SEHE Chapter 84.2

Uncle and Nephew (part 2)

After Gu Jiuqing drank a cup of hot tea, his body became hot and sweaty again, his entire body sticky and uncomfortable. This kind of summer rain, not yet soaked through, neither dry nor wet—it was most irritating.

He sat cross-legged, his upper body held straight, his gaze falling directly ahead where no one sat opposite.

He wanted to be thoroughly drenched in rain.

“Weren’t you master and servant before? Why are you so distant now?” Qi Lan looked at them both with amusement, finally breaking the silence.

“It’s none of your concern.” Gu Jiuqing said indifferently.

Pei Yanci picked up his teacup, also not particularly wanting to speak.

He could continue chatting and laughing with many political enemies even after tearing off the mask, but that didn’t include this person who had once wanted to take him as a male concubine.

He had almost let him succeed.

“Hey,” Qi Lan flicked his finger, and the slender dagger flew from its sheath, shooting to the edge of Pei Yanci’s hand just as he set down his teacup. After successfully making him flinch, a smile of malicious satisfaction appeared at the corner of his mouth. “It’s very boring here. Want to go out with me?”

Gu Jiuqing’s crow-black lashes lifted slightly. Pei Yanci was glaring dissatisfiedly at the person laughing across from him, not looking his way at all.

“Alright. This rain comes at a good time—just right to cool people down.” Pei Yanci stood up and walked out with Qi Lan.

“Are the clothes ready?” Gu Jiuqing urged.

The steward hurriedly said, “They’re ready. Please, Your Highness, this way.”

Gu Jiuqing stood up, glanced at the two backs walking side by side out the door, then turned and walked to the back.

In less than a quarter hour, the steward came to report that the Zheng family banquet was ready.

After Gu Jiuqing changed clothes and came out, he followed a servant to the dining hall.

The Zheng family was very large. At the top was the eighty-something-year-old Old Master Zheng still desperately clinging to life in his bed. In the middle generation, Zheng Qinglai had three uncles and four aunts. In his branch alone there were five blood brothers, and Zheng Qinglai himself had few offspring, though he still had four children.

Some time ago, his father, the eldest legitimate son of the Zheng family, had just died. The family had been in complete chaos, but His Majesty had issued a “retention during mourning,” not permitting him to stop working. Later, when opposition in court became too loud, His Majesty finally relented and allowed him to observe mourning at home starting in mid-May.

When Pei Yanci and Qi Lan entered the dining hall together, Zheng Qinglai at the main table saw them and warmly beckoned. “Yanci, come here, sit next to me.”

With this greeting, dozens of pairs of eyes looked toward Pei Yanci.

Pei Yanci did as told and walked to the main table. Gu Jiuqing sat in the very center. On his left was Princess Zhangping, Gu Yueqian, with an empty seat beside her prepared for Qi Lan.

To Gu Jiuqing’s right was Zheng Qinglai, with an empty seat between him and his wife, prepared for Pei Yanci.

“Thank you, adoptive father.”

Pei Yanci didn’t decline and sat down directly.

“This is a family banquet today. There aren’t so many rules as outside. Everyone please sit as you like.” With that, Zheng Qinglai also sat down.

Once he sat, the relatives from the various branches finally took their seats.

Groups of servants and maids methodically served and arranged dishes. The banquet was dull and tedious.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Old Master. When I went to visit his courtyard earlier, they said he’s no longer receiving guests. I wonder how the old gentleman’s health is?” After eating some food to fill his stomach, Pei Yanci began the evening’s pleasantries.

Zheng Qinglai said flatly, “Still the same. These past few days the weather has been hot. Even we young and strong ones find it hard to bear, let alone him.”

It seemed this Old Master’s days were not long.

Previously, when the Emperor had pressed on without releasing Minister Zheng, he might have lived another year or two. Now that Zheng Qinglai was already observing mourning, observing mourning for his father would be three years. He couldn’t very well return to court only to have to observe another three years of mourning.

Six years—who could afford six years?

It wasn’t about being heartless. The Old Master was already eighty-something, had enjoyed all the blessings he should. Being bedridden for many years was just living torture.

