Lu Guanyan’s “unserious” behavior only lasted a moment.
The beauty was a bit cold, and since this was their first formal meeting, Lu Guanyan was afraid of truly angering him and losing the chance to “play” further. Seeing that Xiao Biehe was ignoring his advances, he sat back up and behaved himself for now.
As peach blossoms continued to dance through the air, Lu Guanyan pulled a bamboo steamer from beneath the table. Upon opening it, the savory aroma of hot food wafted out.
The youth smiled, sitting with uncharacteristic poise. “I haven’t eaten yet and was hoping for the honor of having dinner with you, Brother.”
Xiao Biehe thought about the boy’s claim of “stumbling in by mistake.” He was clearly prepared.
Biehe didn’t refuse. He watched as the youth laid out a spread of golden-brown roast chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, several other dishes, soup, and desserts. Before long, the small bamboo table was overflowing.
Lu Guanyan looked at the spread and sighed with theatrical disappointment. “A beautiful night, a fine view, and a stunning person… but I forgot to bring wine! If only there were some fine liquor!”
Then, the “Little Madman” tilted his face up, hiding his wildness behind a mask of innocence. He looked into Biehe’s clear, cold eyes and the tiny mole between his brows, pleading, “I heard you know how to brew wine, Brother. Do you have any?”
Biehe had indeed learned to brew wine.
His father had forbidden the children of the General’s Manor from drinking. In a fit of youthful rebellion, Biehe had taught himself so he could drink as much as he pleased. Back then, only Mu Yunfei whom he had considered a friend knew this secret.
The General’s Manor never gave Biehe an allowance, and he never asked for one. When he needed money, he would wear a mask to hide his identity and sell his wine in crowded areas. No one knew about that.
“Where did you hear that?” Biehe asked.
Lu Guanyan was honest, his expression shifting into one of mock grievance. “I followed you and saw it.” He blinked his seductive eyes, searching for a reaction on Biehe’s face.
The “Little Madman” was disappointed. Except for that face which he desperately wanted to lean in and bite the beauty didn’t move an inch.
Just as the boy’s expression turned dejected, the “beauty” raised a hand. In the distance, beneath a tree where petals swirled, the ground burst open via internal energy. Two well-sealed jars of peach blossom wine flew through the air and landed in Biehe’s hands.
“Wine.” Biehe wiped the dust from the jars and handed one to him.
The boy’s face lit up. “Thank you, Brother!” He broke the seal immediately and took a sip, his eyes widening. “It’s so fragrant! You’re amazing!”
The sun was setting, casting long shadows through the grove.
The youth’s real intent wasn’t the food. Though Biehe didn’t refuse him, he barely ate and only took a few sips of wine. By the time Lu Guanyan began clearing the table, most of the dishes were untouched.
“Is the food I brought not to your taste?” Lu Guanyan asked, sounding hurt.
“No,” Biehe denied softly. “It is very good.”
Biehe’s complexion was naturally pale. While he was somewhat distant, he wasn’t cold to Lu Guanyan. The “Little Madman” was too excited to notice that Biehe was currently at the very end of his strength.
Having finished the jar, Lu Guanyan shook it until the last drop hit the ground. He looked at Biehe pitifully. “Brother, it’s gone. I want more.”
Using his internal energy to retrieve the wine earlier had drained Biehe’s last reserves. He didn’t have the strength to do it again, let alone stand up. He whispered, “Go to the spot from before and take it yourself, alright?”
Lu Guanyan happily scrambled up. “Do you want another one too?”
“No.”
As the youth walked away, his aura shifted. While he could play “innocent” while sitting, the madness and arrogance of his true nature bled out the moment he stood up. He didn’t return to his seat; instead, he crept up behind Biehe and stood there, silently admiring his profile.
Biehe turned his head slightly. The boy immediately flashed a wolfish, fanged grin. Biehe thought it was almost cute. Those deep blue pupils were truly unique.
“Brother,” the boy whispered. He placed his hands gently on Biehe’s shoulders.
The first time they met, he had been too covered in blood to touch the “beauty.” The second time, he had found him unconscious in the snow but had been too afraid that he wouldn’t be able to stop himself if he touched him. This was the first time he had finally reached the “moon” he had longed for.
Biehe felt the touch and paused. “What is it?”
“I saw a zither in your hut,” Lu Guanyan smiled. “I want to hear you play. Shall I bring it out?”
Biehe looked into his eyes and said nothing which the boy took as permission.
The zither music was clear and pure, a sharp contrast to Biehe’s weak, sickly state. It was a sound full of life. A peach blossom petal fell onto his finger, then into the strings. Lu Guanyan listened, mesmerized, as if he could see the spring, the grand carriages, and the world’s beauty within the notes.
The music stopped. Lu Guanyan clapped enthusiastically. “You’re so talented, Brother! That was beautiful!”
Biehe calmly set the instrument aside. Then, he lowered his head and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The vibrant red spilled onto the ground, blending with the snow and petals. His skin turned a deathly, snow-like white. Having finished everything he set out to do, Biehe closed his eyes and collapsed, falling as lightly and peacefully as a leaf.
Lu Guanyan rushed to catch him. “Brother?”
Meanwhile, at the General’s Manor, Xiao Changfeng had gathered several women servants and poor girls sold from the capital. He promised that whoever bore the Young General’s child would become his wife.
The girls were terrified. Most had never worn such fine clothes or perfume. The thought of serving Great Liang’s “God of War” was both a dream and a nightmare. They wondered: If he is executed for rebellion, will we die too? Will he be kind to us?
Night fell. Xiao Jinshi, eager to see his brother’s humiliation, went to the ancestral hall to fetch him. He found the hall empty. The snow outside was swept clean, the tablets were spotless, and fresh incense had just finished burning.
A strange, sinking feeling hit Jinshi. He searched the entire manor, even Qingqu’s courtyard.
Xiao Biehe was gone. His white warhorse was gone with him.
Jinshi tracked the hoofprints to the city gates, where they vanished. Furious that his “show” had been ruined, he ran to his father. “Father! Xiao Biehe took his horse and fled! He’s left the capital!”
Xiao Changfeng exploded in a rage. “What?! How dare he! Everyone use whatever means necessary! Catch that rebellious son and bring him back!”