Chapter 29 Everyday Life, Ah, Men!
After Pei Ji finished asking his question, there was a moment of silence in the room. Jin Chuchuan spoke first, his voice still flat but carrying weight: "He asked us to tell you that signs of internal strife have already appeared in Yu Que, with several princes vying for power. Going to the border at this time is not the best course of action, as it would easily make us a target of public criticism."
Upon hearing this, Pei Ji showed no surprise and simply replied, "Understood."
Chunyu Zhi couldn't stand people speaking in a cryptic, riddle-like manner, so he couldn't help but interject, "Wait, what does that even mean? Are you going or not? Can't you just give me a straight answer?"
Pei Ji glanced at him, then unusually offered a few words of explanation, his tone as calm as analyzing a chess game: "The internal strife in Yuque seems dangerous, but it is actually a good opportunity to divide and win over allies. Going there now, if you choose the wrong side or reveal your strength too early, you will only invite trouble. It is better to observe the situation and wait until they are both weakened before making a move. Moreover, the General of Zhenbei is old and conservative, and his several deputy generals belong to different factions. Getting involved now will only create more obstacles."
In just a few words, he clearly and thoroughly analyzed the complex situation on the border and the advantages and disadvantages of various forces. This was no longer merely the political discourse of a scholar, but the perspective of someone in a position of power.
After listening to him, Jin Chuchuan confirmed that he was not lying, so he turned around and said to Chunyu Zhi, "Let's go."
Chunyu Zhi: "Huh?" He was still immersed in Pei Ji's analysis and didn't react for a moment. Seeing that Jin Chuchuan had already reached the door, he hurriedly followed, muttering, "He's leaving already? We haven't even finished talking..."
The person who was about to leave stopped at the threshold without turning back. Instead, he took out a plain white porcelain bottle from his pocket and threw it accurately towards Pei Ji.
Pei Ji raised his hand and caught it steadily.
Jin Chuchuan's voice finally came through, still cold: "Twice a day." He was referring to the wounds on his arms from self-harming drug trials.
Pei Ji glanced down at the porcelain vase and said, "Thank you."
Chunyu Zhi followed Jin Chuchuan out of the house and into the corridor before clicking his tongue in amazement. He lowered his voice and said, "Young Master Jin is really generous today. He even took out gold ingots. It seems we should still treat him as our senior brother."
Jin Chuchuan continued walking, his tone calm and even: "If he doesn't return to the border, then our purpose for this trip is fulfilled. Consider this medicine as a reward for saving us the trouble of talking."
Chunyu Zhi was even more puzzled: "When did he explicitly say he wouldn't return to the border?" How come he didn't hear that?
Jin Chuchuan rarely glanced at him sideways, his eyes clearly saying "This rotten wood cannot be carved," and even carrying a hint of incomprehension about the sect's recruitment standards.
Chunyu Zhi understood his gaze, but instead of feeling ashamed, he grinned and revealed his own shortcomings: "Naturally, it's because the gold and silver my father donated to the academy are enough to build three more libraries!"
Jin Chuchuan was completely speechless and too lazy to pay him any more attention. However, he was thinking to himself: Pei Ji's understanding of the border situation was so deep and swift, even more accurate than the information they brought. The network he had laid in this prefecture was far deeper than they had imagined.
The two spoke in hushed tones as they walked out along the corridor. Suddenly, they saw several servants leading a group of people dressed in clean cook's clothes and carrying various trunks, hurrying towards a more refined and secluded courtyard next door. It was quite a commotion.
Jin Chuchuan paused slightly, looked towards the small courtyard, and asked, "Who lives there?"
Chunyu Zhi immediately perked up, with an expression that said, "You're not as well-informed as me, are you?" He leaned closer and whispered, "Prince Ding, Li Heng. That gluttonous prince has also quietly arrived in this prefecture and is staying with Pei Ji."
“Prince Ding, Li Heng…” Jin Chuchuan’s eyes narrowed, and he couldn’t help but repeat it in a low voice. Although this prince was a leisurely one, his identity was special, and his movements themselves represented a certain signal. “He actually came here as well, and he’s here… This matter needs to be reported to Master as soon as possible.”
Chunyu Zhi nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, hurry back and report! But..." He changed the subject, his face contorted with worry, "At least borrow a decent carriage from Pei Ji, right? I don't want to ride in that awful mule cart again!"
Jin Chuchuan ignored his complaints, but his pace quickened noticeably. The appearance of Prince Ding in the prefecture and his involvement with Pei Ji were enough to keep many people in the capital up at night.
...
Li Heng has been very upset lately.
