SEHE Chapter 15

Persuasion

 

Hearing Steward Zhao’s sentimental words, Pei Yanci nearly laughed out loud.

 

Killing people had become an act of benevolence—he didn’t have the shamelessness to praise himself like that.

 

The old woman, however, nodded in complete agreement, sighing, “Once contracted tuberculosis, he certainly couldn’t continue staying in the mansion. Other households wouldn’t want him either, couldn’t sell him off, so he’d only end up wandering the streets. Think about it—a tuberculosis ghost with such poor health couldn’t even compete with those vagrant beggars when begging for food. It would be pure suffering. It’s still His Highness who is kindhearted, letting him be done with it all.”

 

Steward Zhao nodded deeply in agreement, repeatedly warning not to spread word of this matter. He had the servants quickly carry away the corpse, while also ordering his subordinates to fetch a pile of mugwort stalks for the servants to light and carry around to fumigate the area.

 

Pei Yanci caught up with the bustling Steward Zhao and asked, “Wu Can got tuberculosis—what about Wu Luo?”

 

Steward Zhao’s expression became somewhat strange and confused, but he still replied, “Chief Steward Zhang had him moved into the abandoned woodshed, saying it’s just a common cold. But since he lived together with Wu Can, we need to observe him for more days before reaching a conclusion. If you want to see him, you’ll probably have to wait a while.”

 

“Whether I see him or not doesn’t matter, as long as he lives well.”

 

Steward Zhao sighed, “You’re also a deeply affectionate sort.”

 

Pei Yanci blinked.

 

Forget it, no point explaining.

 

It was all the original body’s fault for being too infatuated.

 

Back then, when Wu Luo secretively asked the original body to go out and buy medicine, it was to treat tuberculosis. The original body couldn’t have been unaware—he just kept quiet because he liked Wu Luo and was honest by nature.

 

Later, when he returned through corpse possession, having become a doctor through long illness in his previous life, he could tell at a glance that Wu Luo didn’t have a common cold, and moved out of the room that very night. Afterward, when Wu Can and others competed for rooms, adhering to the principle of “good brothers share blessings together,” he happily exchanged with him.

 

Ironically, Wu Luo had fallen ill at least a month earlier than Wu Can. When both were suffering from tuberculosis, Wu Can was secretly eliminated by the Crown Prince, while Wu Luo, who was already beyond saving, still lived in the mansion.

 

Because between Pei Yanci and Gu Jiuqing, his existence was still temporarily needed.

 

Steward Zhao was just someone who did his job—he didn’t know what his superiors were thinking, nor did he want to know. He distributed the remaining large portion of mugwort stalks to Pei Yanci, telling him to properly fumigate the tea room and the working servants to dispel the plague.

 

Before parting, he remembered something and said, “It’s almost the beginning of the month—don’t forget next month’s interest.”

 

Pei Yanci had forgotten about this matter. He paused for a moment, then slowly revealed a smile. “Alright.”

 

****

 

By the time he returned to his own room, it was already the hour of You. Opening the door, he found Wushu and Yue Ting were also there.

 

Wuli was huddled in the corner of the bed against the wall, trying hard to curl himself into a ball, looking utterly aggrieved.

 

Seeing the person enter, he immediately shouted, “Big brother, you’re finally here! I just got scolded so badly!”

 

He was about to get up, but seeing Yue Ting’s expression, he stopped himself mid-motion.

 

“This, this, this… that… it’s not my fault.” His finger pointed randomly in the air, then he cowered back into the corner of the bed.

 

Wushu stood timidly beside Yue Ting, head lowered, not daring to make a sound.

 

“What’s going on here?” Pei Yanci placed the remaining mugwort stalks behind the door before walking to the oil lamp.

 

Yue Ting’s face was dark with anger. Looking at the innocent-faced person, he sneered coldly. “A few nights ago, what did you have Wushu do in the middle of the night?”

 

“Which night?”

 

Wuli hurriedly explained. “The night we escaped death and returned to the mansion.”

 

Wushu secretly glared at him—when it’s time for you to speak you won’t, but when you shouldn’t speak you butt in.

 

“You had Wushu go bash an inner eunuch’s head and made him lie to people!” Yue Ting said in exasperation. “He’s only how old, and you’re already teaching him to be bad.”

 

From the first moment he saw Pei Yanci with his bashed head, he knew this person was no good sort.

 

He just hadn’t expected that in just a few days, he would instigate Wu Shu to do such dangerous things.

 

“Steward Yue, I know what I’m doing.” Wu Shu tugged at his sleeve.

 

“Don’t speak.” Yue Ting’s tone was unkind.

 

Wushu looked full of guilt, his eyes drooping pitifully as he gazed toward Pei Yanci.

 

He had promised Brother Yanci to keep that night’s events secret, but when he brought walnut pastries to Yue Ting, he was still noticed and interrogated until he confessed.

 

“That night Ji Laosan died, but Xin Hai and the other three lived—isn’t that doing a good deed?” Pei Yanci countered. “Ji Laosan was killed on Zhang Huairu’s orders. If you want to avenge Ji Laosan’s death, you should go find Zhang Huairu.”

 

“I’m not talking about Ji Laosan’s matter, I’m talking about you and Wushu.” Yue Ting said. “He likes you so much, clings to you, yet you instigate him to lie and harm people! I won’t let him stay with you anymore, and don’t look for him again.”

 

As he spoke, he pulled Wushu to leave.

