The curtain of the carriage lifted, revealing the face of a refined and handsome middle-aged man, a small beard adding a touch of dignity to him.
“What’s your courtesy name?” The thin, refined and handsome looking man asked gently.
“Ah, I don’t have one. Us villagers don’t care about such matters…” The eighteen year-old Wu Xingzi hung his head. It was unclear whether the tips of his ears were reddening from shyness or distress.
“Then, shall I give you one?”
“Uhh… H-how can I trouble you so?”
“Hmm… Why don’t we go with Chang’an? Your father named you Xingzi, and he definitely wished that you would live a safe and sound life forever1, right?” The man smiled, and his eyes, directed towards Wu Xingzi, were filled with tenderness.
“Chang’an…” Wu Xingzi nodded with a blush, but was a little hesitant. “Many thanks to you for thinking of it for me, but I’m afraid that this courtesy name would not be in much use.” In a village like this, as well as him being an adviser now, other than the few elders he was close with who would use his name, the rest of the people would all address him as Adviser.
Speaking of which, he also did not have any friends from the same generation who were close enough to use his courtesy name, and the only elders who would address him by his name were probably only Auntie and Uncle Liu.
“It doesn’t matter, I’d like to call you with this name.” As the man spoke, he gently picked up the strands of hair by Wu Xingzi’s cheek, tucking them behind his ear. “Chang’an… Forever and eternal peace.”
“Mr. Wu?” A familiar, pleasant voice, accompanied by the speaker’s breath, brushed past his ear. Wu Xingzi shuddered, pulling himself out from his memories, turning his head and looking at Ping Yifan with a look of abstraction in his eyes.
“Ai…”
“Does Mr. Wu know Lord Yan?” Ping Yifan seemed a little troubled. Hearing the question, Wu Xingzi immediately shook his head.
“No no no, I’m only a poor man from a small village, how could I know an official from the capital?” Wu Xingzi did not know how uneasy his expression looked. Unconsciously, he dug his fingernails into his palms. All these tiny details did not escape Ping Yifan’s eyes, but he did not expose him.
“Mr. Wu is too courteous.” Going along with him, Ping Yifan held his hand. “Lord Yan is the Minister of Personnel, and he’s greatly trusted by the emperor. In the capital, he has a fair bit of power, and most of the officials more or less would show him some respect. It’s better if we don’t offend him accidentally. Let’s just go around them.”
“Ah, yes, yes. You’re right, you’re right.” Wu Xingzi was convinced. Part of his attention was still on his past memories of Yan Wenxin, but most of his focus had been shifted to the hand that was holding tightly onto his.
Ping Yifan’s hand was extremely nice looking. His palm was broad, the shape of the hand well structured and defined. The skin was very fair, smooth like jade, and no matter how one looked at it, it seemed as though it was the beloved work of a top quality jade carver. Although there were a few calluses, they did not affect how Wu Xingzi was entranced. Unlike its appearance, Ping Yifan’s hand was very rough, not like that of a scholar, but like… a military man. It was warm, dry and powerful, and it almost entirely encapsulated his own.
To have such a show of affection from a man he liked, Wu Xingzi was in the clouds. Even while walking, he felt as though he was floating. The bright, incandescent smile on his face could not be suppressed, and the impact of seeing Yan Wenxin had been temporarily thrown to the back of his head.
Ping Yifan was very familiar with Qingyun Peak. Yan Wenxin’s entourage evidently planned on taking the private path up the back of the mountain, so they took a small detour on a side trail, and quickly reached Qianyun Stairs. Now was still not the time to let Yan Wenxin see Wu Xingzi, and today’s meeting was a complete coincidence.
Although it could not be seen from his face, Ping Yifan was feeling very frustrated. His hand around Wu Xingzi’s tightened further, as though he was afraid that the man next to him would run away once he was not paying any attention.
On the other side, Yan Wenxin was reproaching his daughter. His wife and him were deeply in love, and he had never even once accepted a female servant meant to share his bed. The couple had given birth to two sons and two daughters, a perfect balance.
His oldest daughter had already been married a few years ago, and his youngest daughter was thirteen this year. Pampered since young to the point where she was now wild and unruly, haughty and unreserved, she was without the gentleness and restraint that a noble young lady should have. She often dressed up in a male’s garb, running wild in the capital, and had such good relations with the other boys in her family clan that she would just throw her arms around their shoulders and run off to restaurants. Truly, she was a big headache for Yan Wenxin.
