Chapter 67 Part 2

 

He was puzzled, but he didn’t ask any more questions, and handed her the whip. She took it, flicked it in the air a few times, and probably thought it was too long, so she circled it around her palm a few times, flicked it again, and then, as if satisfied, ordered him to turn around.

He still didn’t understand, but he did as he was told.

With a crisp “snap” sound, the whip tip gently hit his back.

His back, which had been covered by damp clothes for most of the night, had long since grown numb and unresponsive. This teasing flick of the whip barely stung, bringing only a faint prickle against his skin. Yet Pei Xiaoyuan’s spine felt as if it had been branded by a red-hot iron; every pore opened wide, his scalp tingled, and every hair stood on end in an instant. He shivered involuntarily. At this time, he heard her chuckle again behind him, “Forget it! That’s it for this time. If you dare to do it again next time—”

He couldn’t hold back any longer. Turning sharply, he raised his arm, his fingers closing around the horsewhip she was just about to retract. With a firm pull, she was caught off guard and leaned toward him, nearly toppling from her saddle. If he hadn’t supported her with his body under the horse, she would have fallen off the horse.

“Pei Er, you——”

She made a low, unhappy, startled sound, but her voice stopped abruptly when she met his two gazes.

At this moment, she sat high on the horse’s back, leaning down toward him, while he stood under the horse, one hand gripping her whip tightly. His head tilted up slightly, his eyes fixed on her with an intense gaze, a flicker of something unreadable glimmering deep within them. Being so close to him, Xuyu felt that she could clearly feel the waves of his hot breath on her cheek.

A good while.

“It’s late. You’re soaked. Let’s go find a house nearby and stay the night.”

Suddenly Xuyu spoke softly without any struggle.

After she spoke, she felt the force holding the whip and forcing her towards him finally relax.

“As you wish, Princess.”

After a moment, she heard him answer her in a hoarse voice, and then, as if nothing had happened, he returned the whip to her, stretched out his arm to gently straighten her, and let her sat back on the saddle. He no longer rode with her, but led the horse forward, and walked out of the forest under the quiet moonlight.

In the second half of the night, he and Xuyu stayed at the home of the old man who used to deliver water.

The old man came out amid the barking of dogs, recognized the two of them and was very surprised. He then invited them in. Seeing that Pei Xiaoyuan’s clothes were wet, he hurriedly called his grandson Chou’er to light the stove so that the guests could dry their clothes. He also wanted to give up the room where he and his grandson slept to them, while he and his grandson went to sleep in the utility room next to the stove.

Pei Xiaoyuan looked at Xuyu, apparently asking her opinion.

It was wrong to disturb people late at night, so how could they still occupy the master’s bedroom? Xuyu shook her head, and Pei Xiaoyuan understood. He turned to the pair of grandfather and grandson, and asked them to continue sleeping there.

The old man insisted again and again, but seeing that the two people kept refusing, he had to give up and moved in a bamboo bed from outside, saying that it was used for cooling off in the open air and was just right for them to use tonight.

“There is only one bed in the house. It’s a bit narrow, so you two will have to squeeze in for the night.” The old man looked at the two of them and felt very apologetic.

Pei Xiaoyuan said nothing, but subconsciously looked at Xuyu, who had already told the old man that it was fine. At this time, Chou’er ran in with a wooden tray with a few dough cakes on it. He stood on tiptoe, raised it high above his head, and handed it to the guest.

Just moments ago, the old man had been intent on preparing something for them to eat. Xuyu, having just come from a banquet, wasn’t hungry, but she suspected Pei Xiaoyuan might have missed his meal due to traveling out of the city last night. However, he also declined, saying he wasn’t hungry, so she hadn’t pressed the matter. Now, when a plate of ready-made food was offered, she quickly took it. Noticing that Chou’er had shaved his head for the summer, leaving only a ring of hair at the crown like a teapot lid, she couldn’t help but reach out and give his shiny head a playful pat. Chou’er blushed and shyly hid behind his grandfather. The old man chuckled, explaining that, while there wasn’t much else to offer, the flatbreads had been freshly made that day to serve as provisions, clean and good enough for guests to stave off hunger if needed.

Xuyu thanked him again and again, and asked the grandfather and grandson to go and rest. The old man looked at her and Pei Xiaoyuan and nodded.

“I remember that Master Pei came to our house last time and asked where the young master lived. Later, when delivering water to the city, I was still worried about it and didn’t know if you have found him. Now you brothers are reunited, which is great! I won’t disturb you anymore. Master Pei, please dry your clothes and have a rest.”

The old man left an oil lamp and burned some mugwort to kill mosquitoes in the house, then he took his grandson away.

The barking of dogs by the wooden gate stopped. Jinwuzhui was quietly chewing grass under the mule shed, his tail flicking from time to time to drive away the insects around him. In the distance, there was a faint sound of mountain water flowing after a heavy rain. Inside this humble shed nestled against the mountain’s base, the fire crackled faintly in the stove, releasing intermittent pops and crackles that filled the quiet night.

The oil lamp was dim, illuminating the shadows of a couple in the room.

Perhaps it was because the night in the mountains was too quiet. The absence of grandfather and grandson not only made this room feel empty, but Xuyu felt it became even smaller. It was as if, with the slightest movement, his shadow on the walls would flicker and sway all around her.

She guessed he might feel the same way.

“Do as you please. Don’t worry about me.

“I won’t look,” she added to reassure him.

However, her assurance did not make him feel at ease. He looked at her and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face.

“Or should I wait outside?”

After a while, seeing that he still hasn’t take off his clothes, Xuyu felt a little helpless. After thinking about it, she said again.

“No need! You can stay.” He immediately spoke out to stop her, and this time he finally stepped towards the fire.

