Chapter 32 The Sweetheart of Little Tyrant Pei Yan...
On the day of Lixia (the beginning of summer), the emperor led his officials to the southern suburbs to offer sacrifices to the Red Emperor, praying for favorable weather and abundant harvests.
On the flat slopes outside the southern suburbs, banners were everywhere, and the Imperial Guards, fully armored, formed an impenetrable defense over the entire southern suburbs.
In the center of the altar facing due south, there was a huge bronze cauldron, with pine and cypress branches bundled into small piles on both sides. On the altar in front of the bronze cauldron lay a robust calf with pure red fur.
Emperor Xuan wore a black upper garment and a crimson lower garment. He wore a crown with twelve white jade beads hanging from the front. His steps were steady and his expression solemn.
Holding the jade tablet, he slowly ascended the altar, guided by the Minister of Ceremonies and the Attendant-in-Ordinary. Behind him, the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, the Marquises and members of the Imperial Clan, and all the officials followed in order, all dressed in red ceremonial robes, except for the leather belts around their waists.
The King of Wu stared at the figure in the crimson robe ahead, then lowered his head in disdain. His elder brother, the Crown Prince, was neither good at academics nor martial arts, and was also indecisive and soft-hearted.
If it weren't for Empress Pei and Pei Yu supporting him, he could have easily brought himself to ruin without even lifting a finger.
Take the recent case of Su Xin as an example. Now that the truth has come to light, what does it matter if we lose the life of a brother-in-law who is not even a proper brother-in-law?
But he was easily swayed; after the Su family complained a few times, he took action and thoroughly offended the Empress Dowager. If it weren't for Empress Pei's subservience to the Empress Dowager and Pei Yu cleaning up his mess, he wouldn't be so carefree.
Thinking of this, Wu Wangchao looked at Pei Yu, who was standing to his side. Pei Yu was tall and handsome, and stood out among the crowd of people wearing similar colored robes.
The two of them were rivals. Pei Yu often went in and out of the palace when he was young, and studied and practiced martial arts with the princes. The crown prince was of mediocre talent, but Pei Yu was able to surpass him in every way. The two of them could be said to have been competing with each other since they were young, and neither of them would give in to the other.
When they were young and ignorant, the two often fought each other. King Wu thought he was quite skilled in martial arts, but he could only be beaten by Pei Yu.
Later, Pei Yu went to the border and made many meritorious contributions. When he returned to the capital, his youthful spirit had faded, replaced by the experience of a veteran and an unfathomable shrewdness.
Some time ago, several of his maternal grandfather Marquis Pingyang's students were reported to the Censorate for patronizing prostitutes. In order to secure their official positions, the King of Wu and the Marquis of Pingyang went to great lengths to place them in the positions of Commandant of the Guards and Minister of Ceremonies. However, less than a month later, these individuals were stripped of their official positions and banished from the capital because of this incident.
Although there was no evidence to prove it, King Wu knew perfectly well that he had only made a move against two officials of the Eastern Palace, but Pei Yu was unwilling to suffer any loss. He had reduced the influence of his maternal grandfather's family and made it impossible for King Wu to find any suspicious points. He could only swallow his anger and watch helplessly as those official positions were filled by the Eastern Palace and others.
King Wu approached Pei Yu and said sarcastically, "Everyone says that you, Pei Yu, are a key minister of the emperor and a future pillar of the country. But in my eyes, you are nothing more than a lapdog under the crown prince's knee."
Pei Yu found it amusing. He glanced at the King of Wu, too lazy to pay him any attention, and turned his gaze back to the front.
His thoughts drifted away. Ever since that night when he brought Song Huiyin back from Mangshan, the relationship between the two of them had become extremely awkward. They had been avoiding each other and hadn't seen each other for half a month.
The King of Wu was completely ignored, and he couldn't lose his temper in this situation. He could only suppress his anger and sneer, "That's right. You can even take the woman that the Crown Prince doesn't want into your possession. What else can't you do?"
Pei Yu slowly turned his head, his dark eyes fixed on the King of Wu. Taking advantage of the crowd's inattention, he exerted force and struck the King of Wu's acupoint on his waist.
King Wu felt a numbness in half of his body and fell uncontrollably to the ground, crashing onto the nearly seventy-year-old, trembling King Hejian beside him. As King Hejian fell, there was a "crack" sound; his old back had snapped, and he lay on the ground howling.
