SEHE Chapter 114

Breakfast 

Pei Yanci wanted to meet Gu Yueqian, and Gu Yueqian wanted to meet him—both for the same reason.

After the banquet, Qi Lan led Pei Yanci to another small pavilion. Once the attendants were dismissed and no one else was around, Gu Yueqian said, “Let’s speak plainly. Today, this princess only wants to ask you one question: do you support Fourth Brother, or do you choose Zheng Qinglai?”

This form of address already revealed where her heart leaned.

“Your Highness’s birth mother is from the Zheng family. There’s no reason you wouldn’t support your own uncle and instead help an outsider.”

“Uncle may be surnamed Zheng—maternal grandfather, maternal family—but in the end, one cannot escape the word ‘maternal.’ Fourth Brother and this princess are the Great Yu imperial family. If he ascends the throne, he can protect you and this princess with glory and wealth for a lifetime. Can the Zheng family do that?”

“This subject is an adopted son of the Zheng family. If I betray them, what benefits could there be?”

“Son succeeding father’s position—Minister of the new dynasty. How about that?” Gu Yueqian said.

“Too distant. By then, Your Highness, being a noble person, may forget, and this subject would end up fetching water with a bamboo basket—paving the way for others while gaining nothing myself.”

“Then what benefits do you want?”

“The Zheng faction’s power—we split it half and half.”

“You certainly dare to dream.” Gu Yueqian covered her lips with her silk fan, laughing enchantingly.

If it were an ordinary man, he would have already prostrated himself beneath her pomegranate skirt, his mind ensnared, thoughts unsettled, barely able to speak clearly.

“Do you know how large the Zheng faction’s power is?”

“If it weren’t large, Your Highness wouldn’t deign to covet it either. This is their honor.” Pei Yanci said, “A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Is Your Highness certain you can swallow it all in one gulp? Are you so confident that His Highness the Crown Prince won’t turn his blade against you in the future?”

Her heart skipped a beat, and the jeweled ornaments in her hair trembled slightly.

“Could it be that you have the ability?”

“Once the Zheng family falls, this subject will represent the new Zheng family,” Pei Yanci said.

Gu Yueqian laughed heartily. “This princess admires your confidence.”

Her thoughts raced, and she had already formed a plan.

How to divide the Zheng faction in the future was still uncertain, but she did indeed need his help now.

Moreover, if they cooperated well, once the Zheng family fell, this man would have even greater uses.

“It seems Your Highness will agree?” The moment she revealed the slightest hint of her attitude, Pei Yanci’s gaze caught it.

“Of course. I hope we have a pleasant cooperation.” Gu Yueqian poured a cup of clear wine.

The two raised their cups before them, smiled slightly, and drank it all in one gulp.

“Earlier at the banquet, when you scolded those useless fools, it deeply pleased this princess’s heart. At that moment, this princess knew I had chosen the right person and hadn’t misjudged you.” Gu Yueqian laughed charmingly, her eyes immediately brimming with a touching hint of intoxication, filled with a hazy, luminous glow.

“To earn a word of reassurance from Your Highness makes it worthwhile for this subject to risk beheading by speaking those contrary words.”

“You are a very interesting person, Pei Yanci.” Gu Yueqian sighed. “If you didn’t seem so dangerous, this princess would want to take you for myself.”

“How unfortunate. This subject prefers men, so I can only decline Your Highness’s kind intentions.”

Gu Yueqian gently waved her silk fan. Regarding men, she had always maintained a playful attitude without any attachment. Hearing his refusal, she felt only a bit surprised, then afterward felt even more appreciation.

“Do you need this princess to help smooth over today’s incident?”

“Why trouble your noble hands?” Pei Yanci said. “This is also a good opportunity to let Your Highness see this subject’s capabilities—whether I’m worthy of being Your Highness’s partner.”

“Good.” Gu Yueqian sincerely appreciated him. “You are the third person to make this princess look at you with new eyes, after Father Emperor and the Great Xi Empress.”

Pei Yanci didn’t feel much about this. After settling some details of their cooperation, he followed Qi Lan toward the princess’s mansion gate.

“At today’s banquet, did any young talent catch your mother consort’s eye?”

Qi Lan was still annoyed about what happened at the banquet and replied unhappily, “They’re all crooked melons and split dates. Could you possibly approve of any of them?”

Pei Yanci shook his head.

Since ancient times, there had been few ministers who were completely agreeable. Moreover, those who were too agreeable to work with, who seemed perfect and flawless—such people might actually be the ones harboring the most evil intentions.

Thinking of this, Zhang Dongqin’s face flashed through his mind in an instant.

He seemed like exactly that kind of person.

****

Pei Yanci’s contrary arguments were thus buried silently in that banquet, with not a single person discussing the matter.

