. But it’s been a while. I really don’t know where they are now.”

Hearing this, Yu Shaoyun squinted slightly, scrutinizing Haozi for a moment, then smiled and said, “I’m asking you to help me find them, not asking you for their whereabouts.”

Wrong words! Haozi’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He said, “In that case, I can try to help you look, but I might not be able to find them.”

“That’s fine. Just do your best.” Yu Shaoyun’s gaze softened. He took out a thousand-tael banknote and handed it to Haozi. “This is for your troubles. If you truly find them within three days, there will be another generous reward.”

With that, Yu Shaoyun turned and left, his steps hurried. He probably had other places to check.

Haozi withdrew his gaze, picked up the banknote, held it up to the light, looked up at it, and sighed. “A thousand taels just for running an errand… Great Buddhas sure are valuable.”

Haozi suddenly felt a twinge of temptation. Honestly, he had no special connection with the two great Buddhas. He had only taken them in today out of fear of that murderous dagger. But now, their enemy was the Crown Prince. Given the Crown Prince’s methods, those two would be caught sooner or later. So what difference did a day or two make? This way, he could also clear himself of any involvement.

But then he thought it over—if he handed them over, given the severity of the situation, that pair of wild mandarin ducks would probably end up as dead mandarin ducks.

After all, they were two lives. Haozi sighed, tucked the banknote into his pocket, and decided to go buy the medicine first. He would think about the rest later.

Haozi’s heart was pounding with uncertainty. His footsteps were quick, and he didn’t notice that as he passed a certain alley entrance, Yu Shaoyun suddenly appeared, watching him thoughtfully.

“Commander,” a guard appeared behind Yu Shaoyun, urging, “Shouldn’t we be searching for the people? Why are we standing here?”

“There’s something off about that man,” Yu Shaoyun said. “He was nervous.”

Hearing this, the guard thought for a moment and said, “When we first arrived in Enzhou, Chief Clerk Pei sought out this man to inquire about the Hundred Charms Brothel. They do know each other. You think Chief Clerk Pei and the others might be hidden by him?”

Yu Shaoyun made a quick decision. “Follow him. See what he does.”

The guard acknowledged and quickly followed. Yu Shaoyun turned around and continued to check other places.

Night fell quickly. Yu Shaoyun was waiting at the entrance of the Hundred Charms Brothel when the guard came running back, panting. “Nothing suspicious.”

The guard had followed Haozi and seen him sneak off to the black market. That only made him more suspicious. Why act so secretive in broad daylight? When he continued tailing him to the pharmacy, his heart skipped a beat. He thought, Could it be? This man is buying medicine for Chief Clerk Pei!

“But guess what medicine he bought?” The guard clapped his hands. “Aphrodisiac! He bought it and swallowed it with water right there in the pharmacy! No wonder he was sneaking around all the way—that’s something you definitely don’t want anyone to see.”

Yu Shaoyun listened, disappointed, and sighed, folding his arms. “But I still feel he’s off. If he had nothing to hide, why was he so nervous when he saw me?”

“Haozi deals in information. He’s resourceful. If you followed him all the way, he might have noticed and deliberately tried to throw you off the scent.” You Zong emerged from behind the door. He glanced at the guard, then continued, “Since you’re suspicious, investigate further and probe deeper.”

“You’re right, Master You. Haozi is well-connected in the black market. He’s an old acquaintance of that pharmacy owner. Who knows if they exchanged some coded looks or signals that we missed.” The guard immediately said, “I’ll go question the pharmacy owner right now!”

Yu Shaoyun nodded. It wasn’t until the guard had left that he turned to You Zong, hesitating, “Has His Highness rested?”

“How could he sleep?” You Zong said. “His Highness went out to search personally. He hasn’t returned yet.”

He looked at Yu Shaoyun. “What are you hesitating about? His Highness has dealt with you. Just follow your orders. Do you need him to beat you half to death by the book before you feel at ease?”

“I disobeyed his orders. If His Highness wanted to kill me, I wouldn’t say a word.” Yu Shaoyun sighed. “Letting me off so lightly only makes me more uneasy.”

“How can His Highness not understand your difficulties? But he had to say something, or else discipline would be completely lost,” You Zong said. Then he paused. “Saying he’s angry at you for acting on your own is the same as saying he’s angry at himself. He’s a man of immense restraint. Last night, he lost his mind, became a wild beast. And of all people, it had to be Xiting enduring it. And when he woke up, the man was gone, now hiding somewhere, suffering.”

He sighed again. “Xiting has an audacious heart and plenty of schemes. He’s stubborn, and he won’t stop until he achieves his goal. The two of them are entangled in their own drama. We outsiders can’t interfere. But His Highness is troubled right now. Instead of wasting your energy being uneasy, you’d better find that man as soon as possible. That’s the best medicine for His Highness.”

Yu Shaoyun wiped his face and turned to continue his search.

Haozi returned to the pharmacy, crept into the secret room, and pulled a medicine jar from his sleeve, handing it to Yuan Fang. “Great Buddhas, I have bad news. Someone came looking for me.”

Pei Xiting was surprised. “So fast?”

“He wanted me to help him find the two of you. And I think he’s suspicious of me. He tailed me all day today. Lucky for me, I have friends in the black market. I pretended to buy some aphrodisiac and fooled him,” Haozi said wearily.

Pei Xiting said gratefully, “Thank you, Brother Haozi. You are righteous, you are compassionate, you are unmatched in wisdom!”

Haozi gave a faint smile and was about to speak when suddenly they heard a knock at the door outside. Three knocks, unhurried, but each one struck directly at their hearts.

In the usual course of things, if a shop is closed for the day, who would specifically knock?

The three of them were already guilty, and now their expressions changed. Haozi, especially, looked as if he had heard the summons of the King of Hell.

“Should… should I open it?” Haozi asked, trembling.

Pei Xiting swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing with difficulty.