Eavesdropping
Tangxi Zhui couldn’t take it anymore. First it was his master Gu Jiuqing, now it was his past-life lover Gu Wanchong—did all these people think he was dead?
…Well, it seemed he really was a “dead man” now.
Thinking this, he tightened his grip around Pei Yanci’s waist even more, stealing away his shallow moans, his burning breaths, all his attention.
Pei Yanci’s gaze gradually became unfocused. The tongue in his mouth licked him until his body felt weak and soft, a surge of desire with nowhere to be released. Still retaining the last thread of rationality, he weakly pushed at the person, “Let go, we’re still outside.”
“There’s no one else in the private room.”
He wanted Pei Yanci so badly.
Right now.
“Hiss…”
A hint of blood spread between their mouths. Tangxi Zhui reluctantly released him, his deep pupils glowing purple with resentment.
His nostrils flared slightly, his eyes red-rimmed, cold yet fierce, like a leopard dripping bloody saliva, coiled and ready to pounce.
The person on the couch had a disheveled collar, broken strands of hair covering half an eye, casting sparse shadows in those peach-blossom spring-water eyes. His thin chest rose and fell gently, his lips already swollen and lustrous from sucking, changed from pale pink to deep red, parted slightly in a daze, vaguely revealing the tip of his tongue beneath his silver teeth, struggling to even out his breathing.
His prominent Adam’s apple moved. The tall, sturdy body slowly crawled backward on its knees to the edge of the bed, finally getting off the couch.
Pei Yanci was also provoked until his heart stirred restlessly. Seeing him about to leave, he extended his right leg from the couch, proactively hooking it over his shoulder to pull him back, “I’ll give it to you when we return, alright?”
Tangxi Zhui licked the blood at the corner of his mouth, his voice taut. “It should be right here, letting Gu Wanchong hear your wanton cries.”
“I have nothing going on with him. If he hears it, he hears it.” He turned his head to glance at the wall behind him.
Separated by only a wall, Gu Wanchong’s booming voice drifted over faintly, the specific content unclear, but if he were to cry out, the next room would definitely hear it.
“You…” Fire practically shot from Tangxi Zhui’s eyes. His palm gripped his calf tightly. Hearing him say this, he became even more unwilling, “Want to seduce him into bed too? Don’t even think about it.”
“He and I are separated by a sea of blood and deep hatred. Even if I wanted someone, he might not be willing to comply.” Pei Yanci laid out their enmity.
Tangxi Zhui’s lips rubbed against his thigh through the fabric, wandering higher and higher, “Another day I’ll have the Elu Bureau release his maternal relatives’ clan, so he’ll stop bothering you with this matter.”
“No need for that—save your adoptive son from being scolded by the Emperor.” Pei Yanci hooked his other leg over his shoulder as well.
The clean, refreshing natural body fragrance surrounded his cheeks and nose. Tangxi Zhui’s breathing immediately became heavy and urgent.
A palm pressed against his lower back. Just as he was about to be pressed down on the couch again, Pei Yanci said unhurriedly, “What did I say earlier?”
His movements paused.
Pei Yanci’s palm slowly slid down from his shoulder, carefully savoring the thick, solid chest muscles ready to burst forth beneath the robe. When he touched a certain point, his fingers applied more pressure, pinching and circling around it. Soon two points protruded beneath the thin spring shirt, noticeable even without looking closely.
“Does it itch?”
“Mm.” Tangxi Zhui closed his eyes. Even the finest, most delicate fabric rubbing against it felt unbearable, itchy and hot. “Xiao Pei’er, help me…”
He smiled wickedly and spoke mercilessly, “Endure it.”
This was the price for disobedience.
Tangxi Zhui frowned but ultimately, reluctantly, lowered his legs from his shoulders.
When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to his usual sardonic tone. “Instead of grabbing at me, why not play with yourself.”
Pei Yanci’s eyes held laughter as he blew air into his ear.
