Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Canary in a Cage, Meeting with Grand Scholar Li Yi

Lu Dingchuan hadn’t expected Pei Shaoqing to be so blunt. Half amused and half resigned, he said, "Go on, then. What other favor does Brother Pei have to ask of me?"

"I’d like to ask Brother Lu to transfer one of my men, a standard-bearer named Li Jun, to the Thousand Households, and then to promote a cavalryman named Li Kui to standard-bearer," Pei Shaoqing said.

He had promised Li Kui a promotion before he left for the Capital City, and he was a man of his word.

Lu Dingchuan breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to the last matter, this was a small favor he could easily grant. "First Ye Guoyun, now Li Jun. If this keeps up, I’m afraid you’re trying to make me a figurehead, Brother Pei."

He was only joking.

"Brother Lu has a fine sense of humor. Making you a figurehead would be too much trouble. I might as well go beg His Majesty to let me replace you directly," Pei Shaoqing joked back.

But Lu Dingchuan knew that his joke could very well become reality. Feeling a mix of admiration and envy, he laughed and said, "I’d wish for nothing more! If you were to replace me, Brother Pei, wouldn’t that mean I was getting a promotion elsewhere?"

"Enough joking, enough joking. Shu State cannot afford to lose you, Brother Lu." Pei Shaoqing shook his head with a smile, then cupped his fist. "Brother Lu is a busy man, so I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll take my leave."

"It’s suppertime. Why don’t you stay for a meal and a drink with me, Brother Pei?" Lu Dingchuan quickly invited.

The common people of the Great Zhou ate only two meals a day.

But the high officials and nobles had three.

After all, the peasants only needed to farm, while the masters had to worry about the nation and its people. How could they manage that without eating well?

Pei Shaoqing politely declined. "To be honest, Brother Lu, I have other important business in the Prefecture City. So I must skip this meal. How about I host you tonight at Furong Pavilion?"

’Since I’m here, I should see Li Yi while I’m at it.’

’No need to make a second trip later.’

Lu Dingchuan’s brow twitched at the suggestion. He detested those pleasure quarters, full of chattering women and the heavy scent of cosmetics.

"Brother Pei, you are the guest who has traveled far. Let me be the host tonight. We’ll meet at Shuwei Pavilion at a quarter to eight. The head chef there is a master of his craft. I guarantee you’ll never forget the meal," he said, his expression unchanged.

Seeing Lu Dingchuan’s insistence on hosting, Pei Shaoqing no longer refused. "Alright. Then tonight, we drink until we drop."

"Take care, Brother Pei," Lu Dingchuan said.

Pei Shaoqing replied, "No need to see me out, Brother Lu."

"Young Master, is your business concluded?" Liu Yuheng asked, leading the horse over to him as he emerged.

"The business here is done," Pei Shaoqing said, shaking his head. "Come on, let’s go get something to eat."

Liu Yuheng followed behind him, leading General Hei.

The two of them arrived at Jiang Xue’s residence.

Pei Shaoqing grasped the door knocker and rapped on the door.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Greetings, my lord." The serving girl who opened the door immediately bowed upon seeing Pei Shaoqing. Keeping her head low, she spoke rapidly, "I’ll go inform the young mistress right away."

"No need," Pei Shaoqing stopped her. He pointed at Liu Yuheng and said, "Prepare some food for this lady and my horse. I will go see Jiang Xue myself."

"Yes, my lord," the girl replied obediently. She turned to Liu Yuheng and said politely, "This way, madam."

Liu Yuheng led the horse and followed the serving girl.

Pei Shaoqing made a beeline for Jiang Xue’s boudoir.

Before he even drew near, he heard the sound of a qin.

It was exceptionally moving, yet tinged with a hint of sorrow.

Entering the garden where her bedroom was located, he saw Jiang Xue, dressed in a white gown that outshone the snow, sitting in a pavilion, engrossed in playing the qin. The wind stirred her skirt and her fine hair, and the pearl hairpin she wore chimed crisply, as if in harmony with the music.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

Jiang Xue finished the piece, still lost in her own world, when she suddenly heard the sound of applause.

