SEHE Chapter 156.2

Palace Coup (2) 

He had long wanted to lock Pei Yanci away — to sever the tendons in his four limbs, to wind golden chains around him, to allow no one else to lay eyes on him. To reduce him to needing Tangxi Zhui for even his most basic needs — eating, drinking, every bodily function. His bare body covered in marks that could never fully fade, kneeling on the bed, fawning and begging at his feet.

What an exquisite and moving sight that would be.

By that time, he would no longer need to worry that his Xiao Pei’er would ever leave him. He would no longer need to wonder whether Pei Yanci truly loved him.

They would only need to be entwined — endlessly, freely entwined.

He could even administer certain medicines, and Xiao Pei’er would become docile and ardent, leaning of his own accord into his lap and begging for more, calling his name over and over in that gentlest of voices, lost in abandon.

Tangxi Zhui began to laugh.

How would Pei Yanci ever know — this vision had played out in his mind at every single moment without pause.

Except when the two of them were intimate — that was when he was closest to bringing this vision to life.

How would Pei Yanci know that Tangxi Zhui had been holding himself back for so long that his bones had begun to creak, his joints to ache, his muscles to throb — that he longed to tear himself open, to rip himself to shreds.

The small wounds Pei Yanci had chanced upon — those were nothing at all.

His desire for Pei Yanci was like a pestilence buried in the bone, flaring without cease at every moment.

Tears soaked that face of indeterminate beauty between man and woman, while those blood-red lips curved upward in a delighted smile.

He would have Pei Yanci. By whatever means necessary.

Like a shattered puppet, wretched and undone, he collapsed among the broken porcelain shards, curling into himself, hugging his own body tightly.

Blood slowly seeped out from beneath him, staining the wreckage-strewn floor a deep red.

The sensation of the shards digging into his flesh no longer stirred any pain in him at all.

But — he had no one who wanted him.

****

The imperial examination fraud case had originally been left to die quietly, and Pei Yanci had assumed it was behind them. The common people of Anjing City had gotten quite a bit of entertainment out of it — one day listening to storytellers slap their wooden boards and recount how Pei Yanci manipulated the examinations and monopolized the court, and the next hearing theater troupes use false names to dramatize the sordid scandals of the Gu imperial family, drawing on past dynasties as a veil for present-day figures.

Then one day, word got out that Si Feng — the top scorer in the new imperial examinations — was the very person who had led the commotion at Xiangqing Tavern the previous year, nursing grievances over the previous year’s top scorer taking first place, spreading rumors far and wide. He had even been arrested and thrown into the Elu Bureau over the matter.

After that, someone investigated and discovered that Si Feng’s family background was anything but simple — he was connected to the canal transport and illicit salt trade.

The investigation into Si Feng pulled in the Song family, Qingcheng Academy, the scholars at the theater, and the theater’s manager, Yue Ting — one thread leading to another, until at last the trail wound its way back to Pei Yanci.

The chief examiner and the new top scorer had been in private contact since the previous year — who would believe there was nothing untoward about that?

“Who let this information leak out?” Pei Yanci slapped the report down on the desk with one palm.

Song Qi’an wiped the sweat from his brow and shook his head. “There’s no way to trace it. With so many people at the theater, there was simply no guarding against someone with intentions keeping watch.”

“Did the Zheng family’s illicit salt operation survive into the new year? I thought their household collapsed at the start of the year.”

“I heard it didn’t,” Song Qi’an said quickly. “With everything under scrutiny right now, who would dare continue?”

“So they turned to river piracy instead,” Song Suixi added.

Pei Yanci: “…Is there a difference?”

“I warned him long ago — keep a low profile. These are men of learning; their family backgrounds ought at least to be clean,” Song Suixi sighed.

“Pei Daren, could you help pull him out of this?” Song Qi’an said with difficulty.

“That’s rather difficult,” Pei Yanci shook his head.

The man had been taken away by the Dali Temple. Had he been in the Elu Bureau, it would have been easier to manage — but they had clearly taken precautions against him and Tangxi Zhui.

“Let me think of a way,” Pei Yanci said. “Tomorrow, take my calling card and invite the Wang family’s eldest son out to meet me.”

The uncle and nephew departed in a state of anxiety.

The following day, Wang Lingche accepted the invitation and came to Hongtu Restaurant, where he met with Pei Yanci and the other two.

The last time, Pei Yanci had used his position to arrange a promotion for him — and combined with the Wang family’s own influence, in just a few months Wang Lingche had risen from Assistant Minister of the Dali Temple to Judicial Secretary, and then, with his superior implicated by the Zheng family’s downfall, he had been promoted again to Vice Minister of the Dali Temple.

