The White Moonlight Turns Out to Be a Black-Hearted Lotus - Chapter 23.2

Pei Xu was still startled by the bluntness of the words, but Ji Yuanhui had already chirped in with a smile: “This is practical enough. Thank you, cousin.”

Zhou Shiming wasn’t humble at all, giving a simple “Mm.” He didn’t say any polite phrases like “you’re welcome,” but instead turned to look at the nearby Zhou Shuning.

Zhou Shuning pointed at himself, bewildered. “What are you looking at me for? I didn’t say anything! What did I do now?”

Zhou Shiming closed his eyes. “Your share.”

“Oh, oh oh oh, right.” Zhou Shuning realized, pulling out a box and shoving it at Pei Xu. “Deeds for a manor. Keep it safe.”

However, Pei Xu’s right hand was injured, and his other hand was already holding the box Zhou Shiming had given him. It was truly inconvenient to take it.

Ji Yuanhui took it for him. Just as he was about to tease him with a few words, a secret guard suddenly appeared nearby.

A sudden report like this usually didn’t mean anything good.

After a brief stiffening of his expression, Ji Yuanhui smiled again and brushed the ends of Pei Xu’s hair. “You all chat first. It seems there’s something outside. I’ll go check.”

“I forgot just now, your hand is injured…” Seeing Ji Yuanhui walk away, Zhou Shuning explained somewhat awkwardly, “I didn’t mean it.”

Pei Xu knew he just wasn’t very bright. If Zhou Shuning didn’t like someone, he’d say it to their face; he wouldn’t resort to petty tricks. Pei Xu was in a good mood today, so he smiled. “It’s fine.”

Having his mouth pinched by his brother finally made Zhou Shuning remember his brother’s instructions before leaving: don’t cause trouble, get along well. Hearing Pei Xu say it was fine, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Pei Xu’s hand. “Your hand is injured. Why aren’t you wearing a bandage? I didn’t even realize you were hurt just now.”

Because it was ugly and inconvenient, Pei Xu had removed it last night.

But Pei Xu certainly wouldn’t say it was because it looked bad. He smiled gently. “The external wounds have mostly healed after a few days. The tendons and bones just need slow recovery. Being bound by a bandage actually hinders movement.”

Zhou Shuning didn’t think much of it, rubbing his head and thinking that made sense. He gave an “Oh.” “So that’s how it is.”

…

On the other side, the secret guard whispered a few words to Ji Yuanhui. After hearing them, Ji Yuanhui immediately headed out.

“I knew he’d come to cause trouble.” Ji Yuanhui had only walked a few steps when he saw Steward Zhang waiting nearby. “Have the people been stopped?”

“According to Master’s previous orders, people were sent to stop them…” Steward Zhang looked troubled. “But that person insisted on barging in. He is of noble status; the servants dared not harm him.”

As they spoke, people could be heard shouting from ahead.

“Is this Prince someone you lowly slaves can get close to?” The Crown Prince drove away the manor servants blocking him with disgust. “Get lost, all of you.”

“Is it that my manor servants have failed to host you properly?” Ji Yuanhui stepped forward, waving the servants away. His face wore a fake smile. “Why is Big Brother so angry?”

The people the Crown Prince had brought were all blocked outside the manor. He spoke with anger in his voice, “This Prince has come with good intentions to celebrate. Is this how you treat a guest?”

“Oh? Big Brother actually has something like ‘good intentions’?” Ji Yuanhui rubbed his chin, looking him up and down before shaking his head. “I can’t see it.”

The Crown Prince pointed at him, his brow twitching. “You!”

Seeing that the situation was turning sour, Steward Zhang hurriedly led the other servants away. With only the two of them left, the Crown Prince’s arrogant fire immediately weakened.

“Didn’t Big Brother come to celebrate my wife’s birthday?” Ji Yuanhui approached him with a smile. “How is it that you don’t even know to bring a gift?”

“This Prince deigning to come is already giving you immense face. What more do you want?” The Crown Prince forced himself to stay calm, retorting with a cold laugh, “Your manor is quite desolate. Look—without this Prince’s permission, who would dare come here?”

As he spoke, he felt his confidence growing. “Today is your last chance. If you persist in acting against the Crown Prince’s Manor, there won’t be a single person in court who dares to stand by your side in the future.”

Ji Yuanhui listened quietly until he was finished, then gave a soft snort.

The Crown Prince was enraged by his attitude. “What are you laughing at?”

“I’m laughing at how Big Brother’s courage is truly immense.” Ji Yuanhui’s smile faded. “Knowing full well there are no outsiders in my manor today, you still dared to come. Aren’t you afraid I’ll beat you again?”

“You wouldn’t dare.” The words, originally certain, suddenly became unsure when his gaze met Ji Yuanhui’s cold face. The Crown Prince’s throat bobbed as he forced himself to continue, “You were already stripped of your post because of the last incident…”

The last incident was a supreme humiliation for the Crown Prince. He had ordered his subordinates to spread the word that no official in the capital was allowed to associate with Ji Yuanhui. This visit was also driven by the desire to avenge that shame. He hadn’t expected Ji Yuanhui to show not a shred of fear.