For families like theirs, the last thing elders could do to show they blessed their descendants was to pass away at an appropriate time, not adding too much chaos to their juniors’ official careers.

At present, the Zheng family was contending with the Elu Bureau’s eunuch faction externally, and secretly competing with Gu Jiuqing internally. Someone like Zheng Qinglai’s father was somewhat “inconsiderate.”

But the facts were already so. The dead couldn’t come back to life. Now they could only minimize the possible impact.

After chatting coolly for a few more sentences, Zheng Qinglai as expected brought the topic to the Imperial Academy matter.

“Minister Jian has been utterly loyal to the court. For his child to receive such severe punishment for a small mistake is bound to make loyal subjects feel disheartened.”

Unlike others, he didn’t say the Jian family were people of his faction, but rather stood in a seemingly impartial position, thinking from the court’s perspective.

“He violated the Imperial Academy’s rules. I acted according to the rules.” Pei Yanci spoke first, making it clear. “If adoptive father suggests letting the Jian family’s son return, it will put this son in a difficult position.”

“I’m just chatting idly, asking about your recent situation. I won’t interfere with your decisions.” Zheng Qinglai unhurriedly ate a bite of food. After swallowing it down, he continued, “You should be careful at the Imperial Academy. Though you’re only dealing with students and erudite scholars and such, having just entered official circles, you mustn’t be rash and impulsive. You know that I and your several uncles and brothers are all observing mourning at home now. There’s no way to look after you in a timely manner.”

Currently a whole group of Zheng family members were stopped from work at home. Because of imperial grace and the fact that he had only been recognized as an adopted son after Zheng Qinglai’s father died, no one mentioned having him observe mourning.

So among Zheng Qinglai’s generation of sons and nephews, only he was active at court.

These words sounded on the surface like a father’s worried admonishment, but were also telling him that if Pei Yanci provoked someone, the Zheng family absolutely would not step in to rescue him.

Anyone who knew their place should realize that with his own strength alone he couldn’t contend with a third-rank official, and should know to back down.

“I understand. As for Minister Jian, I hope adoptive father can help persuade him.” As an adoptive father, at least do something.

“I’ll ask around another day. I’m just afraid Minister Jian has already submitted a memorial impeaching you to His Majesty. At that point there will be no room for redemption.” Zheng Qinglai said, “His Majesty has always placed great importance on cultivating talent. If you force a student to withdraw without proper justification, I fear it will provoke the dragon’s wrath.”

Pei Yanci had people above him and wouldn’t believe such nonsense. But he didn’t want to continue this false courtesy with this old man anymore, so he put on a panicked expression and cast his gaze at Qi Lan across from him.

“Granduncle.” Qi Lan spoke up at this moment, helping to chime in with a couple sentences.

Zheng Qinglai hadn’t expected him to speak in support. He looked suspiciously at the two of them, then hastily ended the topic, leaving space for anxious speculation.

Pei Yanci and Qi Lan shared a knowing smile.

It seemed both sides had gotten what they wanted tonight.

Gu Jiuqing sat between them, put a bite of food in his mouth, and for a long while couldn’t taste any flavor.

****

Because they were in mourning, no wine was prepared for the family banquet. It was just family members gathering to eat a simple meal together, after which everyone returned to their own courtyards.

Pei Yanci bid farewell to Zheng Qinglai and also walked toward the door. At the intersection of the corridors, he happened to encounter Gu Jiuqing coming from the other direction.

To avoid him now would seem too deliberate. He performed a bow and followed half a step behind him.

Gu Jiuqing’s cold, sharp lips pressed into a straight line. His gaze looked heavily at the road ahead, but his ears listened to the footsteps behind him growing lighter and more distant.

“What is your relationship with Qi Lan?”

Pei Yanci had originally planned to get farther and farther from him, but didn’t expect such a question to come from ahead.

“He’s now a student at the Imperial Academy.” What other relationship could there be? Teacher and student.

Gu Jiuqing suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.

“What about before?”

“We didn’t know each other.”

Gu Jiuqing walked closer step by step. “Do you think this prince will believe that?”

