EHW Ch66

The sky had collapsed , and Pei Xin was holding it up with forced calm.

In the darkness, he silently locked eyes with Gu Fangzhi. “….”

After a long pause, Pei Xin finally said in a low voice, “Ah, I see now. So that’s what Teacher thought all along. You should’ve told me earlier, then I’d have had the chance to improve.”

His face was tight as he said it; that tone of “magnanimous understanding” was anything but sincere.

In truth, Pei Xin did know how he might “improve.”

Gu Fangzhi thought he used too much strength, he could try to be gentler.

But what was he supposed to do, file himself down with a rasp until he was smaller?

A living man, not a craftsman, what kind of request was that supposed to be?

Snowball dashed between the two rooms in a blur of white; Pei Xin turned away, refusing to look at Gu Fangzhi.

Gu Fangzhi sat back down on the dragon bed, leaning just far enough forward that his back rested against Pei Xin’s chest.

Pei Xin shifted back a little.

Gu Fangzhi followed and shifted back, too.

Pei Xin moved again; Gu Fangzhi moved again.

After a few more rounds of this silent back-and-forth, Pei Xin finally gave in. Gu Fangzhi relaxed most of his weight against him, and Pei Xin adjusted his shoulders to make him more comfortable, murmuring, “Teacher, be careful. If I get too happy, you’ll just have to rewind again.”

Gu Fangzhi caught his hand, spreading Pei Xin’s fingers open flat against his own palm.

Pei Xin’s hands were elegant and long-fingered, but years of wielding weapons had left thick calluses along his palms and fingertips.

Gu Fangzhi poked each fingertip in turn, the index, middle, ring finger, then back again. By the third round, he heard Pei Xin stifle a laugh.

The sound quickly faded, replaced by a solemn tone. “That’s not how you coax someone. Grand-Tutor Sun’s apology memorial to me was ten pages long, and even Snowball knows to lick me when he’s done wrong.”

Gu Fangzhi asked mildly, “So does Your Majesty want a memorial, or my tongue?”

The chest pressed to his back heaved sharply.

Pei Xin forced an even tone. “What does Teacher think?”

Ah, such a child.

Gu Fangzhi smiled with his eyes and leaned over to kiss the corner of Pei Xin’s mouth.

Pei Xin: “……”

That’s it?

He looked dissatisfied, about to speak, when Gu Fangzhi leaned in again and kissed him properly, a little harder this time.

Pei Xin: “…………”

…Better. Much better.

Still, anger soothed or not, a solution had to be found.

If filing himself smaller wasn’t an option, they’d need another approach.

Pei Xin said, “Teacher… do you still have that kind of book?”

He still remembered vividly the first time he’d visited the Gu residence and discovered that booklet hidden under Gu Fangzhi’s bedding, what a shocking revelation it had been.

Gu Fangzhi: “I threw it out ages ago.”

He wasn’t kidding, back then, just thinking about showing Pei Xin an erotic painting had triggered a Bad Ending. There was no way he’d risk keeping that thing around to be found again.

Pei Xin hummed in thought.

But Gu Fangzhi decided this might actually be a good idea. “Maybe we could just… buy a couple more books, study a little. It might help.”

“Reasonable. Who’s going to buy them?” Pei Xin asked. “Should I tell Yang Luhai, ‘Hey, that-so-and-so, I’m in the mood today for some erotic art, bring me one, male with male, if possible’? Or will your little servant Ah-Qi say, ‘My lord is in high spirits and wants a painting album of men embracing in the nude’?”

Gu Fangzhi: “…………”

Good question. Excellent question.

They were both far too concerned with saving face to send anyone else to buy such a thing.

But unfortunately, the original owner’s secret stash had long since been tossed out completely.

[Congratulations, Player reached BE Ending – “Book Shortage at Critical Moment.”]

Gu Fangzhi: “……”

He loaded a save. When time resumed, he heard Pei Xin say, “I can’t go buy the book alone; sending only you would be bullying you. We’ll go together.”

Together. Double the humiliation. Great.

Still, Gu Fangzhi agreed, not so much for the book as for the outing itself.

“There’s a troupe from the Western Regions performing animal acts. The capital’s lively these days, and I’ve never gone out with Your Majesty before. It’s a good excuse to walk around.”