“Wouldn’t dare?” Ji Yuanhui sounded as if he had heard something hilarious. “If I dared to hit you once, I dare to hit you twice. What makes you think I wouldn’t?”

“Furthermore, beating you only resulted in being stripped of my post and confined. My reputation was already bad; what do I have to fear? In his early years, the Imperial Father’s reputation was ruined for killing his brothers. Even if just for his reputation in his later years, he won’t kill his sons again. As long as I don’t beat you to death, he won’t take my life.”

The Crown Prince looked at him as if he were seeing a ghost. “You’re truly mad. Did no one ever teach you rules and etiquette?”

Ji Yuanhui smiled. “My birth mother died early. Indeed, no one taught me those things.”

Saying this, he reached out and grabbed the Crown Prince’s shoulder, forcing him forward until they stopped before an archway.

“I really don’t know what you were thinking last time, actually targeting him.” From this position, one could see Pei Xu not far away across the corridor bridge, speaking with the Zhou brothers. Ji Yuanhui asked, “Did you correctly guess that he is my weakness?”

“We’re brothers; why be so tense? I won’t beat you to death now.” Ji Yuanhui looked at the cold sweat on the other’s brow and gave a grim smile. “Your guess was right. He is my weakness, my very life. Since he is my weakness, I will naturally protect him even if it means destruction.”

“If I find out anyone else wants to strike at my weakness, I will first cut off their ears, then gouge out their eyes, then hack off their limbs, and pull out their tongue. Finally, I’ll rip open their belly, pull out their intestines, wrap them around their neck, and hang them from a tree to let them swing.”

Ji Yuanhui’s gaze traveled between the Crown Prince’s belly and his neck. He smiled, asking in a very cheerful voice, “Does Big Brother like to swing? Don’t be in a hurry to shake your head. How will you know if you don’t try?”

The Crown Prince felt a chill of horror from his gaze. His face turned pale, and he felt sick. Trembling, he cursed: “You madman…”

Ji Yuanhui felt that his vocabulary for cursing was truly limited.

“I still have things to do, so I won’t accompany you.” Ji Yuanhui said. “Big Brother, help yourself.”

With that, he turned and left.

This second brother of his was greedy, lustful, and cowardly. He hadn’t learned a bit of the Wang family’s shrewdness, but he had learned every bit of debauchery and greed.

This scare would be enough to give him nightmares for half a month.

The only reason this man could be the Crown Prince was because of his Grand Secretary grandfather and his Empress mother. The Emperor hated stupid people; he would at least get angry and scold Ji Yuanhui, but for the Crown Prince, he couldn’t even be bothered to scold him.

Because scolding was useless. Spitting on him wouldn’t improve his irredeemable brain.

By comparison, he felt the Emperor liked his Eldest Brother the most.

Smart, quiet, and good at reading people.

He had both the means and the brains. Aside from poor health and a bit of a wicked streak, he probably had no other flaws.

When he returned, the Zhou brothers had already left.

“Cousin and the others said they had other things to take care of and couldn’t stay long…”

“There likely won’t be anyone else coming during the day.” Ji Yuanhui gave a big stretch like a large cat, spreading his arms to drape them over Pei Xu’s shoulders. “Eat, drink, and rest well. There will be things to do tonight.”

Pei Xu was suddenly nervous. “Wh-what things?”

Ji Yuanhui leaned against his ear, his tone suggestive: “I told you to rest well. Naturally, it’s something that requires physical and mental energy.”

Pei Xu covered his ears to block the heat, looking at him suspiciously.

He had a feeling the “thing” wasn’t that kind of thing.

Sure enough, when evening came, servants dressed as houseboys began arriving one after another under the cover of night, bringing gifts.

“Our Master couldn’t come personally and feels deeply apologetic. He said he owes much to Your Highness’s promotion, and insisted I bring these words…”

Ji Yuanhui stood there, being not-so-politely polite: “The sentiment is enough. There’s no need for the person to come.”

Steward Zhang called out the list as he recorded it: “A set of South Sea coral screens from Master Chen of the Ministry of Personnel, one black pig raised at home from Master Cui of the Ministry of War…”

A page shouted, “Uncle Zhang, where do I take the pig?”

Steward Zhang looked up from his brush. “Do you even need to ask? Take it to the kitchen.”

Pei Xu stood there in a daze, holding more things than he could carry.

Those who hadn’t dared to come during the day for fear of the Crown Prince’s wrath were now swarming to send gifts at night.

The gifts ranged from heavy to light—everything from rare treasures to home-raised poultry and livestock. The officials ranged from the second rank to the ninth.

Ji Yuanhui’s connections were far wider than he had imagined.