“If you can endure until we return, I’ll allow you the medicine.”
Tangxi Zhui’s expression stiffened slightly, frozen in place.
“Stunned stupid?”
He smiled with a face full of cunning, eyes curved, drawing one into a spiritual pool, rippling warm waves, reflecting the brilliant luster of countless dewdrops, flowers, and stars.
Tangxi Zhui’s brain couldn’t function anymore.
“Mm, stunned stupid.”
“Hurry and call for the dishes. I’m hungry. And there’s a new puppet show—arrange it quickly.” Pei Yanci kicked him lightly.
Tangxi Zhui floated out of the private room on unsteady feet.
Just as the wine and dishes were served, there was a knock at the door.
Opening it, the Marquis of Quliang stood in the doorway.
“Today I’ll feast my ears well. I’ve never heard the story of the Second Young Master’s wedding at the theater.” He walked in with a smile.
Several more puppets had been positioned on the small stage in the private room.
Pei Yanci welcomed him to a seat and poured wine, saying, “During the previous dynasty, the Second Young Master met the Prime Minister’s young lady during the capital examination. The two hit it off at first sight. After marriage, the Second Young Master rose step by step under the Prime Minister’s support, eventually replacing his father-in-law as the new Prime Minister. Grateful for the Prime Minister’s household’s patronage, the Second Young Master remained devoted to one person for life, treating his father-in-law and mother-in-law better than his own parents. Truly a tale worth celebrating.”
“For the Second Young Master to encounter such a good match was truly fortunate,” the Marquis of Quliang sighed. “I wonder if Pei Daren has encountered his own good match yet.”
“If I had, how could I still invite the Marquis here to watch plays together?” Pei Yanci said. “The Marquis’s household wields power at its zenith—in military affairs you have your fourth-rank general younger brother, in civil matters you have Minister Cui supporting Prince Qi. Outsiders only see how capable the Marquis’s right and left arms are, completely unaware of the undercurrents surging beneath the raging fire cooking oil.”
“What do you mean?” The Marquis of Quliang asked with keen interest.
Pei Yanci produced a letter. “When my adoptive father knew his days were numbered, he wrote a letter with some intimate words he wished to share with the Marquis.”
The Marquis of Quliang took the letter and opened it.
Before his death, Zheng Qinglai personally penned a message to the Marquis of Quliang, stating clearly that the Emperor harbored deep suspicions of aristocratic families, and that the Gu family had acted in bad faith, moving against their aristocratic families. To continue mixing with the Gu family people, regardless of who won or lost in the end, would very likely result in becoming the second Zheng family.
But now there was a better choice—though without the merit of supporting the dragon, it could equally allow the family to continue prospering.
The Marquis of Quliang set down the letter and looked at Pei Yanci with suspicion.
“Minister Zheng always saw things clearly, but…” In the end, didn’t he still die?
The Marquis of Quliang returned the letter to him.
Pei Yanci pushed his hand back. “The Marquis can consider it slowly. I’ve recently been helping His Majesty refine elixirs, so entering and leaving the imperial city is more convenient. If you have any message you wish to convey, you can find me.”
“I’m just a nominal marquis, carefree and unburdened. But Pei Daren—today you’ve made me see you in a new light.” The Marquis of Quliang kept the letter. Previously everyone said Pei Yanci and Minister Zheng were at odds; now it seemed the truth wasn’t entirely so.
“The Crown Prince controls the Ministry of Personnel with eyes and ears everywhere. Because of Minister Cui, outsiders naturally label the Cui clan as Prince Qi’s faction. This capital examination will see many people changing positions. Are you certain you can seize one of the fattest pieces of meat from the tiger’s mouth?”
“Allow me two days to consider.”
“Besides the Ministry of Personnel, there’s one other person who can bypass all conventional procedures to handle matters.” Pei Yanci smiled.
And he was now a close minister to the Emperor.
