SEHE Chapter 20

Seductive Words 

 

After Hu Shang left, Pei Yanci said to Song Qi’an at the door, “It’s settled, you can rest assured.”

 

“That’s for the best.” Song Qi’an was in low spirits, already exhausted by the events of recent days.

 

“Would you like a drink?” he asked, clearly in good spirits. “Winter is suitable for hot wine. Early spring is damp and cold, and a pot of warm wine is perfect—the wine’s fragrance is stimulated, smooth on the palate, yet retaining its spicy aftertaste, leaving one with endless aftertaste.”

 

Song Qi’an opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to agree, but changed his mind at the last moment. “Never mind.”

 

“Alright then.” He didn’t press further, shouting down to the tavern staff below for a pot of wine and two dishes to go with it, leaning against the doorframe to wait.

 

“Why are you frowning like a little old man?” he laughed. “Is this matter more difficult than becoming the Tanhualang?”

 

(TL: Tanhualang, also known as 探花 (Tanhua) — the third-ranked scholar in the highest level of the imperial examination (殿試) in ancient China.)

 

Song Qi’an raised his brow bone, trying to relax following his words, but couldn’t help avoiding his smile. “Difficult.”

 

“Fortunately, it will pass,” said the man at the door, arms crossed. “Just wait, everything will get better.”

 

Shouts echoed from downstairs, and aged, yellowed white gauze lanterns hung in the corridor, casting Pei Yanci’s smooth forehead and delicate cheeks in an ambiguous warm yellow.

 

This warmth seeped into his heart.

 

His gaze was scattered and dreamy, his high brow bone and straight nose casting shadows in the eye socket and cheek on the other side.

 

In the indiscernible depths of his eyes, he was staring at something within his grasp.

 

“Would you like to sit a while longer?” Pei Yanci asked, seeing he wasn’t leaving. “If you return to the inn now, those students will surely crowd around you, saying those irritating things, won’t they?”

 

“There’s no choice.” With one thing after another recently, he was already weary of dealing with it all. “Who told me to be their teacher?”

 

“Teachers also need time to rest. Besides, how old are you? You’re not much older than them.”

 

The wine and dishes arrived quickly.

 

“Shall we have a couple of drinks together?” Pei Yanci invited again.

 

“Mm, no, never mind.” Song Qi’an seemed to come back to his senses, hesitating before refusing, and went downstairs in a few steps.

 

This attitude left Pei Yanci somewhat puzzled. He closed the door, putting all those people and matters behind him.

 

****

 

Not knowing what methods Hu Shang used, by the evening curfew of the second day, Pei Yanci received the Crown Prince’s registry books that the other party had sent over.

 

Servants were “non-registered households” without independent registry books, only able to be attached to their master’s household.

 

Every citizen registered in the books could be traced for their name, address, number of people in the household, and family assets. More crucially, whether of good or base status, the yellow paper contained detailed descriptions of their height and physical characteristics.

 

Pei Yanci took out a sheet of paper with some information that Xin Hai had previously told him. Jianghu people liked to make friends, and this was no exception in the mansion. They usually loved drinking with the stewards and servants, and when drunk, some would unconsciously reveal their true identities and experiences.

 

There weren’t many names on it, only seven. Yue Ting wasn’t among them, clearly Xin Hai and the others didn’t know everyone’s background either.

 

Pei Yanci found the corresponding registry books for the seven names, glanced through them briefly, and his brow furrowed gravely.

 

Whether Hu Cao was Gu Jiuqing’s people, he still didn’t know. What he did know was that Gu Jiuqing was an extremely cautious person.

 

In this registry book, for the seven noble sons he knew of, their identities were completely without any flaws or loopholes, with all corresponding supporting evidence complete—perfect as if such a person had truly experienced all this.

 

Buying identities.

 

Gu Jiuqing should have anticipated this day long ago, which was why he spent extra money and effort to do this. Obviously, it was worth it.