Xuyu smiled, turned her back to him, and sat on the bamboo bed.

Finally, after a while, she heard a slight rustling sound of someone taking off clothes and undressing behind her.

Xuyu lay down with her clothes on, her back facing him.

“You can sleep in the room tonight. I think this bamboo bed is big enough. It’s fine with me.” After a while, she said softly.

She lay on one side of the bamboo bed, taking up only a very small space, leaving him enough space to lie on his back.

There was no response from behind.

“Did you hear me?” Xuyu waited for a moment, raised her voice slightly, and asked.

It was damp outside and there were a lot of mosquitoes, so it was impossible to spend the night there.

“Yes.” His response finally came from behind.

“If you are tired, Princess, go to sleep first. I will need a while.” He said again.

Although the experience of this night still seemed like a dream when she thought about it, Xuyu felt that it was fine. She was not tired and did not want to sleep. But somehow, accompanied by the occasional slight noise made by the person behind her and the bitter aroma of mugwort, her eyelids began to feel heavy. Slowly, she closed her eyes.

The firewood in the furnace gradually burned into red embers, and the remaining flames flickered, illuminating the lean torso of the young man opposite. His muscles were tight and strong, without a trace of fat.

He turned quietly and looked at the slender figure with its back to him on the bamboo bed.

She hadn’t moved or spoken for a long time. She must have fallen asleep.

He took the clothes that had been dried long ago, and put them on his body, which was scorched and dried by the fire. As he put on his clothes, the muscles on his shoulders and back flexed slightly. Soon, he finished dressing, walked lightly to the bamboo bed, blew out the nearby oil lamp, and then walked around her silently and went out.

“Where are you going–”

Just as he reached the door, he suddenly heard a vague question from behind him. The voice was soft and full of sleepiness.

Pei Xiaoyuan stopped and turned around.

In the dim night, she seemed to be half-awake. After questioning him, her body moved and it looked as if she was about to fall off the bamboo bed.

He turned back quickly, stretched out his arms to hold her, and gently brought her back to the bed, placing her in the middle.

“Princess, please sleep. I’m here.” He leaned towards her and whispered in a very gentle voice.

Xuyu’s eyelids were half-closed, and her fingers seemed to touch a warm, solid forearm. She felt relieved and muttered, “I told you, you don’t have to go out…”

Pei Xiaoyuan let her hold his arm and sat quietly in the dark. After a while, hearing her breathing grew soft and even, he slowly lowered his head, gazing at her sleeping face in the shadows of the night. He watched her for a moment, and then, gently withdrawing his arm, he rose quietly and slipped outside.

She trusted him completely.

Yet, to remain unmoved while being so close—that must be a realm attainable only by the most virtuous of men.

After having once harbored unspoken transgressions in the shadows of the pine forest, Pei Xiaoyuan knew, at least for him, that such restraint was likely beyond reach.

Xuyu slept very soundly that night. When she woke up the next day, it was already noon, and Pei Xiaoyuan was naturally no longer by her side.

Last night, a heavy rainstorm broke a nearby bridge, blocking the way out, so he helped the villagers to repair the bridge. This day, due to the accident, they were delayed until the evening, when the road was finally restored. He picked up Xuyu, said goodbye to the old man, and took her back to Chang’an.

She knew that he had spent the night outside. Chou’er told her that when he came out in the morning, he saw the master sitting alone by the wall outside the wooden door, with a sword across his knees and legs crossed. He also reminded him that the young master was tired last night and not to wake people up.

In the middle of the night, when Jinwuzhui was about to take them back to Chang’an and the city gate was in sight, she finally couldn’t help it and turned around to ask him why he didn’t listen to her last night.

He didn’t say a word along the way, and neither did she.

These were the first words spoken between the two.

“Princess is kind-hearted and understanding of this minister. But it’s this minister’s duty to guard the princess at night.”

This was his answer to her. Moreover, at first, he seemed reluctant to reply, but she pressed him again before he did so.

It had been a long time since he referred to himself as “this minister” in front of her. At this moment, he became serious again. Moreover, when answering her, Xuyu noticed that he didn’t look at her at all. His eyes seemed to pass over her head and look at the city gate that was getting closer and closer in front of them.

For some reason, this situation stirred a subtle urge to laugh within Xuyu. With a faint, inexplicable sense of amusement, she realized something: when he had the city gates opened, the faces that appeared before her were none other than Zhao Zhongfang and Han Kerang.

Finally, the two of them came back, and Zhao Zhongfang and Han Kerang had different expressions.

Han Kerang quickly glanced at the old palace eunuch, his face immediately sank. He then ordered Pei Xiaoyuan to dismount.

The old eunuch heaved a long sigh of relief, then his face was filled with joy, as if he had not noticed the two of them riding together. He even greeted Pei Xiaoyuan as usual, and urged Xuyu in a low voice to get on a carriage waiting near the city gate.

As soon as Xuyu saw these two people, she understood.

The delay in the trip and the accident that happened in the villa last night must have alarmed her father. When she returned, there would be trouble.

However, at this moment, her mood was still not affected at all.

Just as she was picked up by Zhao Zhongfang and went into the carriage, she hesitated, and looked back. She then got off the carriage, walked back to him, approached him, and whispered in a voice that only he could hear: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

After saying this, she turned around and got back into the carriage.

Although he didn’t hear what the princess said to the young man, it was enough. At this point, the old eunuch could no longer keep his fake smile on his face. Thinking that if His Majesty the Emperor knew about this…

He almost hid his face with his sleeves.

“Little Princess! Stop looking!”

The old eunuch pleaded in a low voice, hurriedly closed the carriage door, and immediately ordered his men to return to the palace.

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