Although he had hired many female teachers and nannies to teach this daughter of his over the years, being the apple of his wife’s eye, she shielded her daughter very well. Her three other older children were all married with their own families, and she only had this one daughter left next to her. As long as she did not get herself into any great trouble, Yan Wenxin’s wife did not allow him to admonish her.
Alright, Yan Wenxin would not admonish her then, but an occasional lesson was still required.
Stopped by her father, on her horse, Yan Caijun dawdled back to him with a pout. “Dad2–”
“Look at you, so careless and excited. I let you ride a horse today to help watch over the elders of the family, but if you’re going to continue being so reckless, just come back into the carriage,” Yan Wenxin rebuked her with a frown.
“Aiyoh, I know, Dad, I’ll be a little better.” Yan Caijun stuck her tongue out. Although she was unreserved and reckless, she was not a fool, and she would not push her father’s limits.
In any case, she had played enough just now, and so she stayed sedately by her father’s carriage.
“Whose carriage is it at the back?” Yan Wenxin had called his daughter over not only just to give her a warning. When he pulled up the curtain just now, he had noticed a plain and simple carriage at the back. Not able to recognise who it belonged to, he was a little concerned.
“Hmm?” Yan Caijun turned and gave it a glance before shrugging. “I don’t know, nor did I hear others talking about them. They must be ordinary folks. If they’re court officials or other noble families, how could they not come and greet you?”
“Shh! Little girls should not speak nonsense. Send someone to investigate who owns the carriage behind.” Yan Wenxin put the curtain down, his brows creasing deeply in thought.
Seeing how seriously her father took this matter, Yan Caijun naturally dared not ignore his request. She waved at her cousin nearby, and they exchanged a few words before the young man rode his horse to the back of the line.
Unfortunately, it was in vain. Other than the driver of the carriage, he was unable to see anyone. Also, the driver’s lips were tightly shut. All questions had been skillfully deflected, and he had only managed to find out that the carriage owner was a born and bred person from the capital. He was unable to get any information about where he stayed, or what his name was. Although Yan Caijun’s cousin felt rather stifled by the lack of answers, the carriage was on a road that anyone could access freely. The driver or the owner had not collided with anyone from the Yan family either. In the end, he could only just let it be.
After hearing this, Yan Wenxin was silent.
When Ping Yifan and Wu Xingzi left the carriage together, they slowly strolled down a side trail not too far from the path. It was near noon in the summer, and the sun was a little scorching. In only a few steps, Wu Xingzi’s face was flushed with the heat, and beads of sweat rolled down his face. Despite this, he did not find the walk tough.
The northern heat was different from that of the southern heat, and it was not difficult for Wu Xingzi to adapt to it. Furthermore, he had Ping Yifan accompanying. Even if this was a trial of fire and blades, he would be willing to walk down this path forever!
“Just tell me if you feel tired, it’s fine even if we go back to the carriage.” Ping Yifan looked at Wu Xingzi’s face that was red from the heat. Feeling his heart aching a little, he took a handkerchief out and wiped his sweat away for him.
“It’s not tiring, not tiring.” Wu Xingzi shook his head continuously, secretly tightening his hand around Ping Yifan’s. “A walk is good, we’ll be able to eat a little more of the vegetarian dishes later.”
Hearing him, Ping Yifan could not help laughing, and he tapped Wu Xingzi’s fleshy nose. “Alright then, since you wish to eat a little more, then I’ll accompany you. There are nine hundred and ninety-nine steps of Qianyun Stairs later. You just try your best. If you really can’t do it anymore, don’t force yourself. I’ll carry you on my back, hmm?”
The hum at the end of the sentence was like the claws of a kitten, pawing at Wu Xingzi’s ear and heart. He hurriedly covered the burning tip of his ear, shyly nodding his head.
Qianyun Stairs was truly not an easy climb. Not only was it long, it was steep as well. Along with the intense heat of the sun, after about six hundred over steps, Wu Xingzi finally could no longer take it, and he stopped, panting heavily. Drops of sweat were clustered on his eyelashes, and Ping Yifan immediately wiped his face for him.
“Shall I carry you?” This was not the first time Ping Yifan had asked this. However, Wu Xingzi looked at Ping Yifan’s genteel appearance and shook his head.
“No, you’re quite tired yourself too, no? Let’s just slowly take our time.” If the one asking was Guan Shanjin, Wu Xingzi thought that he would have immediately nodded.
Ping Yifan frowned slightly. He decided not to ask anymore, directly picking up the man in his arms instead. “Do you want me to carry you up like this, or do you want to climb onto my back yourself?”
Wu Xingzi nearly shrieked in shock. Looking down from such steep stairs, his head immediately spun. Ping Yifan’s action had made him think that they were going to fall off the steps.