 

Wushu panicked, tears instantly welling up. He struggled to break free from his grip: “No, I like staying with Brother Yanci. Steward Yue, I don’t want to…wuuu…”

 

Wuli was irritated by his crying. He bounced up from the bed and directly blocked the door, fiercely saying, “Didn’t you hear that Wushu wants to stay with us? Who do you think you are to control him!”

 

“I!” Yue Ting choked for a moment, then immediately retorted, “I’m his master, teaching him knowledge and skills. I won’t allow him to stay with disreputable people of poor character.”

 

“In a few more years he’ll be of marrying age. You can manage his food and clothing, manage who he marries, manage his whole life?”

 

“Why can’t I!”

 

There’s such a good thing!

 

No wait, “How can you be so shameless!”

 

“Keep your voices down. Do you want everyone to know?” Pei Yanci rubbed his temples.

 

His tone was calm and his voice not loud, but the two arguing people unconsciously fell silent.

 

“Yue Ting, how old are you?” He looked toward the tall, thin man.

 

“Why are you asking this?”

 

“No matter how old, you’re over twenty, an adult. How can you still be so naive?”

 

“What do you mean by that?” Yue Ting’s face completely darkened.

 

That contemptuous tone—was he looking down on him?

 

“Wuli, take Wulhu out for a walk first.” Pei Yanci said.

 

“Big brother, you two won’t fight, will you?” Wuli was somewhat worried. “With your thin arms and legs, one slap from him could knock you out.”

 

Pei Yanci kicked toward him.

 

He was most annoyed now when people said he was weak.

 

He was clearly very strong, okay?

 

Wuli exaggeratedly clutched his bottom and nimbly jumped back a step, urging Wushu to leave the room.

 

Seeing his comical appearance, Pei Yanci couldn’t help but laugh. Thinking of what he was about to say, his smile faded.

 

“Come sit?” he beckoned.

 

Yue Ting wasn’t buying it. “Just say what you have to say.”

 

“You want to protect Wushu, but do you know his past?”

 

Without waiting for an answer, Pei Yanci continued, “He lost his father in childhood. His uncles, who should have been closest to him, kicked them when they were down over a few acres of poor land and a broken house, right when they needed help most. The orphan and widow wandered everywhere until they sold themselves to the Crown Prince’s mansion. In your view, is selling oneself just signing a piece of waste paper, or even the beginning of their good days—after pressing a fingerprint, they can rest easy from then on?”

 

“I never thought that.”

 

“Then have you ever asked Wushu how he and his mother got from their hometown to the capital? Do you think they came by carriage? An orphan and widow, moving through mountains and forests—are you sure it was smooth sailing all the way, that they could always meet kind people to help them at crucial moments?”

 

Yue Ting stroked his beard, his face full of painful melancholy.

 

Pei Yanci again gestured for him to sit at the table. Seeing he still wouldn’t move, he poured him a cup of tea. “Don’t look at Wushu as the youngest among us—he might be the one who’s suffered the most. Do you know what suffering means? It means seeing far more death than you can imagine, and countless sordid things.”

 

“Everyone suffers, I also…” The words died away under Pei Yanci’s gaze.

 

Cold sweat began to break out on his back.

 

This person seemed to know his true identity.

 

“That night’s events happened several days ago. Have you seen him feeling guilty about lying, showing any signs of distress?”

 

No, he was the same as usual, even still thinking about wheedling more preserved fruits from Pei Yanci.

 

“On the contrary, when you heard about what he did, you acted as if the sky was falling.” Pei Yanci scoffed. “You’re in the Crown Prince’s mansion, planning and working for the Crown Prince. Haven’t you thought that under each of your schemes, people might die as a result? Do you think Xin Hai and the other four, who’ve been in the mansion for so many years, only laid hands on people for the first time that night?”

 

“You!” Yue Ting stared straight at him, unable to speak.

 

Indeed, he knew—he was the Crown Prince’s advisor.

 

“If you want to be a free spirit, teach me to be law-abiding, enjoy life’s true meaning, then don’t deceive yourself thinking that hiding in the seemingly unworldly Crown Prince’s mansion means you can stay out of it all. In power struggles, it may not compare to the flash of swords on the battlefield, but every move is still deadly, life and death.”

 

Pei Yanci looked at him like viewing a junior, gazing kindly. “Have you really thought through which kind of life you want to live?”

 

Yue Ting felt lost and confused. After a long while, he closed his eyes and smiled bitterly with resignation. “Do I have a choice?”

 

“Yes, you do.”

 

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the courtyard.

 

Within moments, the sound of the disturbance grew louder and clearer.

 

“The Elu Bureau is conducting business—you all surrender obediently! Those who resist die!”

 

Yue Ting was greatly alarmed. “What’s happening?”

 

Pei Yanci stood up and said: “The Elu Bureau has come to arrest the Crown Prince.”

 

“What did you do to His Highness?”

 

“An advisor disguised as a steward in the mansion was exposed tonight.” Pei Yanci spoke with calm indifference, though his eyes looked at him with amusement.

 

Yue Ting was stared at until his whole body broke out in cold shivers.

 

“Who?”

 

“Don’t know.” Pei Yanci said. “Someone always has to bear the fate he was meant to walk toward.”

 

For Pei Yanci, whether that person was Yue Ting or someone else didn’t matter.

 

“Whether it’s tonight’s advisor, or your family—it’s because of their existence that you can pontificate here tonight.”

 

“You’ve been protected too well by your family.”

 

“In the future, do you want Wushu to continue protecting your naivety?”