Chapter 145: Red Dates

Pei Xiao said flatly, “Follow me. Just you, alone.”

Chunyu Luan glanced back. His trusted confidant, Chalgua, was standing about thirty feet behind him and cast an inquiring look their way.

“Stay there,” Chunyu Luan ordered. With a flick of his whip, he followed Pei Xiao’s horse into a dense purple bamboo grove.

The grove had already been prepared. Deep among the bamboo sat a small table laid out with a map, brushes, and ink. A tiny lantern hung above, and a pot of wine was warming over a nearby brazier.

“Lantern light beneath the bamboo, talking strategy over fine wine,” Pei Xiao remarked. “Does Your Highness find this elegant little setup to your liking?”

Chunyu Luan looked down at the map. It was a sweeping, meticulously drawn map of the entire empire’s terrain, clearly detailing every single pass, mountain opening, and town. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “What is the meaning of this?”

“Your Highness isn’t actually of the direct royal bloodline of the current Xiongnu court, are you?” Pei Xiao sat down opposite him, smoothing his robes with a faint smile. “You only lucked into power as the Worthy Prince of the Left because the old Chanyu had no sons. Unfortunately for you, the old Chanyu proved he isn’t past his prime—even in his sixties, he somehow managed to father a son. Just like that, you’ve become an outsider, and your position is on thin ice. Tell me, are you afraid? We don’t have much time, so we might as well lay our cards on the table. You want that throne, and so do I. You need my help, and I need yours.”

Chunyu Luan’s expression turned serious. He stared at Pei Xiao for a long moment before bursting into a booming laugh. “The Third Prince truly is a straightforward man.”

He sat down as well. “Do you already have a plan?”

“I do.” Smiling, Pei Xiao took an uninked wolf-hair brush and traced a circle over a town toward the north of the map. “Dai County. It’s one of the three major strongholds of Yanbei; I’m sure Your Highness has heard of it. During last month’s troop rotation, a new commander named Su Wei took charge. He is my man.”

Chunyu Luan’s heart skipped a beat, and his eyes snapped up to meet Pei Xiao’s. “Are you planning to hand this man over to me?” He chuckled. “That’s a massive gift. I’m not sure I can afford to repay it.”

“I can lend him to you for the time being,” Pei Xiao continued, his smile unchanging. “The nine commanderies of Yanbei depend on a mutual defensive triangle formed by Su Wei’s Dai County, Pei Yuan’s Feng County, and Qiu Mingshan’s Gaoshan Town. All three commanders are seasoned battle veterans. If you try a brute force invasion, you stand absolutely no chance of winning.”

Chunyu Luan crossed his arms and watched him as Pei Xiao explained further: “According to my plan, you will first launch a massive attack with a hundred thousand troops against Dai County, which only has a garrison of sixty thousand. I will convince Su Wei to avoid a direct confrontation, preserve his forces, and hold out for reinforcements. Since Feng County is closest to Dai County, Pei Yuan will undoubtedly be the first to march out to relieve them when the crisis hits. This will leave Feng County’s internal defenses completely empty. That is when you dispatch a secondary force of fifty thousand men to launch a swift, midnight ambush on Feng County. With his home base under siege, Pei Yuan will definitely rush back with his troops. You intercept him on the road and slaughter him in one fell swoop!”

Chunyu Luan’s gaze darkened, his posture straightening as he took in the words. “An excellent strategy,” he said seriously.

“And that’s not all.” Pei Xiao tapped the brush against Feng County’s location on the map, curling his lips into a smile. “I can give you one more piece of information. During the time Pei Yuan was away from his fiefdom, a man named Qian Qiulai was running Feng County in his stead. On the surface, the man seemed loyal and honest, but he was actually a devious, greedy bastard. He was exiled the moment Pei Yuan returned. However, his distant nephew-in-law is still in Feng County, serving as a common soldier guarding the western side gate. This man loves money, has a reckless streak, and harbors a quiet resentment toward Pei Yuan. Whether you can use him to breach the gates of Feng County depends entirely on your own capabilities.”

Chunyu Luan narrowed his eyes. “Why are you telling me all this? Aren’t you afraid I’ll actually conquer Yanbei and tear your Great Zhou Empire to pieces?”

