SEHE Chapter 56

Rumors

Pei Yanci had practiced his hand and foot techniques for a day. When he returned to his room, he took a good hot bath, and when he came out, he felt refreshed and comfortable.

As soon as he emerged, he saw Wushu and Wuli whispering head-to-head about something. When they saw a group of people approaching, they immediately got scared and separated.

After dismissing the attending servants, leaving only the three of them, he asked, “What were you two sneaking around talking about?”

“Big brother, this mansion is haunted,” Wuli said.

“What do you mean by that?”

Wushu said: “Just now, Wuli and I came back from getting food from the kitchen. We planned to take the small path to avoid running into that eunuch. When we passed by a cluster of begonias and bamboo, we discovered a figure with half an arm missing, covered in blood all over, with hair disheveled over the face, and eyes showing through the hair gaps, staring wide like this.”

He used his fingers to pull open his eyelids, “I got startled and told Wuli to look. When we both looked over, that shadow disappeared.”

“It was clearly just tree shadows cast by the stone lantern. Big brother, don’t believe him. This brat has too much imagination.”

“What I said is all true – it was a ghost shadow. This mansion must have plenty of wronged spirits,” Wushu said. “I heard the palace attendants talk about how eunuchs, because they’re missing their manhood, mostly have abnormal preferences. Li Daoyu, who used to serve before the Emperor, liked children and often called newly castrated boys to his room, where they’d stay for hours. And Zhang Huairu, who served before His Highness before, was no good either – he enjoyed torturing women in bed with various tools. Steward Yunsheng also picked up this habit, though they only targeted women offered up by subordinates, which is why the matter was covered up tightly.”

“I never heard such rumors in the Crown Prince’s Mansion,” Pei Yanci said in surprise. “The palace attendants you mentioned – they’re not from the Crown Prince’s Mansion, but from the Chief Overseer’s mansion?”

“Hehe,” Wushu embarrassedly scratched the back of his head, “They saw I was young and coaxed me with lots of pastries and fruits. I started chatting with them. When I couldn’t finish eating, they let me take plenty back to taste with mother.”

Who was scared to death during the day?

“Now that you mention it, I’ve heard something too,” Wuli recalled. “Tang Xizhui, that old eunuch, also has a twisted nature. He most enjoys hearing the sound of whips landing on flesh. Every night he must listen until he’s satisfied before he’ll sleep. The people being beaten suffer terribly. When many were beaten to death, there wasn’t a single patch of good flesh left on their bodies. The people collecting corpses could only pick out a few intact bones for burial, while the remaining pile of rotten flesh and bone fragments could only be washed away with water.”

“Didn’t you say before that Tang Xizhui likes bone stools, human skin fans, and uses human skulls as serving dishes?” Pei Yanci said with amusement. “How could he beat people until their skin was torn and flesh mangled, leaving no good skin or bone?”

The faces of the two who had just finished dinner immediately looked even worse.

“Enough, stop scaring yourselves. These are all baseless rumors. Because the Elu Bureau’s methods are ruthless, plus you harbor prejudices against eunuchs, the rumors have become increasingly outrageous.”

Pei Yanci recalled his previous days getting along with Tang Xizhui. Apart from appearing and disappearing mysteriously and seeming mentally unstable, this person was actually no different from others.

What made him feel he should be more wary were his cunning methods, which were simply impossible to guard against.

“I don’t know about others, but at least Tang Xizhui isn’t as twisted in nature as you imagine.”

Wuli looked at his expression strangely.

“What’s wrong?”

“You said before that there was nothing between you two,” Wuli said with a face full of disgust and sadness, “but now you’re starting to speak up for him.”

Pei Yanci choked on his words, “I’m just stating the facts.”

He even suspected that those fearsome rumors and methods were actually just disguises Tang Xizhui put on to achieve his real purposes.

Before he could finish speaking, Wuli heavily patted his shoulder, “I understand. We’re all brothers – I won’t look down on you.”

What do you understand?! This is completely fabricated!

Slander!

“Since you two are together now, can we come to the Chief Overseer’s mansion more often in the future?” Wushu, small but cunning, said, “Compared to here, the Crown Prince’s Mansion is too shabby. His Highness is bland and aloof, so boring. When I want to eat sweeter pastries, I still have to beg you to buy them.”