She instinctively looked toward the sound and saw Pei Shaoqing at the garden entrance. She froze for a moment, then her face lit up with joy. Forgetting her decorum, she rose and threw herself at him.

Pei Shaoqing opened his arms and caught her in an embrace.

"Mr. Pei~" Jiang Xue’s voice was saccharine sweet, but her eyes held a deep-seated grievance. After all, Pei Shaoqing hadn’t come to see her in a long time. Even a caged canary would grow distressed if it didn’t see its master for so long.

Pei Shaoqing didn’t bother with words of comfort; he spoke with his actions.

"Mr. Pei, Mr. Pei, Mr. Pei..."

Jiang Xue closed her eyes, arching her neck and thrusting out her chest to meet his advances. Her lips were slightly parted as she murmured his name, her seductive charm on full display, utterly bewitching.

Her white dress projected an image of purity, but beneath it lay sexy black stockings, giving Pei Shaoqing a dual-pronged stimulation. He swept her up into his arms and strode toward the pavilion.

He pressed Jiang Xue down onto the qin, forcing her to lean over it.

Suddenly, she frowned and let out a soft moan.

A moan of a sigh, one might say.

"Play a song for me, to liven things up," Pei Shaoqing said with a grin, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her face toward him.

Her eyes smoldering, Jiang Xue began to play the qin while receiving Pei Shaoqing’s "favor." She even started to sing a little tune, her voice melodious and ethereal.

Afterward, Jiang Xue’s dress lay carelessly discarded on the floor. Clad only in a half-untied dudou, she hugged Pei Shaoqing tightly and whispered, "I’ve been hoping for Mr. Pei to come every single day."

"Once I’m assigned a post in the Prefecture City, I’ll be able to see Xue’er often," Pei Shaoqing soothed her, then changed the subject. "I met Nun Miaoyin in the Capital City."

"Is Aunt Chen okay?" Jiang Xue instantly sat bolt upright, turning her head to ask with a face full of concern.

"She’s doing very well. A nun as beautiful and well-versed in Buddhist Teachings as she is is a rarity. She’s quite popular among the noble ladies in the capital," Pei Shaoqing said with a smile.

Even the officials are more at ease knowing their wives and concubines are studying Buddhist Teachings with a nun.

"That’s good to hear." Then another question occurred to Jiang Xue. "How did you come to know Aunt Chen, Mr. Pei?"

"It’s a long story..." Pei Shaoqing recounted how he met Miao Yin at Qi Yun Temple and revealed that the true culprit behind the massacre of the Xu Family was actually Wen Xi.

Jiang Xue’s expression shifted several times. She scrambled to her knees and kowtowed. "Thank you, Young Master! If not for your help, I would have been seeking vengeance against the wrong person."

"Xue’er, get up, quickly." Pei Shaoqing pulled her into his embrace, his hand gliding over her skin, smooth as fine jade. "There’s no need for such formalities between us. I’ve already convinced Nun Miaoyin to hold her hand for now. When the time is right, I will help you get your revenge."

’This doesn’t count as sweet-talking her just to get laid, does it?’

"Thank you, Young Master." Hearing that he was willing to make an enemy of the Wen Family for her sake, Jiang Xue was deeply moved. Already filled to the brim with satisfaction, she pulled Pei Shaoqing in for a second round. "I want to bear Mr. Pei a child."

After all, besides her own body and bearing him a child, she could think of no other way to repay his kindness.

Pei Shaoqing felt that ever since meeting Nun Miaoyin, he had been imbued with a bit of Buddhist compassion. Now that Jiang Xue was sincerely praying for a child, it was only natural for him to grant her wish.

After several more rounds of passion, an exhausted Jiang Xue finally ordered the servants to bring hot water so they could bathe and change.

