Chapter 54: Falling in Love
Suddenly, a peddler's cry echoed outside the carriage: "Newly arrived Lingnan lychees—" The cry resonated with Sun Honglei's memory. That day, he had disguised himself as a playboy, throwing lychees in the street, and happened to see Pei Ji wrapping his cloak around the soaked Luo Zhaohan.
"Shaoqing of the Dali Temple." He stroked the inscription on the scroll and suddenly sneered, "Cousin, do you know that there is a painting called 'Questions on Zen on a Snowy Night' hanging in Pei Ji's study?"
Chao Yinlong's eyebrows arched slightly. This was a secret code between them—three years ago, the spy planted in Pei's residence had reported that the painting was inscribed with the Zen phrase "Originally, there is nothing."
"The winter clothes that Miss Luo donated to Ci'an Hall last month," Sun Honglei slowly rolled up the scroll, "were embroidered with the Suzhou overlock stitch that Madam Pei loved so much."
The copper clepsydra hanging on the wall of the carriage suddenly got stuck, and the dripping sound stopped abruptly.
Chao Yinlong looked at the scale stuck at Chenshi, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "So I said, this is your chance."
Sun Honglei slipped a jade cicada from his sleeve. It was the prize that Luo Zhaohan's younger brother, Luo Jince, had won against him. Engraved on its wings were tiny seal characters, so tiny that one had to hold it up to the sun to see the two characters "Zhao Zhao."
"That day I challenged Luo Jin to a cricket fight." He pressed the jade cicada into the carpet. "I wanted to get the embroidered handkerchief as a stake."
Chao Yinlong suddenly lifted the curtain of the carriage, and the scorching May sun poured in, shining on the belt around Sun Honglei's waist.
On the belt buckle inlaid with seven treasures, the cloud pattern of the Luo family emblem is clearly visible - this was the thank-you gift he received for saving Luo Zhaohan from the startled horse's hooves during the autumn hunt last year.
"Tomorrow at three quarters past noon." Chao Yinlong threw out a golden knife, the handle of which was wrapped with a faded red string. "Miss Luo will go to Baiyun Temple to fulfill her vow."
When Sun Honglei caught the hidden weapon, he felt tiny teeth marks on the knot - these were the bite marks left by the small dog raised by Luo Zhaohan.
Last year at the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet, that beast had torn the corner of his robe.
The carriage suddenly jolted, and the teacup on the low table fell over, and the brown tea spread out in spots on the "Cold Plum Blossom Picture".
Sun Honglei laughed out loud, letting the tea stains flow over the skirt of the girl in the painting: "Cousin, you threw this basin of cold water at the perfect time."
Chao Yinlong picked up the wet scroll and wrote the word "争" (struggle) on the wall of the carriage with tea.
The water marks meandered like snakes, crawling across the diamond-shaped spots of light cast by the carved window lattices.
"If we're going to fight, let's fight it out." He traced the old scar on Sun Honglei's palm with his fingertips. It was the wound he received when he was thirteen years old while protecting him. "Just like the arrow you blocked for me back then."
Suddenly, an eagle's cry was heard outside the car. Sun Honglei lifted the curtain and looked, and saw the Saker Falcon that Pei Ji often raised circling in the sky.
There was a gleam of silver light between the raptor's claws; it was the black iron tube used by the Dali Temple to deliver secret letters.
"I heard that Miss Luo has been searching for a rare copy of 'Jialanji' recently." He lowered the carriage curtain and crushed the blood-scabbed crust on his palm. "Coincidentally, the copy in my study still has the plum blossom paper she left behind."
Upon hearing this, Chao Yinlong put the Buddhist beads back on his wrist.
One hundred and eight sandalwood beads brushed against the spot Sun Honglei had just touched, leaving a faint scent. This was their unspoken agreement—like hunting white foxes together when they were children, one luring the enemy, the other ambushing and killing them.
Chao Yinlong patiently gave Sun Honglei enough time to calm down before slowly speaking, "Honglei, there's something you may not know."
"When Pei Ji was your age, the late emperor and his tutor, Master Chu, tried to arrange a marriage for him. But Pei Ji, at the time, would rather risk offending the emperor than reject the late emperor's kindness."
"As expected, the late emperor flew into a rage, scolding him for being ungrateful. He refused the immense grace of heaven, the beauty presented before him."
"Pei Ji remained calm and calmed the late emperor's anger with just one sentence."
"He said that there are some things in this world that are more eternal than honor, disgrace, happiness, and even more important than life itself: faith and family. He hopes to be like Old Chu, never marrying, wholeheartedly serving His Majesty, the Western Wei Dynasty, and His Majesty's people, willing to go through fire and water and sacrifice his life for them."
Sun Honglei listened to these words and looked up, a hint of shock in his eyes. Even Chao Yinlong, who was repeating them at this moment, couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
"Hong Lei, if anyone else said this, I would think it was just flattery and nice words. But Pei Ji—" Chao Yinlong paused, "even I don't know how he can be so pure and determined."
