Chapter 28 (1/2)

Flowers should be seen in half bloom, wine should be drunk moderately – this is the most enjoyable stage. Flowers in full bloom, and men dead drunk become unpleasant scenes (Hong Zicheng).

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Pei Jin braced Yan Shi Ning’s shoulders outside the room.

Fu Qing’s other guests were curious about the identities of the handsome Pei Jin and the drunk Yan Shi Ning. But it was an unspoken agreement that each of Fu Qing’s guests would be blind to other guests’ behaviour to protect their own identities.

In that moment Yan Shi Ning’s head spun, her legs were wobbly and she felt pain between her thighs. She didn’t remember everything that happened but she didn’t doubt it was the MF Pei Jin’s fault. She was about to curse him but her eyes saw someone familiar in front of them and her mouth gaped open.

Pei Jin’s eyes followed Yan Shi Ning’s gaze. There was nothing unusual to see a young handsome beauty in front of them. It was the familiar young man next to the beauty that was a surprise – the crown prince.

Pei Lam was shocked to see Pei Jin in a place unsuitable for a gentleman. But he felt like he was possessed by a demon, he was curious to see what kind of man Pei Jin desired. He looked at the drunk man Pei Jin was supporting and his heart jumped… it was Yan Shi Ning.

Pei Jin was startled to see the crown prince was smiling inappropriately at Yan Shi Ning then he pulled her into his chest and shielded her from the crown prince’s view. Inwardly he sighed, she lost her gentle lady image in front of the crown prince.

‘Is ninth sister drunk?’ Pei Lam asked.

Pei Jin nodded his head.

‘I have a horse carriage waiting outside,’ Pei Lam offered.

‘Xiao Tu is waiting outside for my wife and me,’ Pei Jin declined.

A silence followed after Pei Jin and Pei Lam’s polite exchange.

‘Crown prince, you’re a beauty,’ Yan Shi Ning said in her drunk state.

Pei Jin thought Yan Shi Ning became more daring by the day while her gentle lady image was gradually thinning. She even dared to tease the crown prince. He felt it was an injustice that she praised other men’s looks but didn’t praise his looks.

Pei Jin pinched Yan Shi Ning’s waist to warn her to stop speaking nonsense.

‘MF, why do you love pinching me?’ Yan Shi Ning asked and pinched Pei Jin’s hand.

Pei Jin choked helplessly. He was helping Yan Shi Ning protect her lady image but she was ungrateful.

Pei Lam looked enviously at Pei Jin and Yan Shi Ning’s loving exchange.

‘Ninth brother and ninth sister’s loving bond makes other people envious,’ Pei Lam said.

‘My wife is drunk,’ Pei Jin said. ‘Tenth brother forgive her drunken behaviour. I’ll take her home first.’

Pei Lam nodded his head and he watched Pei Jin carry Yan Shi Ning downstairs.

‘Master, do you want to continue playing?’ a young man asked.

Pei Lam shook his head. ‘I’m not in the mood to play anymore.’

The young man knew the crown prince had a good personality but the crown prince was a difficult master to serve. The crown prince was someone if given a new toy, they would play with it for a few times and throw it away. The past few days the crown prince was unhappy so he suggested the crown prince should visit Fu Qing for a new experience. The crown prince agreed but he didn’t expect the crown prince wouldn’t be in the mood to play the moment the crown prince arrived at Fu Qing.

Pei Lam didn’t know what he was thinking. He could only say to others that he didn’t like something but he couldn’t voice what he truly wanted. Since he was a young boy, everything good was set in front of him, but his elders always made his life decisions for him.

Pei Lam wanted to be free of his cage and experience the outside world. But the furthest his cage extended was to a place like Fu Qing. It made him felt like he was living a hopeless life.

Day and night, Pei Lam felt like that sense of hopelessness was burning him. Each day Yan Shi Ting would ask a palace maid to deliver a love letter to him. He read the first few love letters then later he asked one of his servants to read them and write a reply in his stead.

That night in the palace Pei Lam laid in his bed and thought about Yan Shi Ning. He remembered her liveliness and the red bite marks on her neck, immediately his little brother hardened. His hand rubbed his little brother until semen was released.