 

If this day came, he might even hope for this registry book to be made public.

 

Pei Yanci went through all the information of servants in the Crown Prince’s mansion from beginning to end again. Before he knew it, night had fallen.

 

He stretched lazily. The night watchman’s calls had already begun outside. He turned to go downstairs to get a bucket of hot water for washing.

 

When he returned to his room wearing only his undergarments, he was suddenly startled and stepped back, nearly crying out.

 

Under the candlelight, Tang Xizhui sat there in white satin robes, drinking tea from his teacup.

 

His waist-length hair was simply pinned with a jade hairpin. Most of his body was immersed in the darkness of night, with the flickering lamplight carefully licking at his face. His vermillion lips appeared even more blood-red and dark than during the day, like a ghostly demon that had just finished feeding on essence and blood.

 

The room was filled with floating dark fragrance.

 

“Long time no see, Xiao Pei’er.” Tang Xizhui tilted his head, chin propped on his hand, his pale pink fingertips lightly tapping the cup wall as he looked at him with great interest.

 

“Nine-Thousand-Years, we just met yesterday morning.” He speechlessly wiped his hair, placing the cloth on a nearby wooden rack. “Also, please call me by my full name.”

 

No one had ever called him that way before; it sounded sticky and awkward.

 

“Since we’re cooperating, such formality creates distance.” Tang Xizhui’s voice lowered with a feminine gentleness, carrying a lingering flavor. “About to rest already? You can invite that unromantic bookworm for drinks, but won’t invite this lord for a cup?”

 

Pei Yanci sat on the stool beside him, his eyes full of mockery. “Even if Nine-Thousand-Years is romantic in words, what use is it?”

 

Tang Xizhui was stunned for a moment, a dangerous smile floating at the corner of his mouth. “You’re seeking death.”

 

“Let’s discuss a deal with Nine-Thousand-Years. See if I’m worth Nine-Thousand-Years making a move first, how about it?” He had no fear of hitting his sore spot.

 

Interest floated in Tang Xizhui’s eyes. “Speak.”

 

“It’s been two days already. How many people’s true identities has the Elu Bureau interrogated?”

 

“If counting only noble sons, only two.” Tang Xizhui said.

 

“So this is the legendary Elu Bureau.” Pei Yanci took out a sheet of paper and handed it to him.

 

“Seven names and related information above. Focus on these people, though it’s not complete. Don’t easily let the others go either.”

 

Tang Xizhui glanced at it and put it down uninterestedly. “Don’t you have anything else to trade with this lord?”

 

“Nothing else.” Pei Yanci smiled slyly.

 

“Xiao Pei’er, isn’t this a bit unethical?” Tang Xizhui put down his teacup, leaned his upper body close, reached out to hook a strand of his damp dark hair, twirling it around his index finger, staring at him unblinkingly. “Do you still harbor master-servant feelings for the Crown Prince?”

 

Pei Yanci keenly sensed that amid the domineering fragrance, there was a trace of barely perceptible killing intent.

 

“What do you think?”

 

“Heart higher than the heavens, yet only a slave.” Tang Xizhui sneered.

 

“Even if a slave, one can become a slave with power over the world.”

 

“Want to replace this lord?”

 

Pei Yanci suddenly felt his scalp aching, dissatisfiedly grabbing the hand tangled in his hair, coldly laughing.

 

“I don’t have Nine-Thousand-Years’ ruthlessness toward himself.” Even castrating himself.

 

Tang Xizhui’s hand was very cold, his skin very smooth, very tender, and very fragrant—even jade bones and delicate flesh couldn’t compare.

 

He could clearly feel the bones. It didn’t look like a human hand; it felt like grasping a piece of naturally formed jade, yet with the softness of a living person.

 

“Had enough touching?” Tang Xizhui showed no fear of the dissatisfaction in his eyes, chuckling lowly. “How does it feel?”