“Because I need you to break into Feng County, infiltrate the Prince of Jibei’s manor, and find two people for me,” Pei Xiao said. “One is the Princess of Jibei, and the other is a five-year-old boy named Yuanzi. He is my son.” Pei Xiao’s voice dropped to a low whisper. “I want to be reunited with him.”

“I never would have guessed the Third Prince possessed such a tender heart,” Chunyu Luan chuckled, nodding. “Very well. But how exactly do you intend to help me in return?”

“Killing the old Chanyu is no difficult task, but it’s inconvenient for you to do it yourself without getting your hands dirty,” Pei Xiao smiled. “I can take care of it for you. All you need to do is drop a few subtle hints to the old Chanyu’s personal guards, ensuring my assassins can enter his tent completely unnoticed.”

Chunyu Luan clapped his hands and laughed. “With a mind as brilliant and calculating as yours, if you ever become Emperor, you will shake the entire world. I’ll have to watch my back around you.”

Pei Xiao chuckled softly as he picked up the wine pot, poured two cups, and raised his glass. “Following the customs of my people, why don’t we seal this alliance in blood?”

Without a second thought, Chunyu Luan drew a short blade and sliced the tip of his finger. Pei Xiao cut his own finger as well, letting their blood drip and mingle into the wine.

The two men toasted each other and drained their cups in a single gulp.

Chunyu Luan clasped his hands in farewell and departed. Watching his retreating figure, Dong Tiancheng—the son of the Left Prime Minister, who had been hiding in the shadows all along—slowly stepped forward. He looked at Pei Xiao with deep anxiety. “Your Highness, I can’t help but feel uneasy about this. Those barbarians have always been treacherous. We’ve handed over so much military intelligence; what if he turns on us, conquers the northern borders, and kills General Qiu as well?”

“Then we ought to celebrate,” Pei Xiao said, pouring himself another cup. He blew gently across the rim before taking a slow sip. “If Pei Yuan is dead and Qiu Mingshan is dead, who else is left to stand in my way? As for Chunyu Luan, he has plenty of brawn but very little brains; he won’t be living much longer anyway. I drugged that cup of wine just now. It’s best if he throws the northern borders into absolute chaos and turns the Xiongnu court upside down. Once he dies, I will be the one to step in and reap the rewards, taking the imperial throne and unifying the world!”

Suddenly, Bao Ning’s face flashed across Pei Xiao’s mind. Perhaps it was a case of wanting what he couldn’t have, but the thought of her left him restless, torn between love and resentment.

But it didn’t matter. Because one day, he would take back everything he had lost!

…

In early winter, the nights in Feng County were bitingly cold, but with two small charcoal braziers placed at the foot of the bed, the room felt stifling. Hot and restless, Bao Ning kicked her thick quilt aside, sat up, and began waving a cattail fan to cool herself down.

Pei Yuan walked in carrying a wooden basin. Seeing her sitting up, he hurriedly set the water down, rushed over to wrap the quilt back around her, and snatched the fan away, tossing it straight into the brazier. “Are you awake?” he asked anxiously.

“I’ve slept the entire day. Even a pig would be wide awake by now! And you burned my fan again! That’s the third one!” Bao Ning was thoroughly cross from the heat, and watching her fan get swallowed by the flames only made her more irritated.

Trying to calm herself down, she pointed at the window. “Open it. I’m burning up and I want some fresh air. Just open it like a good boy. I’ll only let it blow for a few minutes; I don’t want to fight with you.”

Pei Yuan stroked her hair affectionately, coaxing her, “A calm mind keeps you cool. Just sit still, don’t overthink things, and you’ll feel refreshed in no time. The doctor said you need peace and quiet, and you absolutely cannot catch a cold and fall ill. Let’s wash your feet first, then get back under the covers. You need to eat more and sleep more to stay healthy, and it’s good for the baby in your belly, too.”

“Stop nagging!” Bao Ning snapped, covering her ears. “I don’t want to hear it!”

“You have to listen, baby,” Pei Yuan said gently, pulling her hands down with absolute patience. “I know you weren’t ready to welcome our little treasure yet. Her sudden arrival and fragile state have made our big treasure very frustrated.” He touched Bao Ning’s cheek, his eyes incredibly tender.

Bao Ning suddenly felt a prickle of tears in her eyes. She realized she was far more used to the Pei Yuan who would glare and throw a huff. When that version of Pei Yuan did something she didn’t like, she could argue with him. But the current Pei Yuan was far too gentle; she couldn’t bring herself to fight with him even if she wanted to, leaving her with no choice but to listen quietly.