King Wu was instantly drenched in sweat. King Hejian was the oldest and most respected member of the royal family. He had been seriously injured by King Hejian during the sacrificial ceremony, and King Hejian did not dare to look up at Emperor Xuan’s furious gaze on the altar.
He rose and knelt on the ground, shouting: "Father, it's all..."
Pei Yu interrupted the King of Wu, pretending not to know: "Your Highness, are you perhaps too busy lately? You even dozed off during the sacrificial ceremony and injured the old King of Hejian."
The King of Wu looked anxious. Pei Yu was clearly pointing him out. Everyone knew that he had taken a beautiful concubine today, and the whole city knew that he was currently in love with her.
He quickly kowtowed to Emperor Xuan and apologized: "Father, I was impolite for a moment, please forgive me."
Pei Yu added, "Instead of apologizing first, Your Highness should quickly send someone to help the old prince down for treatment."
The King of Hejian was in excruciating pain, his face contorted with groaning. Upon hearing Pei Yu's words of concern, gratitude welled up in his cloudy eyes.
Pei Yu smiled at the King of Hejian, lent a hand, and helped the crowd lift him onto the stretcher.
After the King of Hejian was carried off, Emperor Xuan stood on the high platform with an inscrutable expression. He looked at the King of Wu kneeling below, then turned back without expression and continued the sacrificial ceremony.
After the ceremony, Emperor Xuan descended from the high platform, walked past the King of Wu without stopping, and said, "The King of Wu has behaved improperly and is hereby confined for three months."
——
The lotus leaves are lush and green, some as big as umbrellas, others as small as plates, all crowded together at varying heights.
Huiyin was awakened from her sleep by a cacophony of noise—men and women laughing and joking. She crawled out of bed under the summer covers, got out barefoot, and went to the window to look out.
Hidden among the blooming lotus leaves are two small wooden boats, with a man and a woman on board. They appear to be around fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in luxurious clothes, unlike those of ordinary people.
Huiyin continued to look around, her gaze lingering on the stern of the wooden boat, where a boy lay on his back with one leg raised, his face covered by a lotus leaf for shade, and his hands behind his head as a pillow.
A young girl knelt beside him, her hair braided and wrapped around the back of her head, with soft strands of hair hanging down her chest on both sides. A vermilion ribbon on her hair bun fluttered in the air as she gazed gently at the lying boy.
The wind stopped, and one side of the hair ribbon fell to the boy's chest. The boy seemed to sense something, lifted the lotus leaf covering his face and looked over. He saw the girls huddled together, whispering and talking about something.
Huiyin's irritation at being woken from her good sleep dissipated after seeing this scene. The young boy and girl were experiencing the first stirrings of love, and even she, an outsider, could feel the tender affection between them.
She leaned against the windowsill, propping her head up, and looked down at the noisy crowd below. This group of people must be Pei Yan's classmates from the Imperial Academy.
During the hottest days of summer and the coldest winter, the Imperial Academy would give students holidays. This year, it was only the beginning of summer, and the weather was hot with no rain for a month. The Imperial Academy also proposed to give students holidays.
The people in the lotus pond were quite hot from the sun; their clothes were soaked with sweat, and everyone was suffering from the heat, so they picked lotus leaves to put on their heads to shield themselves from the sun.
One of them looked towards the waterside pavilion not far away, where people were moving about. The lobby on the first floor overlooked the lake and looked exceptionally cool, a place where one could both cool off and play.
He had an idea, and beckoned everyone to look over, saying loudly, "Pei Yan, it's too hot, let's go over there and rest for a while."
Pei Yan was talking to Shangguan Su beside him when he waved his hand impatiently, "Go if you want to."
He said he realized something was wrong, and following their gaze, he saw the Linshui Pavilion. Pei Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stood up and shouted, "No, we can't go there."
The others, already drenched in sweat, protested, "Why can't we go?"
Shangguan Su wiped away her sweat, her nose was red, her fair skin was flushed, and her bangs were soaked. She tugged at Pei Yan's sleeve and said uncomfortably, "Pei Yan, I'm so hot too."
Pei Yan still refused. Linshui Pavilion was Huiyin's residence, and even if he was at his worst, he knew he couldn't just take people to the women's quarters in the inner quarters.