“Most on this gift list are our own people. Remember them; if you run into trouble in the future, you can go to them for help.” Ji Yuanhui leaned over to look. “Can you remember them after just one look?”

Pei Xu nodded.

They were busy for over an hour. By the time everything was put away, it was nearly the end of the Hour of the Dog (around 9:00 PM).

Back in the bedroom, both were too tired to move.

“Your Highness did it on purpose.” Pei Xu thought back to the daytime. “Teasing me again.”

“I like playing with you.” Ji Yuanhui gave a very light tug on his hair, his voice smiling. “I don’t play like this with anyone else.”

Pei Xu remained curled up, unsure if he was too tired or just didn’t want to talk.

“Don’t be angry anymore. I prepared a gift for you; come see if you like it.” Ji Yuanhui pressed his face against his neck. “If you don’t get up, I’ll bite you.”

Pei Xu sat up slowly, but was still bitten by Ji Yuanhui.

He covered his neck. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t bite if I got up?”

“I only said I’d bite if you didn’t get up; I never said I wouldn’t bite if you did. Besides, it was right there by my mouth; it would be a waste not to bite.” Ji Yuanhui licked his lips. His arm slid under the other’s armpit and across his chest, easily pulling him into his embrace and kissing him again. “It was just convenient.”

Pei Xu wasn’t really angry, just tired. Being kissed twice left him with no energy to be temperamental, so he sat quietly in the embrace.

Ji Yuanhui felt for a small box. “I’ve had this on me all day, waiting for them to finish sending their gifts before I gave you mine.”

Pei Xu took it. “Why wait until the last one?”

Ji Yuanhui answered as if it were obvious: “If I were the first, there would be so many others after. What if you forgot mine?”

Pei Xu guessed at the contents of the box. He thought it might be the pair of beautifully colored ruby earrings Ji Yuanhui had shown him to try on before, now altered and being given to him.

But the weight seemed wrong…

After guessing for a long time, he still froze for a moment upon opening the box.

Inside was a lifelike little white porcelain horse, only as big as a palm, exquisite.

Pei Xu carefully took the little horse out, looking back at him with surprise and joy: “It’s Fu Shuang!”

“Mm, it’s her.” Seeing his joyful expression, Ji Yuanhui’s heart softened. He kissed him on the temple. “I knew you’d miss her.”

As Pei Xu looked down at the little horse, his earlobe suddenly felt heavy. Something cold was being hung upon it.

He looked up and met Ji Yuanhui’s deep, lingering gaze. Pei Xu’s heart skipped a beat, beginning to throb violently. But in the next moment, Ji Yuanhui’s gaze relaxed, no longer filled with that pressing possessiveness.

He casually flicked the swaying gem beneath Pei Xu’s ear, praising his wife in a relaxed, idle tone: “So beautiful…”

Pei Xu reached for his ear and took the ornament off.

It was a strangely shaped earring, with one more curved line than a regular one, allowing it to be hung behind the ear without needing a piercing.

And the gem hanging from it wasn’t the red one from last time, but an emerald.

“Someone told me you prefer emerald…” Ji Yuanhui smiled, holding out his palm. “Good thing I prepared two pairs.”

In his palm lay the pair of ruby earrings Pei Xu had first seen, though they too had been modified into the curved shape that could be hung behind the ear.

“It must have been a lot of trouble to change them like this.” Pei Xu touched his earlobe. “If Your Highness wants to see it, I can pierce my ears…”

“But it would hurt.” Ji Yuanhui took his wrist, pulling his hand away from his earlobe. “And it wasn’t trouble at all.”

Pei Xu watched him, blinked slowly, and lowered his hand.

“Happy birthday.” Ji Yuanhui kissed his forehead. “May your youthful face remain unchanged, like the flower branches above, year after year.”

“Flowers seen blooming yesterday are seen falling today,” Pei Xu said, looking at him and blinking. “I fear it won’t last long.”

“Human feelings are not as thin as spring’s sentiments.” Ji Yuanhui smiled, as if making a vow. “I will guard the flower branch and never let the blossoms fall.”

“Many people say Your Highness doesn’t read…” Pei Xu leaned into his embrace, pushing back his hair and wrapping his arms around his neck. “They should come and match poems with Your Highness.”

“Why care about them?” Ji Yuanhui looked down at him. “It’s enough that you like it.”

Dense kisses fell on his neck and Adam’s apple, then continued upward, nuzzling against the corner of his mouth in a spoiled manner.

Ji Yuanhui remained still, his Adam’s apple only bobbing once. His gaze rested quietly on the person in his arms as he supported his back.

Pei Xu grew tired of kissing. He leaned his cheek against Ji Yuanhui’s neck, his voice weak: “Why does Your Highness have no reaction at all?”

“Who says I have no reaction?” Ji Yuanhui brushed away the stray hairs on the other’s cheek to see his face clearly. “I just wanted to see you act spoiled a little longer.”