Pei Xin didn’t answer, but the previously quiet Snowball suddenly yipped excitedly in approval.

***
The next day after court, although he’d promised to meet Pei Xin, Gu Fangzhi first went home to the Gu residence.

He Rang had sent him a box of some dessert whose name he didn’t even know, cool, sweet, with a milky flavor, almost like modern pudding.

One bite, and Gu Fangzhi was astonished. Divine!

Afraid it would melt, he rushed to share it with Manman and Gu Huaiyu.

Gu Huaiyu was out on business, so Gu Fangzhi tearfully split his brother’s share with Manman instead.

It was truly delicious, so good that Gu Fangzhi loaded and replayed the save four times just to taste it again.

He ruffled Manman’s hair, then set out to find Pei Xin.

They’d agreed to meet two streets away from the palace. From a distance, Gu Fangzhi spotted a figure in a dark cloak standing in the shadows.

Even disguised, Pei Xin carried himself with such unmistakable imperial bearing that he absolutely did not look like an ordinary citizen. At this rate, tomorrow’s gossip would be all over town, “Which noble family’s young master went to buy an erotic book?”

When Gu Fangzhi voiced his worry, Pei Xin already had a plan: “I’ll just say my name is Ye Bao.”

Gu Fangzhi: “…”

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

Just… morally questionable.

“And me?” Gu Fangzhi asked. “I can’t exactly claim to be General Qin’s little brother, can I?”

Pei Xin flicked his forehead. “Isn’t one name enough? If they ask me, I’ll say I’m Ye Bao. If they ask you, you say you’re Ye Bao too.”

Gu Fangzhi: “……”

So the idea was to dump all the scandal squarely on Ye Bao.

He stifled a laugh and followed Pei Xin out of the alley.

In the shadows behind them moved faint silhouettes, the hidden guards Pei Xin had assigned.

Their plan was to buy the books first, then eat at a tavern, and finally watch the animal show from the Western Regions.

Surprisingly, the most awkward step, the book purchase, went smoothly.

Credit for that went to Gu Fangzhi. He’d come to this bookstore often for legitimate purchases, and had often noticed people sneaking off to a certain back corner.

Now it was his turn to be the one sneaking.

There weren’t many customers today; neither he nor Pei Xin dared look too closely at the contents, so they grabbed a couple at random and went straight to pay.

The shopkeeper, discreet as ever, wrapped the books in plain covers.

Only once they stepped outside did both exhale in relief.

And then,

“Second Brother?” someone called from behind.

Gu Fangzhi turned to see Gu Huaiyu, fresh from closing a business deal and slightly drunk.

“And this is…?”

Gu Huaiyu blinked through his tipsiness, then recognized the man beside his brother, and instantly sobered halfway.

“Your Majesty,” he blurted.

Not wanting to frighten his young brother-in-law, Pei Xin softened his expression. “No need to be nervous.”

The road back to the Gu residence overlapped for a while with the one Gu Fangzhi and Pei Xin were taking.

Naturally, Gu Huaiyu didn’t dare ride his carriage, he walked alongside them instead.

From a nearby stall wafted the aroma of oil and sugar, freshly fried rice cakes.

Pei Xin glanced over. “I used to eat those sometimes as a child.”

Gu Fangzhi asked, “Would you like one?”

Pei Xin hesitated, then nodded.

Gu Fangzhi went and bought one, handing it to him.

Gu Huaiyu said plaintively, “Brother, you didn’t even ask if I wanted one.”

Gu Fangzhi said, “I know you like these. But since one costs three coins and two cost five, why would I buy only one? He Rang sent over some milk custard today, but you missed it. I asked them to make you some chilled jelly instead, you can eat it when you get home.”

The resentment faded from Gu Huaiyu’s eyes.

Yes, coaxing people, that was still his specialty.

Teacher Gu glanced proudly at both Pei Xin and Gu Huaiyu, his chest puffed up with self-satisfaction.

***
Once Gu Huaiyu hurried off, unable to wait any longer, Gu Fangzhi and Pei Xin continued strolling down the main street.

Vendors lined both sides, selling little trinkets and antiques. Gu Fangzhi seemed quite taken with all the colorful displays.