He pointed to the houses in the distance and replied, "We can't go to the Waterside Pavilion, let's go there."
The group looked at the corner of the house in the distance, extremely unwilling, but unable to persuade Pei Yan, they had no choice but to turn the boat around.
Listening to their argument, Huiyin's opinion of Pei Yan changed threefold. She also disliked strangers trespassing on her territory. However, she wanted to meet the young lady who was talking to Pei Yan and see who could win the heart of this little tyrant.
Huiyin went to the opposite window, leaned out of the courtyard, called over Aheng who was wiping the floor, and instructed her: "Go to Lianhu and invite all the young men and women here."
Aheng accepted the order and returned shortly afterward, followed by several young men and women. Yanniang was puzzled by the scene, but Huiyin said with a smile, "Mother Fu, please greet them for me. I'll be right down."
Hearing the clanging and banging sounds from upstairs, Yan Niang smiled and replied, "Slow down."
Her gaze shifted to the courtyard gate, and after recognizing Pei Yan's face, she made up her mind. She led the young men and women into the main room, moved a wide, long, low table in the middle, and had them sit around it, offering them clean handkerchiefs to wipe their faces.
Yan Niang instructed several maids to fetch some ice from the ice cellar, and then instructed Asang to bring out the mung beans that had been cooked and cooled earlier that morning from the stove. Fresh fruits and vegetables were also placed on the table.
Pei Yan was a little awkward, turning his head away from the busy Yan Niang. He had just led his people to the west courtyard when he was stopped by a maid named Aheng, who said that Huiyin had invited them to Linshui Pavilion.
The group, who were already reluctant, came here despite Pei Yan's objections.
Zhang Xi, the young man who had just been clamoring to come to Linshui Pavilion, was extremely sweet-talking. He quickly flattered Yan Niang until she was beaming with joy. Yan Niang then stopped holding back and brought out the freshly baked sugar cakes.
Soft, crispy, and sweet. Four ice basins were placed in the room, instantly dispelling the sweltering heat and replacing it with a cool breeze.
After Huiyin finished getting ready, she went downstairs. It was a hot summer day, and she was wearing a light yellow silk robe. Her hair was simply tied back and secured with a wooden comb.
Hearing the commotion coming from the stairs, everyone turned around and saw a woman standing at the top of the stairs, her demeanor as elegant as a distant mountain.
Someone recognized Huiyin and said her name. The group immediately became reserved and obediently stood up to bow to Huiyin.
Urged on by the crowd's gazes, Pei Yan spoke up: "Sister Huiyin, I'm sorry to bother you."
Huiyin nodded gently, but did not sit down at the low table. She opened the door of the main room, moved a small scale, sat in the hallway to enjoy the breeze, and smiled at the people in the room, saying, "No need to stand on ceremony. Your guests are also my guests."
The group breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the sugar cakes on the table and ate them in small bites, but their eyes secretly slipped towards Huiyin. Through the curtain, they saw her sitting quietly at the entrance of the hall, gazing at the lotus lake. The wind lifted the ends of her hair, and her profile was as beautiful as jade.
Seeing that Huiyin showed no intention of coming over to talk, and with the room separated by curtains, they gradually relaxed and began to converse.
Huiyin listened quietly, subtly observing the group of people: four men and two women. Apart from Pei Yan, the other three were handsome and well-mannered, and should be officials from the Pei family.
Sitting to Pei Yan's left, Zhang Xi frequently looked after the round-faced woman opposite him, speaking with concern. The woman must be his sister.
The remaining one was Shangguan Su. Huiyin propped her head up with a smile on her lips. The surname Shangguan was not common. In her memory, there were no officials in the capital with the surname Shangguan.
I have heard that there is a Master Shangguan in Shu, who is very learned. He was invited by the Grand Master of the Imperial Academy to come to Chang'an to teach. I suppose this Shangguan Su must be his daughter.
Shangguan Su is very similar to her name. She has a calm expression, looks straight ahead, and sits upright with her hands folded in front of her abdomen.
Unlike Zhang Xi's younger sister, who is playful, she is very quiet and doesn't talk much. When asked, she just smiles gently and replies with a few words.
Huiyin was curious. Pei Yan disliked studying, frequently skipped classes, and had a terrible temper—the complete opposite of Shangguan Su's quiet nature. How did these two end up together?