"If there ever comes a day in the future... as long as Pei Ji has no second thoughts, such an upright and loyal minister will definitely be given important positions."
Upon hearing this, Sun Honglei became even more silent.
For a person to be so honest and incorruptible, is it because he is straightforward and resolute by nature and has no distractions, or is it because his scheming is so unfathomable that no one can see through him?
Seeing Sun Honglei's silence, Chao Yinlong said earnestly:
"Hong Lei, human hearts are unpredictable. Pei Ji said that at the time, and it's not ruled out that he didn't want to get married easily because he hadn't met the person he liked yet."
"But what if he has someone he likes now?"
"After all, human hearts are made of flesh and blood. The word 'love' in particular is the most difficult to control, making people lose their minds."
"Are you confident in competing with Pei Ji?"
Sun Honglei was momentarily unable to respond. Seeing this, Chao Yinlong knew he had said enough for today.
He pushed the cakes on the table towards Sun Honglei and said softly:
"Hong Lei, next month's welcoming banquet is crucial. Whether it's Luo Zhaohan or Princess Liuyang, you must choose one. If you can't get what you want, then your cousin can only ask you to prioritize the overall situation."
Sun Honglei was well aware of the interests involved. Upon hearing this, he immediately collected all his thoughts and bowed respectfully to Chao Yinlong, saying:
"Hong Lei will not disappoint my cousin and will do his best."
Just as he finished speaking, a clear and pleasant call suddenly sounded outside the carriage:
"Jin Ce!"
Sun Honglei's heart skipped a beat, and he almost subconsciously reached out and lifted the car curtain.
He looked up and saw a face as bright as a hibiscus peeking out from the carriage window not far away. The face was bright and dazzling like the warm spring sun.
It’s Luo Zhaohan!
Chao Yinlong noticed Sun Honglei's loss of composure, and leaned over slightly to look outside, just in time to see a young girl jump out of the car nimbly.
Her long black hair was tied up high with a red ribbon. The moment it fell to the ground, the ends of her hair swung in a light arc, making her figure look more agile.
Moreover, her eyes are bright and her movements are quick and decisive, which is indeed different from the temperament of ordinary ladies.
"Is that the young lady of the Luo family?" Chao Yinlong asked in a low voice, with a barely perceptible hint of teasing in his voice.
Sun Honglei suddenly came to his senses, his face full of embarrassment, and he quickly lowered the car curtain.
Chao Yinlong didn't care and just waved at him, "Okay, go say hello."
"The Princess is about to return to the capital, and as her nephew, I still have to carefully prepare a gift for her. It's really worrying."
Upon hearing this, Sun Honglei did not dare to disturb Chao Yinlong anymore. He bowed politely and then lifted the curtain and got off the carriage.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, Sun Honglei let out a long breath without making any sound.
At this moment, all the embarrassment, respectfulness and caution on his face disappeared without a trace.
There are some truths that his grandfather and parents never taught him, but this did not prevent him from figuring them out on his own during his long time with his cousin.
My cousin is inherently domineering and strong, and used to controlling everything. Appropriate displays of cowardice, gaffes, or even unintentional revelation of a few subtle thoughts can actually earn him his trust and ensure a long and stable path forward.
After all, which high-ranking official can truly tolerate a subordinate who has no weaknesses and is impeccable?
After standing quietly for a moment, Sun Honglei's face showed some hesitation again, and then he raised his foot and walked towards the direction of Luo Zhaohan and her brother Luo Jince.
The May sun shone brightly on the bluestone road. Sun Honglei's black boots rolled over the gravel on the road, and the hem of his clothes stirred up a gust of wind.
It wasn't until the sapphire figure disappeared around the corner that the attendant on the carriage lowered his voice and reported, "Your Highness, Young Master Sun is walking towards Miss Luo."
The crisp tapping of teacups echoed from the ebony carriage, followed by a deep laugh. "What a wonderful person!" Chao Yinlong tapped the unfinished secret report on the table. If it hadn't been for the Luo family's quick decision that night at Prince Duan's mansion, his eldest sister-in-law's unborn baby might have been lost. Not to mention the incident at Xiangguo Temple where they rescued the wife of the Earl of Changning. The words "floating corpse" rolled over his tongue, and the smile deepened.
In the light filtering through the gap in the carriage curtain, one could see Prince Rui's knuckles stroking a jade ring. Such a courageous young woman, and the jewel in the crown of General Fuyuan's mansion. If only the Luo family could be brought under his wing... Chao Yinlong's eyes flickered as he heard another report from outside the carriage: "Master Pei has emerged from the Imperial College."
"Return home." As soon as the words were spoken, the carriage turned. Amid the clatter of wheels rolling over bricks, Chao Yinlong closed his eyes and pondered—Pei Ji was walking on thin ice right now, how could he dare to be sincere with anyone? Better to let Sun Honglei go and test the waters.