After changing his clothes, Pei Shaoqing called Liu Yuheng over. He handed her the deposed Crown Prince’s personal Jade Pendant and gave her solemn instructions, "Aunt Liu, disguise yourself and secretly enter the home of the former Scholar, Li Yi. Show him this Jade Pendant and invite him to a meeting at Shuwei Pavilion tonight at nine."

Although the spies the Emperor had assigned to watch him were probably all in Tongzhou, it was always wise to be cautious.

After all, this was the kind of business that could get one’s entire family executed.

"I understand," Liu Yuheng replied, her own expression turning grave upon seeing Pei Shaoqing’s seriousness.

「 」

The Li Residence in Jin Guan City.

Ever since he was dismissed from his post, the nearly seventy-year-old Li Yi had been living a life of retirement at home, tending his flowers and writing books. His vitality, in fact, was better than it had been in years.

At this moment, he was in his study, writing.

But for some reason, he felt inexplicably restless today. He couldn’t calm his mind, and the more he wrote, the more agitated he became.

"Sigh!" Li Yi sighed, tossing his brush onto the paper. A good amount of ink splattered into the nearby brush holder, which he hurriedly began to clean.

His gaze fell upon an exquisite jade brush, and he froze. Setting down the brush holder, he picked up the brush, its shaft made of jade, and examined it closely.

His eyes held a touch of sorrow and nostalgia.

This brush was a gift from the Crown Prince on the first day he was ordered to serve as his tutor. It was this very brush that marked the beginning of their twenty-odd-year bond.

He had never stored it away in a box, but had used it often. However, since his dismissal, he had, intentionally or not, never again picked up this Jade Pen from its holder.

And today was His Highness’s birthday.

That was likely the reason he couldn’t find peace.

CRASH!

The closed window suddenly burst open.

Before Li Yi could react, a beautiful woman in a green tunic had appeared in the room. It was Liu Yuheng.

"May I ask why this swordswoman has come?"

Li Yi asked calmly, setting down the Jade Pen.

Liu Yuheng didn’t speak right away. Instead, she reached into her robes and took out the Jade Pendant Pei Shaoqing had given her.

BAM!

Li Yi felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.

"Th-th-this..." His face was a mask of disbelief, his hand trembling as he pointed at the Jade Pendant.

As one of the people closest to the Crown Prince.

He naturally recognized it as the Jade Pendant the Crown Prince had worn every day for over twenty years, from childhood to adulthood. But now it was here, right before his eyes. What could this mean?

’His Majesty has granted the Crown Prince his freedom!’

Li Yi almost wept with joy. He fell to his knees and said in a hoarse voice, "This old servant pays his respects to the Crown Prince."

Liu Yuheng was taken aback.

’I can’t believe this is the Crown Prince’s Jade Pendant.’

"My master invites you to a meeting at Shuwei Pavilion tonight at nine," she said, suppressing her shock and keeping her voice level.

Li Yi asked, "Who is your master?"

"You will find out when you go. Tonight, at nine, reserve a private room at Shuwei Pavilion. Leave the door ajar. My master will arrive on time." After speaking, Liu Yuheng gracefully departed.

Leaving only a faint fragrance to prove she had been there.

Li Yi slowly rose to his feet, his expression uncertain.

Liu Yuheng’s secretive demeanor made him realize that perhaps it wasn’t the Emperor who had freed the Crown Prince. Rather, His Highness had found a way to contact the outside world and wanted to make a comeback, to fight for the throne once more.

This filled him with complicated emotions.

The last time there was a palace coup, not many people died besides the low-ranking soldiers. Most, like him, were simply dismissed from office, demoted, or exiled to remote posts.

But if they tried again, failure would likely mean many, many deaths—including the Crown Prince’s.

After all, the Emperor would certainly not be merciful a second time.

But soon, Li Yi’s gaze became resolute.

’His Highness having someone contact me is a sign of his trust.’

’How could I possibly let him down?’

’As his teacher, I absolutely cannot disappoint my student!’

’Besides, the realm needs a wise new ruler.’

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