“I hope to receive a definite answer from the Marquis in two days.” The more they talked, the more he pressed forward step by step, not letting the Marquis of Quliang find excuses to drag things out. “The will my adoptive father entrusted to me wasn’t only for the Marquis.”
The Marquis of Quliang tugged at the corner of his mouth, drank two cups of wine with him, and cupped his hands in farewell.
****
In the adjacent private room, after the Marquis of Quliang left, Cui Ya also quickly found an excuse to return home. Just as Huo Cun was about to leave, Gu Wanchong stopped him.
“Is Pei Yanci your man?”
This question startled Huo Cun. “How is that possible? Isn’t he Gu Jiuqing’s man?”
“Tangxi Zhui and Pei Yanci had dealings before, and he personally admitted that man was his. You’re Tangxi Zhui’s adoptive son, and now you’ve become the new Chief Overseer of the Elu Bureau. Hasn’t he approached you to continue cooperating?”
Huo Cun instinctively showed an ingratiating, panicked smile. Remembering his current position, he hardened his tone a bit. “Precisely because he cooperated with Tangxi Zhui, this lord exposed Tangxi Zhui. Do you think he’s still a trustworthy person to me?”
Gu Wanchong thought about it—that made sense too.
He looked Huo Cun up and down. Just as the other’s heart began to race, he said, “How will Huo Daren prove you’re no longer in league?”
Huo Cun’s face, thickly layered with powder, froze.
He saw through it?
This was bad.
“How do you want me to prove it?” he asked, steeling himself.
At this moment, Gu Wanchong’s mind was filled only with thoughts of revenge against Pei Yanci, of destroying Pei Yanci.
“You dismiss that bodyguard beside him, leaving him alone next door, and arrange for the most hideously ugly eunuch from your Elu Bureau…”
Huo Cun looked at him with utter disbelief.
“This is His Highness’s personal grudge. This lord won’t participate.”
“If you don’t do it, the cooperation between this prince and the Elu Bureau need not continue. The Elu Bureau has already entered a fight to the death with the Crown Prince. If you offend me now, no matter who ascends the throne in the future, it will be your death day.”
“This lord—I—I’ll go arrange it.” Huo Cun was intimidated by his murderous aura and hurriedly left.
About an hour later, Gu Wanchong heard Pei Yanci’s startled cry from next door, followed by the sound of bowls and dishes crashing to the floor.
“Ah——”
Pei Yanci’s back pressed against the cold tabletop, shocking him into a shiver.
Pale hands unhesitatingly tore off the mask on his face. Groping under the table, they quickly produced a sky-blue porcelain bottle.
“Why is there one here…”
His thumb deftly pried open the bottle cap and held it before Pei Yanci’s eyes.
Tangxi Zhui’s mouth stole a moment from its busyness, his voice hoarse and low. “Feed me.”
Pei Yanci’s trembling fingertips clung to the back of his neck. Tilting his head back, his tongue was forced to curl around the Spring Revival Pill from inside the bottle, holding it lightly between his teeth, trembling as he delivered it into Tangxi Zhui’s mouth.
Withdrawing his tongue, he hooked the tip of the tongue in his mouth, a trace of the pill’s sweet residue remaining, swallowing it down.
Just from the tip of his tongue touching a bit, Pei Yanci felt his lower abdomen quickly begin to heat faintly.
Even faster—he felt something poking him through the clothing.
His old face couldn’t help but flush red. Suddenly his heart felt afraid.
Unlike external objects, this represented truly and actually about to unite with another person.
“I… maybe we should wait until next time after all.” He had agreed too quickly.
“You can go back on this?” Tangxi Zhui was amused by him. Loosening his waist sash, he didn’t remove the outer robe or inner garment, only untied the trouser belt.
Pei Yanci also knew these words were shameless, so he simply gave up and let things be. But before he could give a few instructions, a finger coated with ointment entered.
Then two fingers, three fingers…