Shangguan Su sat to Pei Yan's right, her gaze falling on the melon on the table. The melon smelled wonderful, and she felt a little tempted to eat it.
She lowered her eyes. The Pei residence was the most luxurious place she had ever been to in her life. Every brick, tile, plant, and tree here was extremely exquisite.
The servants were well-trained and more knowledgeable than she was, not to mention the lady outside the curtain, who wore a plain yellow straight-hemmed dress without any gold or jade decorations, yet her overall aura surpassed that of everyone else present.
So this is the kind of people Pei Yan is surrounded by. She couldn't help but look down at her carefully chosen dress, feeling a little regretful. She came from the countryside and shouldn't have forced herself into circles that didn't belong to her.
Pei Yan noticed that the person next to him was silent. He followed her gaze to the round cantaloupe in the bamboo basket, something he didn't like—it was sickeningly sweet.
He picked up the melon and sweetly called out to Yan Niang, "Yan Niang, I'd like to try this melon. Could you help me share it?"
Yan Niang smiled and took the melon. "It was my oversight. I'll cut it open right away."
Shangguan Su, who had been looking down, finally looked up at Pei Yan, who was smiling beside her. Although his features had not yet fully developed, his baby fat had faded, and he was in the prime of his youth.
He had long eyelashes and deep-set eyes. When he looked down at people, there was always a hint of a smile in his eyes that made people's hearts flutter.
Shangguan Su quickly looked away. For some reason, her heart was pounding. Even though there was an ice basin right next to her, she felt her cheeks getting hot.
Yan Niang carefully peeled the cantaloupe, cut it into pieces, and divided them into seven small lacquered plates, each with a sharpened bamboo skewer.
She instructed Aheng to bring the melon to the table, then went behind the curtain and handed the lacquered tray to Huiyin. Afterward, she sat down next to Huiyin and chatted with her.
The men inside were restless and asked someone to bring out the Liubo chessboard to play a game of gambling. The young men were joking around, but Shangguan Su did not participate. She sat behind Pei Yan and watched. Pei Yan would turn around from time to time to chat with her. The two were very close. Although his eyes were on the chessboard, his mind was on the man behind her.
Perhaps it was the sweetness of the melon, or perhaps it was the influence of those two people, but Huiyin was in a good mood. She turned to look at the birds flying high over the lotus lake and said softly, "Young people are so kind."
Yan Niang scolded playfully, "You're only seventeen, what do you mean by 'young man'? You're still a young man."
Huiyin said, "Youthfulness is not about age, but about state of mind."
Yan Niang didn't want Huiyin to recall unhappy things. Looking at the boys playing in the room, she asked, "Young master seems to have feelings for that Miss Shangguan. Miss Shangguan doesn't seem to come from a prominent family?"
It wasn't that she was particularly clever; two young ladies had come today. The one with the round face was poised and elegant. Her clothes were simple, but her speech and actions were appropriate, and you could tell from her every gesture that she had been carefully raised.
Lady Shangguan was flawless, but it was obvious to everyone that she was reserved from the moment she entered the room, always waiting for others to act before she would follow their lead.
She wasn't one of those five people; apart from Pei Yan, the others didn't really like talking to her.
Huiyin nodded. She liked the innocent feelings between Pei Yan and Shangguan Su. The two had never confessed their feelings, but they unconsciously paid attention to each other and were attracted to each other. Even a single glance could make people linger for a long time.
Unfortunately, it was destined to have a bad ending.
Yan Niang also noticed clues on Huiyin's face. Having lived in the Song family for so many years, she was well aware of the unspoken rules among the nobility.
For example, the future wives of the brothers Pei Yu and Pei Yan would definitely come from prominent families, or at the very least, be the daughters of high-ranking officials.
The noise outside suddenly subsided considerably, and Huiyin and Yanniang could only see them huddled together whispering. The group seemed to be making demands of Pei Yan, who looked reluctant, his gaze occasionally drifting towards them.
Finally, Pei Yan glanced at Shangguan Su behind him, then moved with difficulty and stopped outside the curtain.
He hesitated before explaining his purpose: "Sister Huiyin, Zhang Xi's younger sister has been playing the zither since childhood and would like to hear you play a piece. Would that be alright?"
It turned out that this was the matter. Huiyin looked through the curtain and saw the round-faced girl looking at her with hope. She hadn't played for a long time either.