What others didn’t know was that all the guests at that banquet had barely left the princess’s mansion when they were invited to the Elu Bureau for tea.

How would those people dare say another word? However arrogant they had been at the banquet, they were equally disheveled when they emerged from the Elu Bureau’s great prison.

The other beneficiary of this affair was Tang Xizhui.

On the night of the banquet, Dugong Daren dressed up splendidly and appeared on Pei Yanci’s bed, righteously demanding compensation for this matter.

After some haggling, Chancellor Pei lazily sprawled across his thighs, finally paying off the interest.

The rest would continue tomorrow night.

“Tomorrow I have to go to the Imperial Academy. Couldn’t you have shown me a little mercy?” Pei Yanci yawned, his hand sneakily feeling the abs before him.

Such a nice texture.

He secretly licked once, sucking a pink mark.

“A momentary lapse. Xiao Pei’er, isn’t your printing house about to open?” Tang Xizhui seemed not to notice his little movements, massaging his muscles to help them relax. After several months of training, Pei Yanci’s physique had become even more trim, his flesh supple as silk, impossible to put down.

“Yes, and I’m planning to open several branches of Mingyou Theater in Jiangnan. This one in Anjing is packed every show, proving that puppet theater is quite popular in Great Yu. I’ve already sent Yue Ting to the south, and he’ll be back soon.”

Since opening in April, in less than half a year, the theater had already earned him over three hundred thousand taels. The cellar in his mansion was filled with chest after chest of silver.

This silver would soon be invested in the printing house.

“By the way, I need manpower. Lend me Xiao Yu who drew those spring palace pictures for you, plus Chunsheng and Shuangjiang, and send me a few more people.”

Tang Xizhui’s eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint flashing in them, when a finger pressed against his chin, forcing his head down to look at the person pillowed on his lap.

“No charging interest.”

“Then wouldn’t I be at a loss?” Dugong Daren didn’t do unprofitable business.

Seeing this person about to hatch another wicked scheme, Pei Yanci’s eyes and hands moved quickly. He raised his upper body, hooked both arms around his neck, and took the initiative to kiss him on the lips.

“That repays one person.”

He kissed the tip of his nose again.

“That’s two.”

“Three… Tang Xizhui, what are you trying to do now, ah ha… I still have to get up early tomorrow. You’re someone under house arrest—stop tormenting me, ah mmm…”

****

When Pei Yanci woke up, Tang Xizhui rarely hadn’t left yet.

He curled his index finger and scraped it along the straight, prominent bridge of his nose. “Oh my, creditor, finally decided to stop running back and forth?”

Tang Xizhui grabbed his finger and lightly bit it in his mouth. “Afraid the debtor would run away, and my debt would be defaulted on.”

Pei Yanci leaned close and gave him a long kiss before getting out of bed at Tang Xizhui’s urging.

Watching the person kneeling on the ground putting on his shoes and socks, he began to have some feelings about why those incompetent rulers didn’t want to attend morning court.

With a beauty at his side, soft jade and warm fragrance, being waited on so attentively—all those government affairs became dull and boring.

But after washing up, he cast aside such ridiculous thoughts.

When he pulled Tang Xizhui along to have breakfast, Wushu, Wuli and Wang Lingche couldn’t help but freeze.

“Why did everyone stop? Keep eating.”

“Oh.” Wushu silently made room.

“Don’t you have anything you want to ask?” Pei Yanci had a servant fill a bowl of chicken congee. Seeing their completely calm expressions, he thought inwardly that this wasn’t right.

Looking again at Tang Xizhui—tall and imposing, yet at this moment acting like a virtuous little spouse, serving him dishes and ladling soup, showing no trace of the cold severity with which he’d exploited him last night.

“No, absolutely no problem.” Wuli, busy among a pile of food, graciously lifted his face to answer, elbowing Wang Lingche. “Do you have any?”

Wang Lingche’s gaze swept up and down Tang Xizhui warily. “Looking at this age, quite old already, right?”

Wuli and Wushu stared at him dumbfounded, forgetting to chew the food in their mouths.

“Wait, don’t you recognize…”

“Quite old indeed—twenty-eight this year.” Tang Xizhui’s tone was gentle as he placed two slices of smoked meat in Pei Yanci’s bowl.

“You just passed your second eight-year cycle, while he’s twenty-eight. No matter how well-preserved, there will come a day when age shows and beauty fades.”

(TL: In classical or literary Chinese, “二八” literally means 2×8 = 16, and it’s a poetic way to refer to a young woman’s age. Though here it refers to PYC being 16)

“Actually, the difference isn’t that much.” Pei Yanci said. If counting his previous life, they were the same age.

If he took this to heart, this chief eunuch would sulk about it again.