Wuli’s eyes lit up, “When we leave, could you ask Dugong Daren to give us each a box of sweet and sour goose slices? That dish tonight was really delicious.”

“…You two are really something.” Even when asking for things, they didn’t know to ask for anything valuable.

Wait, he and Tang Xizhui really have nothing going on – it’s purely a cooperative relationship.

****

After all this nonsense, the supposedly frightening “haunting” didn’t affect the mood of the three staying in the mansion.

That night, after applying the secret medicinal oil Tang Xizhui had given him, Pei Yanci slept comfortably. When he woke up the next day, his whole body showed no trace of soreness.

Yesterday, Tang Xizhui had explained all the key points of the martial technique to him in one go. Pei Yanci practiced hand and foot strength in the open space outside his room for an hour. When he tried throwing a punch, he felt like his fist carried the force of breaking wind.

He knew this was purely his own feeling – having practiced for less than two days, he certainly hadn’t learned martial arts that quickly, but he was already satisfied.

After finishing his practice, he returned to his room to wash up, rinsing off the sweat from his body, then went to Tang Xizhui’s courtyard.

Tang Xizhui was wearing a loose, thin white robe while having breakfast. His waist-length black hair was scattered messily over his shoulders and cheeks as he languidly yawned. A palace attendant beside him picked up a meatball and was about to put it in his bowl when another attendant rushed in.

“Foster father, trouble! Chief Steward Pei has arrived.”

Tang Xizhui immediately stood up, hurriedly using his wide sleeves to cover his face, “Quick, stop him!”

He then quickly went to the inner room, leaving only a rolling meatball on the table.

Pei Yanci stood outside the courtyard. After waiting a long while without seeing the messenger return, he was about to leave when the palace attendant finally came, saying, “Chief Steward Pei, sorry, Dugong Daren hasn’t gotten up yet.”

“It’s already the end of the Mao hour.” Pei Yanci was somewhat surprised that this person had a habit of staying in bed. “Forget it, I’m going out today. Just let Dugong know.”

(TL: 卯時 = 5 a.m. to 7 a.m)

“I’ll definitely pass on the message,” the attendant said with a bow and smile.

After the person left, the attendant finally breathed a sigh of relief, entered the main courtyard room to report Pei Yanci’s words.

“Going out?” Behind a thin silk screen painted with intimate scenes of men and women, Tang Xizhui frowned.

Didn’t he say he would stay in the mansion with him for these few days?

“This servant has already sent someone to follow him.”

“No need, call them back. Xiao Pei’er doesn’t like that.” Tang Xizhui took out a round mirror to look at his face.

What should he do to pass time today?

“Did that fat man and the child go with him too?”

“No, they’re still in the mansion.”

“Release that person from last night again.”

****

Pei Yanci left the Chief Overseer’s mansion – he indeed had an appointment today.

He was meeting the Song uncle and nephew, under the pretext of visiting Great Scholar Fang.

Song Suixi had stayed in Anjing under the pretext of caring for his teacher. A couple days ago, he had provided him with a play script. After Pei Yanci read it, he had Xin Hai prioritize rehearsing his play.

After writing a play, Song Suixi had gotten over his excitement and was being pressed by Song Qi’an to study properly.

Song Qi’an, worried about his nephew, had already taken half a year’s leave from the academy, first planning to discipline this troublesome boy properly.

Pei Yanci brought expensive medicinal supplements to visit Fang Hongchun’s room, then found the uncle and nephew. To his surprise, Si Feng was also there.

Seeing his expression, Song Qi’an explained, “Young Master Si is the son of a Jinzhou salt merchant. His family happens to have business dealings with Anjing during this period, so he’s temporarily staying here while helping guide Suixi’s studies.”

Pei Yanci had read Si Feng’s examination essays from this year’s imperial examination. If his words hadn’t been too sharp and harsh, he would definitely have been in the running for top scholar. This young man’s talent was at its peak, and he had the learning to match his personality.

“Young Master Pei, when will your theater open? I must come support you then, help increase your popularity so it won’t be embarrassing,” Si Feng said with a smile.

“Welcome.” Pei Yanci ignored the hint of gloating in his smile. Though this person spoke dismissively, today when he arrived, he immediately went back to his room and brought out his newly written play script.