Huiyin agreed: "Okay, I'll go and have someone fetch the zither."
A small cheer came from outside. Pei Yan breathed a sigh of relief and returned to his seat under the envious gazes of the crowd. For the first time, he felt that Song Huiyin was one of his own family members, which was wonderful.
Aheng arranged the twenty-five-stringed zither, and Huiyin instructed her to place three brocade mats behind it. She sat upright behind the zither, facing the lotus lake, with the curtains swaying gently behind her.
She placed her palm on the zither, slowly touching it, and said softly, "Let the two ladies come in and sit closer. I'll give you some pointers on the fingering technique."
The round-faced girl exclaimed happily, quickly lifted her skirt, went around the curtain, and sat down next to Huiyin, gazing at her with admiration.
Shangguan Su was also delighted. Encouraged by Pei Yan, she mustered up her courage and went behind the curtain. The beautiful lady looked at her with a smile, patted the brocade mat beside her, and gestured for her to come and sit down.
Shangguan Su lowered her head shyly and leaned closer, gazing enviously at Huiyin's profile. She had also studied the zither, but lacked musical talent and soon gave it up.
Huiyin focused her mind and calmed herself, her fingers gently plucking the strings, producing a full and rich tone. She wasn't playing a piece, but rather letting her heart guide her, the tone rising from low to high. The zither's bass was deep and resonant, its midrange bright and penetrating, and its treble crisp and clear.
After teaching the fingering technique, Huiyin turned her hand and played the tune "Guanju," a melodious and graceful tune.
Pei Yufang had just come out of Zhengyang Courtyard and was walking along the central corridor when he heard this music. Neither Madam Pei nor He Jiaying knew how to play musical instruments, nor did they like music, so the mansion did not keep any courtesans; the only person who played the instrument was Huiyin.
He changed direction and walked along the gravel path beside the lotus lake, stopping outside the Linshui Pavilion. From there, he could see three people outside the main hall on the first floor. The one playing the zither in the middle was Huiyin, whom he hadn't seen for many days. Pei Yu didn't recognize the two young women beside her.
When the music ended, it was getting late. Pei Yan and the others bid farewell to Huiyin and left. Huiyin remained seated, only stopping Shangguan Su when she stood up and handing her the silk handkerchief in her hand.
Shangguan Su stared at the silk in her hand, a look of confusion on her face.
Huiyin smiled and said, "These are some unwritten etiquette and slang in Chang'an. You've only been in Chang'an for a short time and don't know many things. This should be able to help you."
Shangguan Su opened the silk scroll in her hand, which was filled with writing, covering everything from etiquette to blessings, down to the smallest detail. She was extremely grateful and didn't know how to express her thanks.
Huiyin liked Shangguan Su very much, but she didn't want anything from her. She tilted her head to the side and said with a smile, "Go quickly, don't keep them waiting."
Shangguan Su carefully put away the silk, curtsied to Chao Huiyin, and turned to leave.
The group left Linshui Pavilion amidst laughter and chatter, but before they had gone a few steps, Pei Yan froze on the spot.
Zhang Xi and the others looked over, puzzled. On the gravel path ahead stood a tall, upright figure. He stood alone by the lake, gazing in the direction of the Linshui Pavilion, seemingly lost in thought.
Pei Yan wanted to slip away quietly with his men.
The other three had already stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "This humble one greets General Pei."
All three of them knew Pei Yu's prestige and had long envied Pei Yan for having a brother who was a martial god descended to earth. They were extremely envious. Now that they finally had a chance to show off in front of Pei Yu, they naturally wouldn't let it go.
Pei Yan had no choice but to go up and call out, "Brother."
Pei Yu turned around, his gaze sweeping over the four people and the two women not far away. He nodded and asked, "Are you going back?"
The three replied respectfully again, "Yes, thank you for your hospitality. We have troubled you today."
“You are Ayan’s friends, so there’s no need to be so polite.” Pei Yu instructed Pei Yan, “Take your friends to the front yard to find Chi Yan to choose gifts, and then have him take your friends back.”
Pei Yan was overjoyed and shouted, "Thank you, brother!"
His elder brother's courtyard was filled with valuable currency from the Xiongnu and the Western Regions—weapons forged from fine iron, and bows. He usually wouldn't allow Pei Yan to approach, yet today he was being so generous.
Fearing he might change his mind, Pei Yan quickly pulled the others away.