Qi Yunsheng quickly retreated, avoiding them by several steps. Seeing him like that, Wushu followed and walked to the edge of the corridor—both to avoid suspicion and prevent hearing what shouldn’t be heard, and also to keep watch.

“Your Highness thinks I betrayed you and is still angry, so naturally you won’t believe anything I say.” Pei Yanci said helplessly.

When returning to the city from the polo grounds, Gu Jiuqing had directly abandoned him. He and Wuli had to hire a carriage to return to the Crown Prince’s mansion. Afterward, when he wanted to explain, Gu Jiuqing refused to see him at all.

What more could he say?

“Then you didn’t betray this prince?” A trace of resentment flashed through Gu Jiuqing’s glassy eyes. “After winning first place, the first thing you did was break away from this prince. Does being this prince’s male concubine wrong you?”

“Now I’m the Vice Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.” Pei Yanci lowered his eyes. Usually those polite phrases came smoothly to him, but at this moment, with Gu Jiuqing constantly harping on the male concubine matter, it stuck in his throat like a fishbone, and he only felt impatient.

“Yes, a vice chancellor obtained by selling your body.” Gu Jiuqing stepped forward and grabbed his collar, pulling it aside to see only a stretch of white skin.

Not knowing whether to disgust him or disgust himself, “What, your new master didn’t favor you last night? Fallen from grace?”

Afterward, he had been curious why Zheng Qinglai would make the absurd decision to take on an adopted son. He had mistakenly thought the two of them already had an arrangement. If he said even one wrong word, he, this unfavored Crown Prince, would become even more detested by the Emperor.

Laughably, he had never touched Pei Yanci.

So where did those marks on his body come from? When he had been injured and coughing blood, in terrible pain all over, whose bed had this person been desperately entwined on?

Could those seemingly sincere concerns really be casually given to others?

Gu Jiuqing trembled with rage. “This prince should have seen it long ago—you’ll stop at nothing to rise in position. Filthy, lowly, utterly without bottom line.”

Pei Yanci could have avoided his hand originally, but considering the other’s status, he still stood in place.

His chest was torn open by his hand, revealing a gap. The evening breeze rustled in, pouring into his chest. It was somewhat cold.

“Since Your Highness views me this way, then I won’t pollute Your Highness’s eyes any longer.”

Pei Yanci wanted to bow and take his leave, using this to break free from his hand, but Gu Jiuqing clutched it tightly and wouldn’t let go.

“Your Highness, your hand will be dirtied.”

“Think you’ve latched onto someone with more power, so you can’t even be bothered with the false civility from before?”

“I’ve always been alone.” He said indifferently.

“Did you give it to Minister Zheng? Or that foreign bastard?”

“Your Highness, watch your words. Qi Lan is the son of Her Highness Princess Zhangping.” This person—is he sick? Zheng Qinglai could be his father.

“You’re speaking up for him?”

“You two, aren’t you blocking the way?”

Behind Qi Yunsheng, a voice suddenly rang out. He turned around in surprise to find Qi Lan’s lazy figure had already appeared behind Gu Jiuqing. He was greatly alarmed.

When did he appear?

“Young Master Qi, you…”

Qi Lan shook off the hand gripping his arm and looked at the two with amusement, his arms crossed over his chest. He raised his chin at Pei Yanci. “Can’t you see his clothes are all messed up? Is this something a Crown Prince can do in broad daylight?”

Hearing this in Gu Jiuqing’s ears, it clearly sounded like the other party was protecting his own possession, avoiding others’ covetous peeping.

He looked coldly at Qi Lan. “When elders are talking, juniors have no place to interrupt.”

Only then did Qi Lan remember that both Gu Jiuqing and Pei Yanci could be considered his uncles.

His tongue licked his back teeth. He was somewhat dissatisfied.

For no good reason, he had been lowered a generation in front of these two.

The corners of his lips slightly curved up. The laziness receded from his eyes as his gaze became sharp as a blade, cleaving through Gu Jiuqing’s pressing stare.

“This nephew at least won’t tear open uncle’s collar here.”