After exchanging pleasantries with them, Pei Yanci got to the point. “Now His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince are worried about finding new tax policies to replace the current ones. I’ve already spoken to the scholars staying at the theater. Since you’re also in Anjing, I thought you could visit there more often these days and discuss governing strategies with them.”

“Establishing tax policies for the country?” Song Suixi looked at the other two in disbelief. “We don’t have any official positions – how can we decide such important matters?”

“We’ve studied poetry and books for over ten years precisely to realize our ambitions. Now the opportunity is right before us – why are you retreating?” Si Feng was also excited by this suggestion, fanning himself rapidly as if this could calm him down.

“That’s not retreating – I just feel…” Song Suixi thought for a moment, “like I’m dreaming.”

He never imagined that one day, as a commoner, he could govern the country and bring peace to the realm – this was probably every scholar’s dream.

“Absolutely ridiculous.” Song Qi’an stroked his small goatee. “There are so many capable ministers in court – how could it be your turn?”

“Brother Song, you’re only in your early twenties – why are you so stuffy and old-fashioned?” Pei Yanci laughed. “Let’s try first. If their suggestions are too naive and inappropriate, His Highness won’t adopt them.”

“So our new tax policies are being devised for His Highness the Crown Prince – that makes us Crown Prince faction members,” Song Qi’an disagreed.

He had originally been disgusted by factional struggles, where entering court meant choosing sides and becoming a sword for others to wield. That’s why he resolutely gave up entering government service. Now, even without any official position, he felt like he still couldn’t escape.

Last time when Pei Yanci said the Crown Prince agreed to help rescue people on the condition that they use the academy’s influence to persuade court literati to support the Crown Prince, this was forcing them to choose sides and be completely driven by the Crown Prince. He and Fang Hongchun both disagreed, even realizing that a Crown Prince who made such conditions was actually no different from the detestable faces of the eunuch faction.

“They haven’t entered government service yet. How they choose their path in the future – whether to remain neutral or serve someone loyally – I can’t control. But they’re still commoners now and shouldn’t be branded with any faction’s mark,” Song Qi’an said. “They are people – their will shouldn’t be bound or coerced by anyone.”

“Master Song need not worry about this. I understand your concerns. If you don’t trust His Highness, surely you trust me?”

Pei Yanci’s gaze was gentle yet extremely firm, making it difficult not to believe him.

“You rescued those scholars – how could I not trust you?” Song Qi’an sighed. “Sometimes I have a strange feeling that you’re not working for His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Pei Yanci just smiled without answering.

“Regardless of who it’s for, being able to participate in such important political affairs is fortunate,” Si Feng laughed heartily.

Pei Yanci’s gaze paused slightly as he asked, “Your fan ribs are quite beautiful.”

“Made of white jade with white silk as the face – one hundred taels per fan,” Sifeng said proudly.

The Song family were poor but noble scholars who came from academic backgrounds, rarely having precious gold and jade items. Hearing that a single fan cost a hundred taels, they couldn’t help but marvel, though without envy.

“The Great Yu officials are still kind-hearted – selling official salt can be so profitable,” Pei Yanci smiled.

This comment made Si Feng tense up.

“Salt and iron are monopoly industries, naturally more profitable than others,” Song Suixi said matter-of-factly. “If you got government permission, earning several million silver taels a year wouldn’t be empty talk.”

“I was shallow and ignorant,” Pei Yanci said carelessly. “So people at least have government permission.”

Sifeng smiled awkwardly, put away his fan and returned it to his sleeve. For the rest of their conversation, he didn’t take it out again.

****

After arranging for people to draft new tax policies, Pei Yanci returned to Tang Xizhui’s mansion in the afternoon.

Thinking that someone should have woken up from his afternoon nap by now, he turned his steps toward the main courtyard.

Suddenly there was a rapid sound from the grass beside him.

Pei Yanci paused, looked around, but didn’t notice anything unusual.

The air began to carry a faint metallic smell of blood.

A breeze passed, and the bright red azalea flowers nodded and swayed like smiling faces.

Suddenly there was a sharp sound from behind, a spike pressed against his back, and a hoarse, unfamiliar voice spoke.

“Don’t move.”