After they left, Pei Yan turned around, but Huiyin was no longer there; only a zither remained.
——
That evening, Madam Pei suddenly summoned everyone to her Zhengyang Courtyard. Huiyin happened to run into He Jiaying on her way there, and the two went together.
Some time ago, He Jiaying finally agreed to meet him. Madam Pei was overjoyed, but when she saw her niece's stumbling manners, she had a headache and finally began to pay attention to her upbringing. She specially asked Aunt Tao to give her some extra lessons.
He Jiaying kept complaining, "You don't know, these days I'm learning etiquette the moment I open my eyes—how to sit, how to smile, how to eat. I'm almost not myself anymore!"
Huiyin noticed that she was indeed quite different from before. In the past, He Jiaying dressed charmingly and favored bright colors such as rouge. Today, she wore a plain-colored blouse with only a pair of silver hairpins. This made her appear more elegant, lovely, and approachable.
She comforted her, saying, "You're doing very well today."
He Jiaying unconsciously touched her hair and said shyly, "Really?"
"Really." Huiyin nodded affirmatively.
As the two chatted, they arrived at Zhengyang Courtyard. Chunfen quickly led them into the house and helped them remove their shoes. An ice basin had already been placed inside, its coolness dispelling the heat from their bodies.
Madam Pei sat at the head of the table, with a newly made painted screen behind her. A purple bamboo mat was laid on the low table in front of her, and two maids knelt behind her, gently waving half of the screen.
The Pei brothers, Pei Yu and Pei Yan, had already arrived and were seated on a brocade mat below Madam Pei, with one seat on each side. He Jiaying took the lead and sat down next to Pei Yan, leaning close to him to ask him questions.
Huiyin walked to Pei Yu's side, lifted her skirt and knelt down. She knelt down to Pei Yan's shoulder. This was the first time Huiyin had seen Pei Yu since that day. She felt that there was something different about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
Once everyone had arrived, Madam Pei got down to business: "His Majesty has decreed that all officials of the rank of 2,000 shi or above in Chang'an and their families shall move to Ganquan Palace for summer retreat on the first day of next month. Our Pei family is among them. In the coming days, you should pack your things."
Pei Yu said, "His Majesty has ordered his son and the Marquis of Pingyang to be in charge of the defense of Ganquan Palace. They will leave the capital in three days. Mother can take the three of them with her and set off with the imperial carriage. I will leave Chi Yan and Fang Mu behind to guard them."
Madam Pei nodded and said, "This year, people started seeking refuge from the summer heat half a month earlier than usual. Chang'an is indeed very hot."
After giving her instructions, she had nothing more to say and waved for everyone to leave. He Jiaying rubbed her eyes, making sure she wasn't seeing things, and asked doubtfully, "Cousin, this is the first time I've seen you wear indigo."
Huiyin remembered that Pei Yu usually wore either official robes and armor, or a black blouse. Today, he wore a color he had never worn before.
The black color made him look more composed, and his aura of menace was also heavier. The indigo blue was different. Paired with his upturned eyes, sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, he was full of charm.
Pei Yu remained expressionless: "I can take it anytime."
The four of them left the courtyard. Pei Yan and He Jiaying bickered as they left, while Huiyin waited for Pei Yu to go first.
Pei Yu took two steps forward, then suddenly changed his mind, turning back to look at Huiyin, "I'll go to your place tonight."
“Okay.” Huiyin nodded, walked to Pei Yu’s side, and walked alongside him.
Yan Niang and her maids followed behind the two. One of the maids, carrying a lantern, was about to lead the way when Pei Yu stopped her, took the lantern, and led Huiyin a few steps ahead.
Huiyin asked, "Would it be inappropriate for me to go to Ganquan Palace to escape the summer heat?"
"What's wrong with it?" Pei Yu raised an eyebrow and looked at Huiyin from the side.
Huiyin pursed her lips, wanting to say that her identity was special and it wouldn't be appropriate for her to go to such an occasion.
Pei Yu, knowing the situation, added, "Besides officials with salaries of two thousand shi or above, there are also members of the Zong clan, several major clans, and dozens of people personally appointed by His Majesty. The combined number of their families is in the thousands. You don't need to worry."
"Hmm." Huiyin responded, then brought up a matter, "It hasn't rained for months, what did the Grand Astrologer say?"