 

Caught red-handed touching someone else’s hand, Pei Yanci not only didn’t let go but rubbed it even more openly. “Nine-Thousand-Years’ hands are noble as gold branches and jade leaves. You must have spent a great price to maintain them. I’m taking advantage today.”

 

“Just soak in fresh human blood for a quarter-hour daily.” Tang Xizhui generously shared his secret recipe. “You should try it too.”

 

“…I don’t have that many subordinates, can’t catch that many living people.”

 

“This lord can teach you martial arts.” Tang Xizhui said. “First call me master and let me hear it.”

 

“……”

 

He shouldn’t have spoken out of turn.

 

Pei Yanci collected his thoughts, rescuing his hand from his own hair. Just as he let go, that hand lifted the wet hair at the side of his neck, the index finger hooking his undergarment’s collar and pulling it outward.

 

His entire left shoulder was exposed.

 

“The wound hasn’t healed yet, why did you get it wet?” His index finger lightly touched that prominent red mark.

 

“I can’t sleep without bathing daily.”

 

The touch from a stranger’s hand made his body reactively stiffen in alert.

 

When would this person’s hands behave!

 

But the cool fingertip could greatly relieve the burning pain at the wound. Pei Yanci was trying hard to ignore his touch when he saw Tang Xizhui withdraw his gaze from the shoulder and look up at him.

 

His heart immediately tightened.

 

Being accustomed to being emperor, he loved daily bathing, and no one dared say a word about it. Over time, he had come to take this as normal. But in the Great Yu Dynasty, even first-rank officials could only wash their hair every three days and bathe every five days. What qualification did he have to say such things?

 

“The Crown Prince loves cleanliness and can’t tolerate any odor on those around him. Everyone has to wash daily, just a quick rinse of the body, hardly proper bathing.” He hurriedly added an explanation, trying to keep his expression normal.

 

“Mm.” Tang Xizhui smiled with narrowed eyes, looking like he would believe whatever he said, without any intention of rebuttal.

 

His explanation actually made it seem more like he was trying to cover up.

 

Pei Yanci couldn’t help wanting to curse.

 

He brushed away the hand on his shoulder, pulled his collar tight, feeling irritated inside but maintaining his usual expression as he asked, “Do you still want this list or not?”

 

It was all this hand disturbing his peace of mind.

 

“Naturally want it.”

 

Pei Yanci gave him the list again, left his seat, and simply sat on the bed edge, drying his hair by himself.

 

Tang Xizhui took the list, looked at it for a moment, then suddenly spoke. “By the way.”

 

Pei Yanci’s attention was caught by his words. He stopped his movements and looked up, only to see half a face slowly emerging from the edge of the old, creased paper.

 

Tang Xizhui’s disheveled hair hung at his forehead and temples, indescribably dissolute and wicked.

 

His eyes were tender and alluring, seeming to hook and seduce, casual and frivolous, desire and sin intertwined.

 

Viewing a beauty under lamplight, the more one looked, the more flavorful it became.

 

That was hidden blood stirring, the unspoken desire when eyes met.

 

In the deep silence of night, only that face was like a demon formed from clouds and mist, like an evil flower nurtured by countless white bones beside the Wuding River, wantonly tearing open a gap, seducing people to sink and fall.

 

All the troubles that could lead to disaster were hidden in the hazy, stirring darkness of night.

 

“What do you want to say?” Pei Yanci’s Adam’s apple moved, his expression stiff as he asked.

 

He took a breath and finally explained, “The registry books are useless to you. Gu Jiuqing has long been guarding against this move. The best method now is still to first establish the identity of that noble son who met with Great Scholar Fang.”

 

“Oh.” That half face retreated behind the paper in his hand again.

 

“Did you find the registry books in the government office?”

 

“No.” Tang Xizhui answered, paused, then poked out half his face again.

 

“Can you stop being angry?”