SEHE Chapter 40

Dignity

When Pei Yanci returned to the mansion, Gu Jiuqing was having breakfast in the main courtyard. Upon hearing the servant’s report that he had returned, the white porcelain spoon in his hand paused for a moment.

“Did Tang Xizhui send a carriage to bring him back?”

“Yes. After entering the mansion, he went straight to his courtyard.”

“Was he injured?”

“It doesn’t seem so,” the servant said carefully, choosing his words. “He walked from the gate to the back courtyard.”

Gu Jiuqing calmly continued to pick up his spoon, scooped a spoonful of bird’s nest soup, brought it to his lips, then put the spoon back in the bowl.

“You may go.” He meticulously wiped his hands with a towel. After the servant left, he rose and walked toward the courtyard, his steps much faster than usual.

Yesterday, when he saw Pei Yanci being pulled away by Tang Xizhui, he felt somewhat displeased, along with a measure of worry and anxiety. But this faint concern and unease vanished without a trace when the Eastern Palace officials came to pay their respects to him one by one.

Until the second day, at this very moment, when he heard news of Pei Yanci again, an indescribable guilt welled up in his heart.

This guilt drove the blood throughout his body, rushing toward his brain, causing mild nausea and dizziness, reddening his eyes and chilling his hands and feet.

He urgently wanted to see him, to rid himself of that guilty feeling in his heart.

As he neared Pei Yanci’s residence, his steps became hesitant instead.

In his mind, he thought of some trivial matters. For instance, why would Tang Xizhui kindly send a carriage to bring him back? For instance, Tang Xizhui’s brutal and sadistic nature was known throughout the court and countryside—every night before sleep, he would torture people half to death before reluctantly stopping with lingering satisfaction. How could Pei Yanci return completely unharmed?

Unease and suspicion magnified once again, making him increasingly restless.

His gaze hesitated for a moment, then became indifferent and resolute again as he knocked on the door.

“Come in.” From inside the room came Wuli’s voice.

He pushed open the door.

Seeing who had arrived, Wuli was first shocked, then looked at him with some displeasure.

“Your Highness,” he performed a perfunctory bow, “how has Your Highness condescended to come here?”

“You go out first,” Gu Jiuqing commanded.

Wuli looked at Pei Yanci with concern, turned and left the room, then with a limp, crept to the window behind the house.

“What brings Your Highness here?” Pei Yanci asked in confusion, then showed a look of sudden understanding, shamefully lowering his eyes. “This humble one is useless, unable to discover that dog eunuch’s true nature.”

“Hmm?” Gu Jiuqing hadn’t expected him to say this.

He had imagined Pei Yanci might harbor resentment, might not want to acknowledge him, be forced to bow to him due to status, or tremble and throw himself into his arms, tearfully recounting the atrocities Tang Xizhui had inflicted upon him, fearfully seeking his comfort.

Undeniably, when contemplating the second possibility, he inevitably felt a surge of pity in his heart.

Even some excitement.

Perhaps all people, especially men, have a special fondness for those who are weak, fragile, and need their protection.

Especially when shown only to them alone.

Pei Yanci was clearly not such a person.

When he wanted to display such an attitude, it was only because it would be most profitable to do so.

Now, he chose to turn what could have been an emotional matter into official business.

“Is there nothing else you wish to tell this prince?” Gu Jiuqing’s expression was unreadable. From his face, one could not discern his earlier thoughts at all—only his habitually cold countenance.

Sending Pei Yanci to Tang Xizhui for a night had been a terrible idea, but at the time, being goaded by Tang Xizhui’s provocative words had filled him with doubt, making him feel that Pei Yanci was someone Tang Xizhui had sent—not just because of Tang Xizhui’s ambiguous words, but also because of the feeling between them. Though they had never spoken a word to each other, they always seemed harmonious, in sync, their auras blending.

He, Pei Yanci’s master, seemed out of place instead.

This made him very uncomfortable.

If Pei Yanci had any feelings for him, he should resent him for agreeing to it.

If he denied any resentment toward him, Gu Jiuqing felt it would be even more troublesome. Between Pei Yanci and himself, a rift would have formed.

Either way, he hadn’t yet figured out how to resolve it.

“After this humble one was taken away by Tang Xizhui, in the carriage, he…” Pei Yanci involuntarily recalled that kiss, his thoughts stuttering for a moment before continuing calmly, “Later, back at the mansion, he had this humble one bathe and get on his bed…”

“Enough.” Gu Jiuqing’s face turned dark and cold.

He knew that with Tang Xizhui’s incomplete body, he couldn’t possibly do anything else to Pei Yanci, but just thinking of the two of them on the same bed filled him with rage.

A feeling of disgust and jealous hatred churned in his stomach.