Pei Xin curled his lip. “Some of these aren’t even as old as that mad dog, and they dare call them antiques.”

He paused, then said, “Then, I… shall give Teacher something truly old.”

“What is it?”

Something was pressed into Gu Fangzhi’s hand.

He opened his palm. A round white jade ring, smooth and lustrous, lay quietly on his palm.
Etched deeply along its side were four bold characters: “Second Under Heaven.”

“This is…”

He knew this ring held special meaning for Pei Xin, it was something the emperor had carved himself when his father and elder brother were still alive. The character ‘Second’ had been mischievously added by his second brother.

Gu Fangzhi froze. “This is too valuable, I—”

Pei Xin thought he was about to say ‘I can’t accept it.’

Instead, Gu Fangzhi’s peach blossom eyes curved with a smile. “Then I’ll take good care of it.”

A surge of joy rose in Pei Xin’s chest.

He suddenly had the urge to cup Gu Fangzhi’s face and kiss him loudly right there.

As the city lights began to glow, they finished dinner and went to see the animal-taming performance.

The spring breeze was gentle. Under the cover of night, Pei Xin discreetly hooked his little finger around Gu Fangzhi’s and traced the ring on his hand, the ring that had once belonged to him.

When they reached a small bridge, Pei Xin said, “Teacher should head home first.”

Just moments earlier, his secret guards had reported that two princes were quarreling and had barged into the palace to demand his judgment.

Pei Xin didn’t want Gu Fangzhi caught up in such tedious affairs, and he also wanted him to visit his brothers-in-law at home.

Gu Fangzhi nodded. Pei Xin added sternly, “Tomorrow, we’ll read… that book together.”

Ah, yes, that erotic manual, spoken with all the dignity of someone scheduling a study session at the library.

Gu Fangzhi blushed and mumbled an “Mm.”

But Pei Xin’s promised “tomorrow” was delayed again and again.

Both of them suddenly became terribly busy, visiting envoys, court banquets, preparations for the imperial examinations, and then the upcoming spring hunt.

That evening, Gu Fangzhi returned home, exhausted. As he fell back onto the bed, his fingertips brushed something wedged between the mattress and frame, something oddly textured.

He reached in and pulled out a small, square brocade box.

It was the birthday gift Pei Xin had given him on Jingzhe.

They’d been so entangled that day that the box must’ve slipped from his sleeve unnoticed. So this was where it had ended up.

When he’d mentioned losing it to Pei Xin later, the emperor had looked faintly guilty but refused to say what was inside. “Lost is lost. Once I’ve given something away, that’s all that matters.”

Gu Fangzhi now opened the brocade box, and froze.

Inside was a seal, palm-sized but unusually tall, its top carved into the head of some mythical beast amid a swirl of ornate floral patterns.

The entire thing gleamed with the warm sheen of pure gold, heavy to the touch, yet strangely smooth beneath his fingers. Under the candlelight, fine filigree patterns shimmered beautifully.

On the base were several lines of ancient seal script.

What was this?

An official seal? Perhaps…

Gu Fangzhi had a faint suspicion, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to be right.
After thinking for a moment, he saved his progress, then took the box and went to find Gu Huaiyu.

Gu Huaiyu was hunched over the accounting table, the abacus clattering furiously. His robe was half-unfastened, his hair messy, and he’d stuck a writing brush into his bun instead of a hairpin.

It was inventory day for the shop, and every store had its own deadlines looming.

Seeing Gu Fangzhi, he muttered without looking up, “Four-nine-six-six carry four… huh? Second Brother, what brings you here?”

“I just need to ask you something.”

He waited until Gu Huaiyu finished his calculation, then pushed the brocade box toward him. “Do you recognize what’s inside?”

“What is it?”

Gu Huaiyu opened it carelessly, then his eyes went wide. He slammed the box shut.

He opened it again, wider eyes. Snap! Shut again.

After two more rounds of open-and-close, he finally found his voice.

“This—”

Finally managing words, Gu Huaiyu exclaimed, “This is the Phoenix Seal of the Empress!”

In Gu Fangzhi’s ears echoed Pei Xin’s casual tone from before—

“Teacher must like those comfortable positions with high pay and little work, right?”