After a few pleasantries, Pei Yanci gave a straightforward account of the situation. Wang Lingche smiled his honest smile and said, “My good friend, just tell me directly what kind of verdict you want me to reach.”

“Si Feng’s family is engaged in ordinary waterway commerce — a legitimate trade,” Pei Yanci said, and a strange feeling rose in his chest. The way Wang Lingche had said that was a little odd.

He had the sense that after some time spent with the Wang family, the man had become somewhat different.

Yet looking at him again, he was still the same as ever — one glance and you could see straight through him to the bottom.

“I’ve heard the accusations against him also implicate you,” Wang Lingche said with concern. “Don’t you need to defend and clear your name?”

“No need,” Pei Yanci said. “Matters concerning me, I will handle myself.”

It was all nothing but rumor and fabrication — a bit of public opinion and hearsay would suffice to manage it.

And it was a fine opportunity to use the affair to flush out whoever was behind spreading the rumors.

“Very well. Whatever you ask of me, I will see to it,” Wang Lingche promised.

“My thanks.”

“Don’t be so formal,” he smiled, then leaned in close and said quietly, “You and that person from the Elu Bureau — have you two separated?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“I noticed the Chief Overseer’s Mansion has been seeing activity again — quite a grand to-do — it must be that he’s moved back.” Wang Lingche hesitated, then said, “I could take Tangxi Zhui’s place.”

Pei Yanci’s heart gave a sudden jump. “What are you trying to do?”

He had always regarded this person as a simple-minded younger brother — there had never been any trace of romantic feeling involved.

“Everything he can do, I can do as well,” Wang Lingche said. “I know you have far-reaching power and influence. Only you can help me.”

Pei Yanci thought he understood the man’s true motive now.

“Our aims overlap — at least in part. Just make sure you don’t regret it when the time comes.”

“Rest easy. I won’t,” Wang Lingche said, turning the bloodred agate beads on his wrist.

After the group had finished their discussion and filed out of the private room, Pei Yanci happened to glance upward and caught sight of Tangxi Zhui descending the stairs from the upper floor — just a few steps more and they would all be together.

Behind Tangxi Zhui, Huo Cun sensed the sudden stiffening of the atmosphere and gave an awkward greeting. “What a coincidence — Pei Daren is dining here as well?”

He certainly couldn’t call him adoptive father anymore.

He shot a pleading look toward Pei Yanci, who ignored him entirely and gave Tangxi Zhui a light nod, offering an explanation, “I came out for a meal with Brother Zhaohui — there was some business to discuss.”

“Mm.” Tangxi Zhui averted his eyes in an unhurried, languid manner.

Pei Yanci, seeing that he said nothing further and showed none of his usual boisterous fuss, felt an inexplicable awkwardness stir in his chest instead. He turned and invited Wang Lingche to descend the stairs ahead of him.

Huo Cun pressed his hand to his forehead with a throbbing headache. What on earth was going on between these two? He had asked before and been told they hadn’t quarreled — but the way things looked, the distance between them felt worse than after any quarrel.

Since returning to the Chief Overseer’s Mansion, Tangxi Zhui had taken on the appearance of someone very occupied. He spoke less, his behavior had become more measured, the secret dungeon in the mansion had been dismantled, every trinket and ornament cleared away — the whole person was dressed in nothing but dull grey or pitch black.

He looked normal on the surface. But nothing about him was actually normal.

Huo Cun felt that Tangxi Zhui was ill — yet he couldn’t articulate what exactly was wrong.

“Watch your step.”

On the way downstairs, Pei Yanci’s quick eyes and hands shot out to steady someone who had slipped.

“Thank you — I’m always so clumsy,” Wang Lingche said with an embarrassed smile, the tips of his ears flushing red. “If you hadn’t been here, I’d have made a fool of myself again today.”

“It was nothing.”

Wang Lingche curved his lips into a smile and took the opportunity to wrap his arm around Pei Yanci’s waist. “My ankle seems a little twisted — would you mind helping me down the rest of the stairs? My manservant is waiting with the carriage at the entrance.”

“Of course.” Pei Yanci raised his arm and placed it around Wang Lingche’s waist as well.

Wang Lingche simply let himself lean his full weight against him.

Pei Yanci smells so wonderful. And he’s so soft.

As the two were about to disappear around the bend in the staircase, Wang Lingche cast a casual glance back and upward, and a faint smile crossed his face.

“Adoptive Father,” Huo Cun said, immediately boiling with indignation. “What kind of person is this surnamed Wang — how dare he provoke you.”

“A third-rate sort,” Tangxi Zhui said. He tightened his fist, and when he opened his eyes again, his expression had already returned to calm.