“Am I the big treasure?” Bao Ning asked, her voice slightly muffled.

“Yes,” Pei Yuan said, holding her hand. “No matter how many children we have in the future, you will always be my biggest treasure. I will always love you the most.”

Bao Ning countered, “The big treasure is hot and wants to open the window.”

Pei Yuan tried a different angle of persuasion: “Actually, you don’t want to open the window at all. Your body isn’t actually hot. Look at me, I’m not hot, so naturally, you aren’t either. What’s hot is your mind—it’s an internal fire. And where does that internal fire come from? It’s because you haven’t prepared yourself to welcome this child. So, how do you get prepared? You need to listen to me more, talk to me, and I will be right here by your side the whole time. Don’t be scared. We will follow the doctor’s orders to the letter—we won’t do what we shouldn’t do, and we won’t eat what we shouldn’t eat. Slowly but surely, both you and our little treasure will grow strong and healthy.”

Bao Ning burst out laughing. “You really ought to look in a mirror. You sound exactly like a traveling quack selling fake medicine.”

Pei Yuan didn’t get angry. He felt an unprecedented sense of peace right now. Just a moment ago, Wei Meng had come to find him and even praised him, saying there was a strange touch of fatherly benevolence in his mannerisms.

Pei Yuan reflected that people truly do change. He had been changing slowly over time, but hearing about Bao Ning’s pregnancy had triggered a massive, profound shift within him, almost as if he had bypassed a few steps and entered the mindset of a protective father ahead of schedule. Looking at Bao Ning now, he felt like he was looking at a stubborn child; he didn’t want to argue with her anymore, only coax and guide her, hoping she would eventually see reason.

Looking at Bao Ning, he said softly, “Stretch your feet out. I brought some jasmine-scented soap to wash them.”

Bao Ning shot him a quick, sidelong glance, finding the whole thing incredibly bizarre, as if the man standing before her was a complete stranger.

She slowly extended her foot, letting her toes lightly brush the surface of the water. The expected soothing heat never came; the water was merely lukewarm, and to her, it actually felt a bit chilly.

Dissatisfied, she snapped her foot back. “It’s too cold. I’m not washing.”

“Hot water won’t do. Hot water stimulates blood circulation, and your blood is already circulating far too much; we can’t have any more of that.” Pei Yuan gently but firmly grabbed Bao Ning’s ankle and guided her foot into the basin. “Be good, bear with it for a bit, and I’ll give you some dates to eat afterward.”

“Are they the crisp, sweet winter dates?” Bao Ning asked.

“No, but what difference does it make?” Pei Yuan wet the soap, lathering it up before slowly massaging it onto her feet. His voice remained smooth and even. “Red dates and winter dates are both dates. Since they are both dates, how can you play favorites, liking one while dismissing the other? They are both delicious. But in my opinion, it’s better for you to eat red dates right now, as they are far better for nourishing your qi and replenishing your blood. This isn’t a matter of preference, nor does it contradict what I just said. It’s simply that red dates are better suited for you, understand? Actually… don’t overthink the logic of what I just said. Perhaps my reasoning is flawed, or perhaps I can’t quite talk my way out of it, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I want you to eat red dates instead of winter dates.”

“What on earth are you talking about?! What does any of that even mean?!”

Bao Ning’s head was spinning from his rambling. She cupped Pei Yuan’s face in her hands and asked with deep concern, “A-Yuan, what is wrong with you? Did something push you over the edge?”

Pei Yuan offered a slight smile. “Nanny Liu said that a father must act like a father. He cannot be short-tempered, and he cannot shout or scold. He must guide with patience and explain the reasoning clearly; only then will a child listen and grow to respect him. The way I handled things in the past was wrong. My temperament has always been poor, so from now on, I must exercise restraint, practice patience, and work to improve myself.”

He took a towel to dry her feet, moved the wooden basin aside, and fetched a small parcel of red dates, handing them to her. “Eat these, and then let’s go to sleep.”

Bao Ning took the parcel, entirely dazed. Pei Yuan leaned down, pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, and asked softly, “Baby, do you need me to explain the underlying principles of why we need to go to sleep right now?”

Bao Ning involuntarily shuddered.

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