The locust tree in front of the Imperial College was in full bloom. Luo Zhaohan stood on tiptoe to peer in, not caring that her snow-blue skirt brushed against the shaft of the cart, collecting dust on it. Seeing Luo Jince emerging from the distance with a scroll in her arms, she leaped from the cart in two quick steps, startling the driver so much that he repeatedly shouted, "Miss, be careful!"
"Sister!" Luo Jince's eyes lit up, and he trotted over to meet her, only to be met with a heavy bag. The young man peeled back the indigo cloth, revealing his colorful knee-length gown, its auspicious cloud pattern embroidered in gold thread dazzling in the sun.
"Ten cows won't need this much!" Luo Jince took out a pair of goose yellow knee pads with a bitter face, and suddenly remembered something and hugged the bundle tightly: "The ones for cousin Ye can't be of these patterns!" Luo Zhaohan laughed so hard that he bent over, and the pearl hairpins on his temples trembled.
The brother and sister were chatting and laughing when they suddenly saw Sun Honglei's carriage returning. Luo Jince immediately stopped smiling and moved him behind him, only to see the usually domineering young master of the Sun family politely perform a formal greeting as an equal: "I offended the young lady last time at Prince Duan's mansion, and I've come to apologize."
Luo Zhaohan peeked out from behind her brother's shoulder, the sunlight gilding her profile. She remembered someone supporting her limp body in the chaos that day, the bamboo leaf pattern embroidered in silver thread on the cuffs dazzling. "I should thank Young Master Sun for saving me," she said gracefully in return, the jade bracelet on her wrist jingling with a resonant sound.
As the three of them stood under the locust tree and talked, no one noticed the inconspicuous green-curtained carriage parked at the corner of the street.
Pei Ji looked at the snow-green figure through the gauze curtain, and his fingertips unconsciously stroked the jade pendant around his waist.
When Pei Ji walked out of the Imperial College, he saw the three of them standing together in harmony.
Luo Zhaohan and Luo Jince bowed their heads slightly as they saluted, but Sun Honglei's gaze fell directly and unobstructedly on Luo Zhaohan.
However, when Luo Zhaohan finished his greeting and stood up, Sun Honglei hurriedly looked away again, with a look of uneasiness and caution on his face.
Pei Ji's footsteps suddenly stopped.
As a result of interrogating prisoners for many years, he developed the ability to keenly capture the subtle changes in expressions on other people's faces and infer some deeper meaning from them.
If he was not mistaken, this young master of the Sun family... seemed to be in love with Miss Luo Zhaohan.
As soon as this thought came to mind, an unfamiliar sour feeling, like a faint mist, spread uncontrollably from the bottom of my heart.
Pei Ji had never experienced this feeling before, and the fingers hanging by his sides curled up slightly unconsciously.
Just then—
"Master Pei."
Pei Ji looked up when he heard the voice, and saw that Luo Zhaohan had seen him at some point. At this moment, his eyes were full of smiles, and he was nodding at him from a distance.
Luo Zhaohan could hardly hide the curiosity in his eyes.
Lord Pei took off his official uniform today, carrying a book box on his back. He had shed his majestic official aura and looked more like a...handsome scholar.
"Master Pei, someone who said you are from 'Tian Shang Yue' is here."
Pei Ji's mind naturally flashed through these words. A warm and mellow feeling instantly surged into his heart, dispelling most of the inexplicable bitterness he had just felt.
His heart beat a little faster, and his steps, which were originally supposed to move towards his own carriage, unconsciously shifted towards Luo Zhaohan.
"Miss Luo."
But he restrained himself in the end and did not take that step. He just returned a salute from a distance in the direction of Luo Zhaohan.
Luo Jince originally thought Pei Ji was chasing him, and his eyes lit up instantly, full of anticipation. But when he saw Pei Ji's distant and polite attitude, the light in his eyes suddenly dimmed.
Alas, he now understands his mother's feelings. Some things really cannot be forced.
On the other hand, Sun Honglei, who was standing aside, looked up at Pei Ji with a deep gaze, as if he was thinking about something.
Pei Ji chose to be an upright and loyal minister, so he should understand that anyone who has anything to do with him may be attacked and framed because of him, let alone... his sweetheart.
If he was rational enough, he should have remained alone and never married, just as he had promised the late emperor.
Sun Honglei was immersed in his own thoughts. What he didn't expect was that Luo Zhaohan suddenly took a step forward and walked towards Pei Ji.
Pei Ji stood there, knowing that Luo Zhaohan was walking towards him, but at this moment he felt like he was nailed down and couldn't take a step away.
Even he himself could not deny that a trace of secret joy was quietly flowing in his heart.
"Master Pei," Luo Zhaohan stopped three steps away from Pei Ji, his lips moving slightly, his voice deliberately lowered, "I heard from my father that General Xie was impeached by the censor some time ago."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