“Y-y-you…” Wu Xingzi dared not struggle. Gripping tightly onto Ping Yifan’s shoulders, his lips turn white from fear.
“Hmm?” A hint of a smile curled around Ping Yifan’s lips. He deliberately jolted the person in his arms, and Wu Xingzi grunted as he quickly shut his eyes, not daring to look around.
“Don’t be scared. I’ve practiced a few days of martial arts, and I have very steady footing.”
“O-oh, is that so…” Wu Xingzi forced himself to open his eyes a little. He gasped a few times, and his body still trembled uncontrollably.
He did not feel warm at all now, his limbs completely cold. “I-I’ll climb on your back instead!”
He understood that Ping Yifan had no intentions of letting him refuse. For the rest of the few hundred steps, he could only lie on Ping Yifan’s back and go up that way.
“Be good.” Ping Yifan carefully put him down, then tapped his nose. “Since you like me, you don’t have to keep your distance.”
This was not a matter of keeping any distance! Wu Xingzi felt a little embarrassed to mention this. After all, he could not tell Ping Yifan that he was only afraid that it was too tough on him, and the two might end up falling down Qianyun Steps? If it was Guan Shanijn… Wu Xingzi hurriedly suppressed the image of the man who suddenly appeared in his head. Since he already liked Ping Yifan, why bother thinking about an old lover?
Wu Xingzi looked at Ping Yifan crouching down in front of him. The light-coloured robe tightened across his back, which was a lot broader than he had imagined. Carefully, he clambered on, then one hand snaked over, supporting his buttocks and patting them lightly. Embarrassed, Wu Xingzi’s face flushed a bright red, never expecting that Ping Yifan would be so daring.
However, why did Ping Yifan’s “be good” sound so very familiar? A suspicion flashed through his heart.
Ping Yifan’s footsteps were a lot steadier than Wu Xingzi had expected. It did not take too long before Wu Xingzi relaxed, and he pressed his face into the man’s shoulder. With the slow, gentle swaying as Ping Yifan walked, along with the cool breeze blowing past, Wu Xingzi turned drowsy. Unknowingly, he closed his eyes for real.
Ai, Ping Yifan smells really good.
Surrounded by a familiar cold fragrance, Wu Xingzi could not help but tighten his hands that were gripping onto Ping Yifan’s shoulders. The man in front of him was so, so very good. Why did the heavens bless him so? Coming to the capital, he finally got a little something. Despite having to return to Qingcheng County a few months later, and that he did not think that Ping Yifan would be willing to leave the capital for him, it was already enough.
With a man on his back, Ping Yifan’s footsteps were still very steady. Very quickly, they reached the top of Qianyun Stairs, arriving at the door of the temple. Ping Yifan could hear that the person behind him had already fallen asleep. The slow, steady breathing brushed past his ears, reaching right into the depths of his heart.
A subordinate following them walked forward, quietly asking, “Master, shall I ask for a guest room to allow Mr. Wu to rest?”
“Mn. Go ahead.” Ping Yifan nodded, then suddenly stopped the subordinate who was about to leave. “Get the kitchen to keep some food aside as well. Once Mr. Wu is awake, he’ll be able to eat.”
“Understood. Master, please be assured.”
Not long later, a taoist priest in charge of receiving devotees followed the subordinate here, quickly arranging for a quiet guest room for them. Before leaving, he also promised to keep some food for the two guests.
The construction of the guest rooms in Chongxu Guan was very elegant, and the bamboo furniture was well-arranged within. Instead of a normal bed, the bed was a very wide one, meant for both sitting in meditation and lying down. In summer, a mat was spread across it, and one could feel a refreshing coolness when lying on it.
Ping Yifan carefully put the man on his back down. Wu Xingzi shifted about slightly, seemingly about to awaken. Fortunately, Ping Yifan did not end up disturbing him, and the older man continued sleeping at ease with his eyes shut.
Pulling a thin blanket over Wu Xingzi, Ping Yifan then sat by the bed, studying the man for some time. Finally, he still bent his neck, pressing a kiss on the old fellow’s lips like a dragonfly flitting across water.
“Haiwang…” It was a low and gentle murmur, barely detectable. But in Ping Yifan’s ears, it was like a shocking thunderclap.
He hurriedly retreated, observing Wu Xingzi carefully to see if he was truly asleep. What he saw was the old fellow biting his bottom lip, then smiling in satisfaction, as he nuzzled his cheek into the blanket, falling even deeper asleep.
“Ai, you old thing…”