But his courage had suddenly abandoned him.

“Let’s go back upstairs — we’ll… wait a while before leaving.”

He did not have the courage to watch Pei Yanci walk away side by side with someone else — even knowing full well that Pei Yanci had no interest in Wang Lingche whatsoever.

Wang Lingche limped his way downstairs, made his way to his own carriage, and released his hold on Pei Yanci, offering his thanks.

Pei Yanci had just lifted his foot to leave when, after a moment’s thought, he said nonetheless, “Repeatedly provoking the Chief Overseer of the Elu Bureau will do you no good.”

Wang Lingche’s face drained of color instantly. “I — I didn’t…”

Then, under Pei Yanci’s gaze, his face turned red. “I didn’t mean it that way. I only wanted to stir up trouble between you two.”

“I know. Your method was far too crude — anyone with a discerning eye could see through it at once.” Pei Yanci shook his head. What he appreciated most about Wang Lingche was precisely this — his artlessness, his habit of saying exactly what was on his mind. But thinking of how this person had grown up with no exposure to backstabbing and scheming, it was only natural that even when he tried to sow discord, he would do so in a way so clumsy it verged on laughable.

There was even something almost endearingly foolish about it.

With that thought, he reached out and patted Wang Lingche on the head.

“If you run into trouble over at the Dali Temple, remember to tell me — don’t butt heads with them directly.”

He was already worried that Jian Ji’an not having consumed Wang Lingche all this time had been a miracle in itself. Asking him to help with Si Feng’s case — in the end he might still have to handle it himself.

“No propriety whatsoever — where do you get off touching an elder brother’s head?” Wang Lingche put on a show of indignation and pulled a straight face, though his voice immediately turned reassuring. “Don’t worry — the Wang family isn’t so weak that we’d let them bully us.”

“Zhaohui,” he said, “don’t use these petty tricks anymore. We both saw through it. If you want my help with something, just say so plainly and openly, the way you did just now. Next time you provoke him, there’ll be nothing I can do to put in a good word for you in front of him.”

“What?!” Wang Lingche stared blankly. “Your relationship with him has become that strained? Then I just now…”

“You’d best pray for yourself,” Pei Yanci said with a laugh.

“My dear good friend, you have to help me,” Wang Lingche said, tugging at his sleeve in distress.

Pei Yanci let him carry on, laughing heartily. “You were so bold and forthright just a moment ago — I wanted to see how capable you really are. All right — don’t take it to heart. I was only teasing you. My relationship with Tangxi is perfectly fine.”

“You’re just playing tricks on me,” Wang Lingche said, scrunching his nose in distaste — the little mole on his nose bridge looking particularly lively and animated.

He stepped up into the carriage and parted from Pei Yanci with a smile.

Once he could no longer be seen, the smile on his face slowly faded away. He took out his scripture book, lit the incense, and began to recite.

The sandalwood fragrance carried within it a trace of musk and acrid spice that was barely perceptible. The words passing through his lips were those of a sutra on quieting desire — yet his heart surged all the more fiercely, burning hot.

In his mind, in the wisps of incense smoke — all of it was filled with Pei Yanci’s gentle, composed, unshakeable face.

He curved his fingers and raised them to the tip of his nose. His fingertips still faintly carried the scent of Pei Yanci’s body.

****

Pei Yanci had employed certain methods and traced the direction of the rumors, following the thread until it led back to Gu Jiuqing.

He had not been in the least surprised.

What did surprise him was Wang Lingche — within only a few days, the verdict on Si Feng’s case came out, and he was released without a mark against him.

The imperial decree arrived in Pei Yanci’s hands the following day: Si Daren was to go to a county in Liuzhou as county magistrate — a clear sign of the court’s favor and regard.

Before his departure, Pei Yanci spent an entire night in conversation with Si Feng. The following day, Si Feng sent a letter home to his family, and from that point forward, his family were no longer river pirates. Along the coastal borders, a sea patrol force had taken shape instead.

Seeing that this attempt had once again failed to touch so much as a hair on Pei Yanci, Gu Yisui prepared to muddle through and let the whole affair slide. But Gu Jiuqing, ever since the birthday banquet, had grown increasingly forceful in his stance. Acting in the name of the Prince Regent, he issued an order to sentence the chief examiner and all related parties to death — among them Chen Sihong and Suilu, as well as two of the erudite scholars at the Imperial Academy.

Everyone in court could see clearly what was happening — the two sides had reached a state of irreconcilable enmity. Even if they could not touch Pei Yanci directly, they could still clip away at his network of associates.

A number of court officials who had been sitting on the fence began to waver once again.