Chapter 89 Part 2

 

After all, after experiencing a fierce fight at the grand archery ceremony and then having to attend social events, even a man of steel would not be able to endure it.

Qingtou realized that he might have disturbed his master, so he shut up. He looked at his master’s handsome face again, and under the light, he saw scars on his lips.

The old wound on his forehead had almost healed, but now a new wound appeared. Qingtou was afraid that his face would be disfigured, so he hurriedly took out some medicine to apply it on him, but suddenly he saw his master stand up and walk out.

“Master, the wound on your face—”

He didn’t even turn his head. Qingtou threw away the medicine.

“Where are you going? I’m going too!”

“You can rest. You don’t need to follow me.” Pei Xiaoyuan had already left.

He went straight to Chengping’s residence, but Chengping was not there.

The people from the Jinzouyuan who lived with him said that the prince had not returned after the grand archery ceremony in the daytime. However, according to the servants, he should be in the Yanxia Palace now, so they invite Pei Xiaoyuan to go there to take a look.

Yanxia Palace was a hot spring palace, which was the place where the “white jade lotus carvings” and “aragonite paving” mentioned by Chengping the previous night. The emperor gave it to the princess for use, and no one else could enter without the princess’s permission.

Pei Xiaoyuan’s gaze shifted subtly as he murmured a word of thanks, then turned to head toward Yanxia Palace. He walked along a pathway lined with silk trees, sweet osmanthus, and fragrant herbs, leading to the hot spring palace. Under the glow of the lamps outside the palace gates, he spotted seven or eight attendants stationed beneath the palace corridors and walked over.

By now, the news of his appointment as Commandant Prince Consort was widely known. Seeing his unexpected arrival, the palace attendants hurried forward to greet him with bows. When he inquired about Prince Ashina, they quickly informed him that the prince was inside.

Pei Xiaoyuan took a look inside, climbed the palace steps, and walked into this hot spring palace that was so magnificent that ordinary people could not imagine. Behind the smoky and misty silk gauze that hid the human figure, dozens of glazed palace lanterns illuminated the interior. Chengping had already stripped down completely, save for a simple white loincloth tied at his waist. He was submerged in a massive hot spring pool, spacious enough to accommodate a hundred bathers at once. The walls of the pool were inlaid with ornate gemstones and jade, while at the center rose an enormous carved lotus of flawless jade. Around it, alabaster fish and dragons encircled the lotus, their mouths gently exhaling a fragrant vapor of borneol incense. Reclining against a white jade beam exquisitely engraved with intricate patterns, Chengping was attended by a dozen palace maids, all dressed in colorful clothes and all were beautiful. His eyes were half-closed as he leisurely tilted his head back, accepting a luminous cup that was handed to him by someone’s slender hand, and swallowed it down with a gulp. The remaining wine in the cup flowed down the corners of his mouth and neck, and the wine stained his wet chest.

The maids around him giggled, laughing at him for spilling the wine. With a playful puff of breath, he sent the luminous cup skimming away, landing it near the jade lotus. The cup floated on the water, bobbing up and down. He lazily instructed them to retrieve it, declaring that whoever fetched it first would receive a generous reward.

The palace maids all knew that he was a romantic man and was very generous towards his female companions. With cheerful laughter, they stripped off their outer robes, leaving only their thin undergarments, and plunged into the steaming pool, their bare shoulders glistening as they vied for the cup.

He watched the scene of nearly half-naked women splashing and frolicking in the water, letting out a hearty laugh. But suddenly, his laughter stopped. His expression shifted, and in a languid tone, he murmured: “Look, who’s here?”

The girls who were scrambling for the luminous cups in the hot spring turned around and saw a figure standing behind the silk gauze, and they slowly stopped.

Pei Xiaoyuan lifted the silk gauze and walked closer.

The palace maid was terrified. They hurriedly got out of the water and knelt down to pay respects in embarrassment.

Chengping did not move, but said: “What a great Commandant Prince Consort, such a commanding presence. Look at how you’ve scared off the beauties—how utterly dull of you.”

Pei Xiaoyuan fixed his gaze on Chengping and told the maids to leave. How could the women dare to stay any longer? They hurriedly put on their clothes and left in a hurry.

Chengping let out a sigh, then chuckled, his eyes sweeping the extravagant surroundings. “Just last night, I told you that if I could experience a place like this, I’d die content. And here I am today! So, how is it? You haven’t enjoyed such a good place before, right? It’s a long night, just right for indulgence. Now that you’re are here, why don’t you come down too? This place is much more fun than my place!”

Pei Xiaoyuan could no longer hold back. He strode over to Chengping’s side, crouched down by his head, and leaned in close.

“A Suan’er! What’s your intention in the archery competition this morning?”

He stared at Chengping and asked.

Chengping blinked his round eyes, tilted his face, misty with the haze of the warm spring water, and looked at him with a smile: “Brother Junyan, although you have been appointed as the Commandant Prince Consort, it’s probably not convenient for you to enjoy a long, carefree night with the princess just yet. Just stay here to keep me company instead—well, that doesn’t sound like such a bad way to pass the time, does it?”