“How is this not much difference?” Wang Lingche was surprised. “Add a few more years and he could be your father.”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough...” Wuli hurriedly apologized, gesticulating while pretending to be calm. “Accidentally choked.”

He secretly kicked Wang Lingche several times under the table as a warning.

It’s over—even your Uncle Wuli doesn’t dare talk like that. You’re on a path to losing your life.

Tang Xizhui turned his head, his gaze cold. “You kicked me.”

Wuli sucked in a cold breath, his hands and feet turning cold. “So-so-so-sorry, really didn’t mean to.”

Can I kowtow and cry for you? Would that work?

“How old are you, sir?” Tang Xizhui picked up a chopstick-full of food. “Yanci, this fermented shad is good—try some.”

“Twenty-four this year,” Wang Lingche said.

“The pot calling the kettle black.” Thinking he was so young—turns out he’s also an old bull.

“I’m different. Pei and I share a brotherhood, supporting each other as one family.” Wang Lingche said righteously. “I’m older than all of them, so I should screen people for them.”

“What have you supported him with?” Tang Xizhui’s lips curved in a cold smile.

Pei Yanci ate a bite of fish. “Why is there a bone?” He had gotten used to this person removing them for him so he could just eat in peace.

“I thought someone had already picked out all the bones from the fish in your bowl.” Tang Xizhui looked at Wang Lingche. “Isn’t there a ‘mutually supportive brother’ sitting beside you?”

Pei Yanci: “…”

Just as he was about to speak, he heard Wang Lingche speak again.

“In my family, if a man is to marry, he can only be a concubine. He cannot eat at the table and must serve his master well. Someone like you would be subject to family discipline.”

Tang Xizhui put down his chopsticks and lowered his eyes. “So I’m not worthy, don’t have the status to eat with everyone. Yanci, I’ll return to my room first.”

Goosebumps rose all over Pei Yanci’s body as he immediately stood up and grabbed him. “What nonsense is this?”

Wang Lingche looked triumphantly at Tang Xizhui, raising his head and chest like a victor, taking a sip of noodles.

“Zhaohui, you’re full, right? If you’re full, leave the table.”

Wang Lingche looked at him in disbelief, then at Tang Xizhui. “I mmph…”

Wuli and Wushu quickly covered his mouth and grabbed him on both sides.

“We’re full too. We’ll be going now.”

With that, they dragged him toward the door.

“What are you doing? I’ve barely eaten anything.” Once outside in the courtyard, Wang Lingche broke free from their grip.

“You fool.” Wuli never thought he’d use this word to scold someone else. “You almost got me killed. You actually dared say the Elu Bureau’s Chief Overseer is old and faded? What gives you the right?”

With Tang Xizhui’s face, he could claim to be fifteen and people would believe him.

“The Elu Bureau’s Chief Overseer?” Wang Lingche’s mouth fell open belatedly.

“See? I told you this guy didn’t know.” Wuli said to Wushu. “Read himself stupid. Don’t you dare learn from him.”

“The Elu Bureau’s Chief Overseer always wears a mask. How was I supposed to know what he looks like?” Wang Lingche scratched his head dazedly. “Besides, eunuchs have shrill voices and treacherous faces. He doesn’t seem like one at all.”

“Fine, now you know. Go beg Big Brother for mercy later, and this matter will pass. Don’t spread it around, or you won’t even know how you died.” Wuli warned.

“I know.”

“I don’t know what possessed you today. Big Brother brings someone home for a meal—even if it wasn’t the Elu Bureau’s Chief Overseer, it’s none of your business.” Wuli shook his head and sighed, too lazy to deal with him, and left with Wushu.

Only Wang Lingche remained in the courtyard.

To be honest, his relationship with the others was only superficial. After all, everyone was busy every day, spending little time at the mansion, and Pei Yanci was even busier, rarely seen.

But this was the first place in his twenty-some years where he felt comfortable.

No heart-wrenching pressure and nagging from the Wang family parents, no comparisons with clan cousins. Nor was it like the temple—cold and empty, everyone coldly doing their own thing, not caring if others lived or died. Living with Pei Yanci was an impulsive idea at first, but the joking and banter with them was real—that warmth that only true family could bring.

The gentle and virtuous Lady Wu, the loud Wuli, the clever and mischievous Wushu, and the solid and reliable Pei Yanci—they made him feel enveloped in love.

He had already come to consider the four of them as family.

When a fifth person abruptly appeared at the breakfast table where they rarely gathered together, he couldn’t tolerate it.

The moment Tang Xizhui appeared, he keenly sensed that their small family of five was falling apart, that the fragile bonds were breaking.

Stripping away his self-righteous pretenses, he had always been the outsider.

No, he wouldn’t allow this to happen.

This family must have his place, and there must only be five people.

The black mole on Wang Lingche’s nose bridge twitched with his expression, a flash of malice crossing his eyes.