He was a prince, a leisurely member of the imperial family, who usually ruled the capital with absolute authority and indulged in pleasure. Now, he was trapped in this villa in the prefectural capital, ostensibly for protection, but in reality, it was no different from house arrest. The seemingly ordinary servants outside the courtyard all had sharp eyes and moved with light steps, guarding his courtyard like an iron fortress.
None of his subordinates who went out to inquire about the situation outside could bring back any news. The last one who went to find out the woman's name was tied up like a big meat dumpling and sent back to his courtyard gate. He looked utterly pathetic.
"Outrageous!" Li Heng smashed his teacup, shattering the fine imperial porcelain on the floor. He roared at the outside, "I'm here as a guest, and this is how your lord treats his guests?!"
He thought his veiled insults would go unanswered, but to his surprise, Gu Qiu, his cold-faced confidant, actually showed up shortly afterward. Even more unexpectedly, Gu Qiu, without a word, stepped forward and slammed the gate of his courtyard wide open. There was no one outside; even the guards who usually lurked in the shadows had all disappeared.
Gu Qiu bowed, his tone flat and emotionless: "His Majesty has ordered that if Your Highness feels stifled here and wishes to leave, we will not stop you. Your Highness, please feel free to do as you please."
Li Heng stared at the wide-open gate and the empty, winding mountain path outside. He hesitated, but ultimately didn't step out. The assassination attempt was still vivid in his mind; the attacker was ruthless. If Pei Ji's men hadn't arrived in time, he would already be a wandering ghost. Going out now? Wouldn't that be like walking into a trap? Pei Ji's actions, seemingly generous in letting him go, were actually putting the burden of weighing the pros and cons back on Li Heng's shoulders.
His anger vanished, he tossed his sleeves aside, sat back down, poured himself a fresh cup of tea, and his tone instantly became gentle and mild: "Look at the mess this has made... I was just bored and venting. But thinking about it, this mountain is serene and the scenery is exceptionally beautiful. I haven't had a chance to fully appreciate it yet, so I'd like to stay a few more days to calm my mind."
Gu Qiu showed no surprise, as if he had expected this reaction, and said smoothly, "It is our oversight that Your Highness is bored. His Majesty has ordered that several famous chefs from Jiangling and Huaiyang be invited for you. They will arrive soon and will be able to discuss the culinary traditions of the North and South with Your Highness to satisfy your appetite."
Upon hearing this, Li Heng's initial discomfort vanished instantly! His eyes lit up, and a genuine smile appeared on his face as he clapped his hands and exclaimed, "That's wonderful! Your lord is truly thoughtful!"
So, His Highness Prince Ding stayed quietly in the villa for several days, even with a hint of anticipation, gazing at the mountain scenery and pondering what was to come.
On this day, Gu Qiu came again and asked him to move.
As they passed a small, exquisite courtyard, Li Heng faintly heard a woman's voice inside. The voice was clear and melodious. Recognizing the beauty in the voice, and imagining the lively scene, he stopped and asked Gu Qiu in a low voice, "The person living in this place... could it be Pei Ji's wife?"
Gu Qiu choked for a moment, a rare occurrence. A very subtle hint of difficulty flashed across his usually expressionless face, clearly indicating that the question was beyond his ability to answer. He could only turn slightly to the side, extend his hand again to lead the way, and say evasively, "Your Highness, this way please."
Li Heng understood and didn't ask any more questions, but his mind started to wander. It seemed that Pei Ji wasn't entirely detached from worldly affairs after all.
Following Gu Qiu to a secluded hall, Li Heng found a man already anxiously waiting inside. Upon closer inspection, Li Heng recognized him as Zhang Qian, the Prefectural Chief Secretary! This was someone he truly trusted, and Li Heng imagined that Zhang Qian had been frantically searching for him these past few days.
Gu Qiu said from the side, "Zhang Changshi has been waiting for a long time. His Majesty has important matters to attend to and cannot personally see them off. Later, I will arrange reliable people to escort His Highness and Zhang Changshi to leave safely."
Li Heng looked at Zhang Qian, who was unharmed and clearly someone Pei Ji had intentionally let in to help him. Pei Ji was letting him go, and had arranged everything perfectly.
He looked at Gu Qiu and asked, "Is this all your lord has to say? Is there nothing else he wants to tell me?" He didn't believe that the other party would go to such great lengths to save him, protect him, and then let him go so easily without asking for anything in return.
Gu Qiu lowered his eyes, his tone still steady: "His Majesty said that this hospitality is a favor. His Majesty will ask Your Highness for this favor later."
Upon hearing this, Li Heng was not annoyed at all; instead, a glint of great interest flashed in his eyes. Interesting! He wanted to see what this Pei Ji would ask of him, this "leisurely prince," in the future.
