Chapter 17: Bullied by a Monk of All People?

Chapter 17: Screwed Over by a Damn Monk?

Pei Yuhuai slept in until the sun was high in the sky.

When he finally opened his eyes, the sun was already high, and he found himself in an unfamiliar place. He nearly jumped out of his skin and scrambled out of bed in a panic.

"Hiss..."

His waist was killing him—broken, absolutely broken. Did he turn into some kind of animal again and do something awful?

His mind, still foggy from just waking up.

No.

The memories from the carriage suddenly came flooding back. It seemed he'd been really into it, even saying some dirty stuff.

He'd said everything he should and shouldn't have—a whole mouthful.

Didn't that mean Lan He now knew all his secrets?

Pei Yuhuai's face turned deathly pale right before your eyes. His legs could barely hold him up, as if someone had a grip on his most vulnerable spot.

Like they could end him at any second.

He frantically grabbed clothes and threw them on, not even noticing they weren't his own. The second he was dressed, he bolted out the door.

At the front courtyard, monks sat in rows, chanting scriptures and praying.

The smell of incense grated on his nerves.

A monk walked toward him: "Sir is awake? The Zen master has already arranged breakfast. Please, this way."

Pei Yuhuai stumbled a few steps, too panicked to look at the monk, and was about to bolt. He made it to the door and smacked right into someone's chest.

"Why aren't you having breakfast?"

Pei Yuhuai looked up and saw that Lan He—usually as serene as a gentle breeze and bright as the moon—actually had dark circles under his eyes.

Was it from exhaustion after saving him?

That weak?

He'd seemed so full of energy yesterday.

Even if there was a reason for it.

Still, it was awkward. Pei Yuhuai looked away, uncomfortable, and pretended he didn't care at all: "This young master can't stomach your bland, watery food."

"Then what would Your Highness like to eat?"

"I wanna eat..."

He almost blurted out "you" but thankfully caught himself, then glared at him, half embarrassed, half pissed: "Why do you care what I want to eat? This young master has stuff to do."

"Right, about yesterday—ahem—it's between you and me, and we're even now. No one else can know. You need to hurry up and make me an antidote."

Lan He raised an eyebrow. "What about yesterday?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what Your Highness is talking about."

"You, you... damn monk, are you trying to mess with me on purpose? If you dare say even half a word, I'll take you down with me—neither of us will get off easy!"

Pei Yuhuai put his hands on his hips and glared at him, threatening him with everything he had.

Lan He bit back a smile. "This humble monk understands. I'll keep my mouth shut and never breathe a word about Your Highness."

"That's more like it. Now hurry up and make me the antidote, or next time I'll go crazy right here and scare you to death!"

Pei Yuhuai was about to say more when he saw someone walking in from outside. He immediately shut his mouth and scurried away.

Lan He couldn't help but smile, the corners of his lips curling up on their own.

Adorable. Wanna f*ck.

He really hadn't slept much last night—but the dark circles weren't from lack of sleep. They were from the tremendous mental energy he'd spent re-refining the antidote, which had drained his spirit.

He hadn't lied, actually.

There really was no antidote left.

"Hey, what are you smiling about?" Xu Sheng asked with a weird look, glancing back at Pei Yuhuai. "You're not smiling because of him, are you?"

"No."

Lan He's smile vanished instantly, and he strode off toward his room.

Xu Sheng scrambled to catch up.

"Then why did you go through all that trouble to get the poison, only to make an antidote? Something's off with you—did you go soft?"

"No."

"Then why do you need the antidote? You should just torment that beast mercilessly, make him wish he was dead."

Lan He said nothing, quietly packing the antidote into a small box and tucking it away.

The poison would get stronger with each episode, eventually causing hallucinations all day long and trapping the victim in endless agony.

Xu Sheng had no idea he'd added something extra.

He stroked his chin. "If you can't bear to do it, then leave it to me. How about I help you out?"

"You're not allowed to touch him without my permission."

"???"

Xu Sheng was full of question marks: "I've only been gone a short time—how did you change? I'm trying to help you here!"

"No need."

"What, what—are you serious? You're not actually..."

"If there's nothing else, you should head back first."

"..."

Speechless. Completely speechless.

Xu Sheng rolled his eyes so hard they nearly got stuck, tossing a whistle at him with a look that said "you're hopeless": "Fine, fine, take it."

"?"

"I'm going into seclusion. Don't you dare die while I'm gone. If something comes up, blow this to summon my pigeon—feed it a bit of blood, and it'll find me."

Xu Sheng didn't bother waiting for his agreement, and was gone in a flash.

Lan He fell silent, deep in thought, putting the whistle away with the antidote.

-

Pei Yuhuai left Qingwu Manor and made a beeline for the Marquis's mansion. He hadn't been home all night; if the Marquis found out, he'd definitely break his legs. He had to sneak back in fast.

Of course, he ran straight into his dad the second he walked through the gates.

"F-father, your son pays his respects."

Pei Yuhuai obediently stepped aside, looking guiltier than a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Marquis Pei glanced at him: "Barging around like that, what a disgrace. Next time you come home drunk, you can kiss those legs goodbye."

Wait, what?

"Since you're back, go get ready. We're heading to the palace in two hours."

"What?"

"Get moving."

"Yes, sir. Yes, sir."

Pei Yuhuai did as he was told, and two hours later, he climbed into the carriage with his father.

Riding in a similar carriage, his mind drifted back to yesterday's... encounters. Lan He's grip had been so strong—guess that's what you get from a monk's training. He hadn't even made fun of him for it.

What a good guy.

But hold on—he, the mighty heir of the Marquis's estate, had been done like that by a monk?

He was supposed to be the one doing the playing, not...

"Why's your face so red?" Pei Cang suddenly spoke up.

Pei Yuhuai flinched in shock, touching his hot face and neck, letting out a nervous laugh: "Dad, I'm just a little hot. It's nothing."

"Useless boy, with such a weak body, how will you ever continue the family line, how will you properly serve the Princess!"

"..."

Dad, even with a strong body, I couldn't do that—your son likes guys.

Of course, he'd never dare say that out loud.

Wait, what??

Pei Yuhuai's eyes went wide, and he shot up straight: "Dad, what did you just say? What princess?"

"How to serve the Princess properly, I said—"

"Why would I need to serve the Princess at all?"

"The envoy from the Sang Kingdom has asked the Emperor for a marriage alliance. The King of Sang wants his prince to marry one of our Dayin princesses, and Princess Ruoning is the only one of marrying age."

Pei Yuhuai nodded, confused: "Okay, but what does that have to do with me?"

Pei Cang rapped him on the head: "The Emperor obviously can't stand to send a princess off to a faraway land. At this point, there's only one way out of this."

"Don't tell me..."

"It's simple—if someone's already in love with the Princess and has a betrothal, then the Sang Kingdom's request falls apart."

Pei Yuhuai's brow twitched like crazy, and he dropped to his knees with a thud: "Dad, I can't do it! There are so many good men in Dayin, surely you can pick someone else..."

"The Princess picks her husband; it's not that simple. The Emperor's word is law."

"But I can't! I don't have any feelings for Princess Ruoning, and besides, she might not even want to marry me."

Just as he said that, the carriage pulled up to the palace gates.

It's all over.

I'm so screwed.