Pei Xiaoyuan narrowed his eyes and said, “You can deceive others, but you can’t deceive me. Your mount stumbled, and you did it yourself. Besides, with your riding skills, even if your horse really stumbled like this, you would never fall so badly that you even dropped your bow!”

Chengping pretended not to hear and continued with a smile: “You also know that I like to use beautiful women’s legs as pillows. If you want to spend the night with me, then stay. If not, then leave, and I can ask them to come again. Your legs are not as comfortable as beautiful women’s pillows.”

“Ashina!”

Pei Xiaoyuan let out a low, stern shout, reached out, and grabbed Chengping by both shoulders. With a forceful yank, he hauled him entirely out of the hot spring and flung him onto the ground. He immediately picked up Chengping’s clothes and tossed them over.

“Put on your clothes!” he said in a stern tone.

Chengping lay sprawled on the ground, reaching up to pull the garments that had landed haphazardly over his face. He slowly sat up and sloppily draped the outer robe over himself.

“Last night you clearly told me that you wanted to help Lantai, and I believed you. But today you eliminated him, and yet lost to Hedu yourself!

“You did it on purpose.”

Chengping covered himself with the robe and when he looked up at Pei Xiaoyuan, his smile disappeared and his expression changed.

Only heard him say: “Even if I don’t keep my promise, what does it have to do with you? Did I force you today?”

Pei Xiaoyuan paused.

Chengping glanced at him with a cold smile on his lips: “It’s fine whether you come or not. If you really don’t want to be a prince consort, you don’t have to shoot the ball when you defeat Hedu in the end. Did someone put a knife to your neck and force you to do that?”

Pei Xiaoyuan lowered his voice: “You useless fool! You lost to Hedu. If I hadn’t stepped in, were we truly to let the princess marry into Xifan? Everyone believes this before the competition. Even if we find another excuse to refuse, had the Xifan people pressed the matter, wouldn’t it become a dispute between the two countries!

“I had no choice but to step in. Once I defeated Hedu, how could I possibly not shoot the prize ball? Do you think I’d let the princess be humiliated in front of tens of thousands?”

Chengping laughed: “So what? It has nothing to do with you, Pei Er!”

Pei Xiaoyuan’s face turned dark: “I just want to ask you, why do you say one thing and do another, and deliberately lie to me?”

Chengping closed his lips and just looked at him. Suddenly, without any warning, he jumped up from the ground and punched out. With a bang, he hit Pei Xiaoyuan’s face hard.

Pei Xiaoyuan was caught off guard and was knocked to the ground. His back shoulder hit a lacquered table behind him that was used for drinks and food. The table flew out, and the cups and plates fell all over the floor. His body, which had hit the corner of the table, was in so much pain that it felt like a broken bone.

Before he could react, he saw Chengping pounce on him like a tiger, sitting on him, swinging his arms and punching him again.

Just as he was about to smash down, Pei Xiaoyuan grabbed his wrist and blocked it just a few inches away from his face.

“What the hell are you doing?”

He shouted from shock and anger.

Chengping said nothing. As one of his hands was restrained, he waved his other hand to hit.

“You’re crazy!”

Pei Xiaoyuan was also completely furious. He let out a low shout, exerted his strength to roll over, pushed Chengping off his body, raised his foot, and kicked him hard.

Chengping was kicked by him and flew out and fell to the ground.

“Pei Er! Do you really not know? It’s because of you that this grand archery ceremony happened!”

Chengping covered his abdomen where he was kicked and roared.

Pei Xiaoyuan looked surprised and he hesitated mid-motion.

“Go ahead! Why did you stop? I’ve had enough of looking at your smug face! I really can’t figure out what she likes about you!”

Gritting his teeth, Chengping lunged forward with renewed ferocity, wrapping his arms around Pei Xiaoyuan’s legs. With a sudden forceful shove, he toppled Pei Xiaoyuan, sending them both tumbling into the pool with a resounding splash.

Chengping grew up in the Wolf Court, so his swimming ability was naturally far inferior to Pei Xiaoyuan.

Pei Xiaoyuan emerged from the water, grabbed Chengping by the collar, dragged him to the stone beam and pressed him against it.

“Did she really order you?”

Chengping did not speak.

“Say!”

Pei Xiaoyuan’s eyes flashed with ferocity. He grabbed his loose hair and dunk him into the water with force.

Chengping’s whole body was underwater, so how could he break free from the huge force pressing down on him? He could only struggle wildly.

“Stop!”

Suddenly, a woman’s voice came from behind the silk curtain.

Pei Xiaoyuan raised his head and slowly let go of his hand.

Chengping was finally able to pull his head out of the water. He lay down by the pool, coughing in pain.

Xuyu walked in quickly, leaned over to take a look, and asked him about his situation in a low voice.

Chengping took a deep breath for a while, then slowly climbed out of the water, looking normal again.

He wiped the water off his face, shook his head and said he was fine.

“Pei Er and I are always like this. It was just a joke. Princess, please don’t worry.”

Xuyu did not respond, but stood up and turned to Pei Xiaoyuan who was still standing in the water.

“Come with me.”

She spoke softly as they looked into each other’s eyes.

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