This issue involves politics, and in principle, it shouldn't be discussed casually. However, Huiyin wanted to hear it, so Pei Yu told her.
"The Grand Astrologer predicts that there will be no rain in the next two months."
"Wouldn't that mean a severe drought?" Huiyin frowned.
Pei Yu nodded and replied, "The granaries have been well-stocked for the past two years, enough to weather even a severe drought. His Majesty has ordered people to take stock of the stored grain, and will release grain when necessary."
As the two talked, they arrived at the Linshui Pavilion. They had never thought the Linshui Pavilion was small before, but now that summer had arrived, Pei Yu found washing up a problem when he came again.
Pei Yu, who considered himself a gentleman, sat lazily on the low couch and let Huiyin use the bathhouse first.
Huiyin looked around and, after confirming that she didn't see any other handwritten bamboo slips left behind, entered the bathhouse with peace of mind.
After she finished tidying up, she saw the nightgown placed to the side. Summer clothes are thin, and nightgowns are even more breathable and light. As she walked, she could vaguely see her legs under the skirt.
She had just entered the room when Pei Yu inside spoke up: "All done?"
Huiyin responded softly, not looking in his direction. She knelt before the bronze mirror, letting her hair down. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she watched Pei Yu rise, walk past her, and enter the bathhouse.
Not long after, Pei Yu came out of the bathhouse. He was wearing an undergarment and silk trousers, and his brows were wet with tears, making him look more gentle.
Pei Yu still pulled out a makeshift mat from under the wardrobe and placed it in the center of the room. After tidying it up, he sat down on it, cross-legged, and looked at Tongfa's Huiyin.
Huiyin saw his movements through the bronze mirror, then slowly turned around and asked, "Are you sleeping on the floor again tonight?"
Pei Yu patted the blankets and said casually, "It's hot. It'll be cooler sleeping on the floor."
Huiyin glanced silently at the large ice basin in the room, and wisely refrained from replying.
Pei Yu seemed to be bored, so he got up and went to the cupboard to rummage through the drawers. Huiyin listened to the noise coming from the other side and curiously went over.
Huiyin: "What are you looking for?"
Pei Yu didn't even look up: "Chess board, not sleepy, let's play two games."
Huiyin: "..." She didn't want to play with this terrible chess player.
Huiyin walked into the inner room, raised her hand to cover her lips, and pretended to yawn, saying, "I'm sleepy, I want to sleep."
She hadn't taken two steps when her arm was grabbed. Pei Yu asked from behind, "Do you dislike me?"
Huiyin turned her head, blinked, and shook her head: "No, I'm really sleepy."
Pei Yu scoffed, "You usually don't rest until after 9 PM, why are you so sleepy so early today?"
Huiyin felt a surge of heat on her wrist; the heat from Pei Yu's palm seemed to melt her. She now truly believed Pei Yu's words about the heat.
She tried to pull her hand back, but the man wouldn't let go. His dark eyes were fixed on her, and Huiyin could even see her own reflection in Pei Yu's eyes.
She tried to explain, but the window wasn't closed properly. A gust of wind blew in, extinguishing one of the lamps inside the room, leaving only the single lamp by the door still swaying gently.
The room suddenly darkened, catching both of them off guard. They both tried to light the lamp at the same time. Huiyin knew where the lamp oil was, but Pei Yu did not, and they bumped into each other as they moved.
Huiyin lost her balance and fell backward, taking Pei Yu, who was holding her wrist, with her down with her, and they fell to the ground in a sorry state.
Fortunately, Pei Yu reacted quickly and pulled her into his arms, placing his hand behind her head so that Huiyin wouldn't fall asleep.
But she felt even worse than before she was injured. She looked up at Pei Yu, who was looking down at her, and her heart was pounding.
Pei Yu's hair fell onto her chest, and her body, which hadn't felt hot before, began to feel hot, and even the air around her felt sticky.
For the first time, Huiyin noticed that Pei Yu's eyelashes were very long, thick like a small fan when his eyes were lowered. She saw the faint mole on the tip of Pei Yu's nose, and her own reflection in his eyes.
The two were very close, so close that Pei Yu could kiss Huiyin's lips with just a slight tilt of his head.
He gently curved his lips into a smile, lowered his head, and said in a tone familiar to Huiyin, "Song Huiyin, your heart is beating so fast."
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