Pei Yanci had successfully stirred Gu Jiuqing’s emotions. Giving a close attendant to a eunuch to toy with was inherently degrading.

“This humble one says these things not to pollute Your Highness’s ears, but to explain that Tang Xizhui immediately… he never gave this humble one a chance to extract information.” Pei Yanci said apologetically. “Yesterday, Tang Xizhui embarrassed Your Highness in front of so many Eastern Palace officials. Your Highness endured the humiliation and agreed to send this humble one over, certainly intending to use the opportunity to have this humble one gather intelligence and provoke Tang Xizhui into speaking.”

He proactively saved face for his superior, Gu Jiuqing—regardless of the Crown Prince’s motives for sending him away, such a degrading situation now appeared to be part of the political maneuvering with Tang Xizhui in court.

“They’re merely Eastern Palace officials, not worth this prince’s excessive attention.” Gu Jiuqing didn’t care about those people. “They are subjects, this prince is sovereign. Tang Xizhui needs to use such lowly, petty tactics to diminish officials’ opinion of this prince to elevate himself—this prince has no need for such methods.”

Only then did Pei Yanci raise his head, viewing him with new respect.

“As long as this prince carries Father Emperor’s bloodline, that makes this prince legitimate. Besides supporting this prince, all else is heretical and unforgivable.” After Gu Jiuqing finished speaking coolly, his dark brown eyes, lighter in color than most people’s, turned toward him.

Conversely, not taking this opportunity to clarify the relationship between them would surely make him doubt Pei Yanci’s loyalty in the future.

This was more important and urgent than winning the support of Eastern Palace officials.

What he failed to notice was that when thinking about the future, he was already considering how to avoid factors detrimental to the development of his sovereign-subject relationship with Pei Yanci.

“Don’t you resent this prince at all?” He finally asked honestly, no longer wanting to guess at each other’s thoughts.

“Just bearing some injuries—consider it enduring torture. A eunuch can’t really do anything to this humble one anyway.” Pei Yanci smiled weakly.

Having gained trust, it was time for him to launch his offensive.

“This humble one understands Your Highness’s intentions and needs no further explanation. It’s just that this humble one is useless. Even in bed, Tang Xizhui kept his mouth tight. This humble one couldn’t extract any useful information and fell into unconsciousness.” His brows drooped, and his entire demeanor became listless and dejected.

“You’ve already done very well.” Gu Jiuqing awkwardly patted his shoulder, his peripheral vision catching sight of his wrist outside the blanket, marked with circles of blue and red bruises. He couldn’t help but take hold of it.

Pei Yanci immediately pulled away, frowning and letting out a muffled grunt, hiding his hand under the blanket.

“I hurt you.” Gu Jiuqing frowned apologetically.

“It’s fine, not very painful.”

The main issue was that prolonged observation would expose the ruse—Wuli’s fingers were obviously much thicker than Tang Xizhui’s.

“If your wrists are like this, then your body…” Gu Jiuqing’s usually emotionless voice trembled slightly at this moment.

Imagination was one thing, but actually seeing it was another matter entirely.

“This prince will have the imperial physician examine you.”

“No need.” Pei Yanci said hurriedly—what injuries could he possibly have? One examination would expose everything.

“This is not the time to be shy or worry about face.” Anxiety flickered in Gu Jiuqing’s eyes. “Your health is paramount—we cannot let you develop lasting ailments.”

“Your Highness.” Pei Yanci looked at him with gentle eyes. “I’m truly fine.”

To the Crown Prince, this seemed even more like him putting on a brave front to comfort his own anxiety.

The guilt in his heart not only failed to dissipate but surged forth even more overwhelmingly.

“I’m sorry,” he said with trembling lips.

He shouldn’t have doubted the relationship between him and Tang Xizhui. So what if he went to the Chief Overseer’s mansion? During this time, what hadn’t he done for himself, and how much hadn’t he helped? Wasn’t it all visible?

“Among the Eastern Palace officials, there must be Tang Xizhui’s lackeys. Since this humble one couldn’t discover them for Your Highness this time, Your Highness must be careful in the future.”

Listening to these caring words, Gu Jiuqing’s black eyelashes trembled, making him even more restless.

“Focus on recovering from your injuries first, and set other matters aside.” He said, then after thinking, added as if making a promise, “After you recover, there are many matters in the entire prince’s mansion and the Eastern Palace that this prince wishes to discuss with you.”

This meant that he, a mere servant, could now involve himself in Eastern Palace political affairs.

“This humble one will not disappoint Your Highness’s regard.” A smile slowly curved Pei Yanci’s lips.

For those who are cold and detached, emotions are the most useless things. Complaints, anger, showing weakness, playing the victim—these can only stir up momentary emotions.

Only being useful to him, wholeheartedly working for his benefit, caring for his interests—only this could bind them tightly together.