"Very well!" Li Heng readily agreed, flicking his sleeves. "Then I will take my leave first. Tell your master that I will remember this favor."
With Zhang Qian by his side, and under Gu Qiu's arrangement, he quietly left the villa.
Pei Ji, who had important business to attend to, was standing in front of Yu Manta, holding the bottle of Jin Buhuan given to him by Jin Chuchuan, his tone filled with a helpless indulgence: "The day after tomorrow, I will definitely take you down the mountain the day after tomorrow."
Yu Man, with his back to him, was wrapped in a thin blanket and remained motionless, expressing his protest through silence.
"Really," he assured him, his voice softening further.
Yu Man slowly sat up, her black hair slightly disheveled. She glared at him and brought up the past again, accusing him, "You lied to me last time and said you were at the academy!" Her tone was undisguised in bringing up old grievances.
Pei Ji didn't argue. He simply reached out and naturally took her arm, which was outside the blanket. His fingertips gently lifted a section of her sleeve, revealing a scratch that had faded considerably, leaving only faint pink marks. He applied ointment and carefully applied it, his movements slow and focused.
The cool ointment melted upon contact with the skin, leaving a refreshing and comfortable feeling. Yu Man couldn't help but mutter, "It's almost healed, isn't it?" This medicine was remarkably effective; in just two or three days, the wound had almost completely faded.
Pei Ji patiently continued applying the medicine, from his wrist to his forearm, leaving no spot untouched. Ever since the first application, he had quietly taken over this task. His fingertips were calloused, and the pressure he applied was just right. Far from causing pain, it gave a slight itch that spread from the wound, tingling all the way to the very core of his being.
Yu Man involuntarily raised her eyes, staring at his profile as he bent over. The candlelight outlined his smooth jawline, high nose bridge, and long, drooping eyelashes, casting a small shadow under his eyes, making him appear exceptionally handsome and focused.
As she watched, she couldn't help but let her throat move slightly.
Pei Ji noticed her fixed gaze and assumed she was afraid of pain, so he moved closer, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, and whispered, "Does it hurt?"
The distance between them suddenly closed, and his familiar, cool scent, tinged with a hint of bitter herbs, enveloped her. Yu Man felt her heart race, her chest tighten, and she even felt a little dizzy.
Pei Ji seemed to keenly sense her unusual behavior, but he didn't pull away. He maintained a very close distance, gazing down into her somewhat misty eyes. He parted his thin lips slightly, uttering a low, husky sound with a questioning tone: "Hmm?"
Their breaths mingled intimately.
Yu Man's gaze involuntarily fell on his lips, which were so close to hers. Their shape and color were pale, but now, due to the close proximity, they appeared exceptionally clear. As if bewitched, she thought to herself, "We're still officially a couple, so a kiss isn't too much to ask, is it?"
System: [Is this...right? Huh? Can you control it?] The rest of the audio was cut off.
Because Yu Man had already followed her instincts, she raised her face and pressed it directly against his lips, her hand unconsciously grabbing his forearm.
It has a slightly cool feel, but it's still very comfortable, like touching cool jade on a summer day.
Pei Ji seemed to sigh very softly, ignoring the lingering pain, and feeling somewhat relieved that no marks had been left on his forearm—after all, they were far too unsightly. If she saw them and disliked them…
He then gently patted her with one hand as a gesture of comfort, and tenderly supported her slightly weak and backward-leaning body, letting her lean against him.
He didn't rush to deepen the kiss she had initiated. Instead, he patiently and subtly nibbled at her lips, lingering and teasing them, a suggestive and seductive gesture that evoked her slightly hesitant response. Just as Yu Man was becoming dizzy with desire and almost lost in the moment, he abruptly stopped.
Their foreheads touched, their breaths still mingling. He silently calmed his breathing, stepped back slightly, and changed the subject, subtly reminding her, "Where's the new sachet you promised me?"
Yu Man was still immersed in the warm and moist sensation from before, her heart pounding like a drum. She was stunned for a moment when she heard this before she reacted. She was taken aback, and then, quite annoyed, she took out a newly embroidered, finely stitched blue sachet from the cloth bag she carried with her and shoved it haphazardly into his hand.
Ha, men!
Pei Ji took it, then carefully took out the tattered but well-preserved amulet from the worn old sachet at his waist, solemnly placed it into the new sachet, and tied it securely. Afterward, he smoothed out the wrinkles of the empty old sachet and carefully placed it in the inner pocket at his heart.
Yu Man watched his series of actions, her gaze falling on the new sachet, and asked hesitantly, "Is this... the one?" She was referring to the lost amulet.
"Yes." Pei Ji looked up at her, his eyes gentle yet resolute. "I found it."
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