Pei Yan chuckled with a “heh heh” and said, “Then I would have fled overnight long ago.”
Xiao Jing’an: “Don’t joke.”
Pei Yan obediently restrained the smile on his face.
“That person is a man.”
Xiao Jing’an refuted this answer of his: “So what if it’s a man? The folk customs of Longxiao State are open and enlightened, and those who favor men can be seen everywhere.”
Pei Yan quietly rolled his eyes, then followed Xiao Jing’an’s gaze to look over.
He saw that at the entrance of the alley beside them, two men were embracing each other and gnawing at one another.
Pei Yan instantly felt his eyes were assaulted by a harsh sight, and he hurriedly withdrew his gaze, unable to help shaking his head: “What a violation of public decency.”
Xiao Jing’an also withdrew his gaze, continuing to stroll forward as he said: “This is personal freedom.”
[Right, you cut-sleeve naturally agree with these things.]
Xiao Jing’an knitted his brows abruptly, using a commanding tone tinged with displeasure: “I want you to answer the question, don’t dawdle.”
Subdued by the overbearing nature of the person beside him, Pei Yan obediently answered.
“He has someone he fancies.”
Pei Yan added with an unsure tone of utter certainty: “Even if he didn’t have someone he fancies, he definitely wouldn’t fancy me.”
Xiao Jing’an: “Why are you so certain?”
Pei Yan narrowed his eyes, putting on a mysterious air: “Because he wants to kill me.”
While saying these words, a scene flashed through his mind where he knelt on the execution platform while the middle-aged Xiao Jing’an sat upright upon the dragon throne, watching coldly from the sidelines.
Pei Yan suddenly burst out laughing.
“Someone who wants to kill me, how could he fancy me!”
Xiao Jing’an stopped in front of a ready-to-wear clothing store, his lips twitching slightly as if he had something to say, but in the end he remained silent, stepped up the stairs, and entered the shop.
Finally, he stopped prying!
If he kept asking, he was truly afraid that he would accidentally blurt out the name of the turtle bastard for himself to hear.
Pei Yan shrugged, lifted his emerald-green robe, and followed him inside.
Today Xiao Jing’an was not wearing the python robe symbolizing his identity, but merely donned a black dark-patterned brocade robe that looked simple yet lost none of its refinement.
However, even with such simple attire, it could not conceal the inherent majestic nobility he carried naturally.
One could tell at a glance that his status was extraordinary.
The shopkeeper hurried over to warmly entertain them.
“Which personage are these ready-to-wear clothes being selected for? Allow this humble one to introduce them to you.”
Xiao Jing’an’s gaze fell upon Pei Yan, who had just walked in dressed in emerald green.
The shopkeeper immediately caught on, walking over to introduce items to Pei Yan.
The aura of wealth radiating from Xiao Jing’an caused the shop manager to exclusively pick out the most expensive clothes in the shop to introduce to Pei Yan.
Pei Yan had consistently adhered to the principle of spending Xiao Jing’an’s money without hesitation, gladly accepting the shop manager bringing out the store’s ultimate treasure for him to try on.
However, he still had his own ideas, choosing the color of the store’s ultimate treasure himself.
Xiao Jing’an had grown a bit thirsty from walking earlier.
At this moment, he was sitting on a rattan chair, lowering his gaze to sip tea.
“Does it look good?”
Pei Yan had changed into the new clothes and stood before him.
“You’re paying for me to buy clothes, so I must make sure it meets your satisfaction.”
“I don’t like green, so I changed to a different color.”
Hearing Pei Yan’s words, Xiao Jing’an raised his eyes.
“Cough, cough, cough.”
Xiao Jing’an choked on the tea in his mouth.
Pei Yan hurriedly feigned concern and asked, “Are you alright?”
[Knowing you muddle-headed emperor despise me, I won’t step forward.]
Xiao Jing’an took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corners of his mouth.
His gaze landed on Pei Yan’s sea of vibrant red.
The feeling was akin to a giant peony turning into a spirit, swaggering back and forth before him.
“Are you planning to get married or something?”
Pei Yan lowered his gaze to look at the red brocade robe on his body, offering a soft and gentle banter.
“I want to get married, but there isn’t even a bride.”
With that, Pei Yan burst into laughter.
The radiance in his eyes was dazzling and shimmering, paired with this waisted red brocade robe that perfectly outlined his slender and exquisite waistline.
Bright and beautiful, he himself looked rather like a bride.
Xiao Jing’an stared at him with deepening gaze, his eyes scanning him inch by inch.
“Pei Yan, you are deliberately trying to anger me.”
[Indeed, I purposely want to anger you. Why should I obediently let you manipulate me as you please? I am not your puppet on a string.]
Reborn into this life, Pei Yan was no longer willing to be like his past life, where everything remained completely under Xiao Jing’an’s control.
Having been wrongfully killed by Xiao Jing’an in his past life, how could he harbor no resentment?
Yet Pei Yan would not wear his emotions on his sleeve.
At this moment, he was seen with pure, limpid eyes, blinking gently with innocence as he stood before Xiao Jing’an, lowering his head slightly and biting his lower lip without uttering a word.
Just like a submissive big cat willing to be kneaded and flattened by anyone.
That sensation suggested that no matter how the person before him treated him, he would silently endure it all without the slightest intent of resistance.
If it were anyone else, they certainly would have believed his pitiful act.
Yet Xiao Jing’an could not.
At this moment, his thin lips parted and closed gently as he with interest silently chewed over those four words, “puppet on a string,” from Pei Yan’s inner voice.
Nearby, fearing that Xiao Jing’an would get angry and leave, causing him to lose this huge business deal, the store manager hurriedly fetched a snow-white brocade robe.
“Respected patrons, it is currently the peak of summer, making it suitable to wear lighter colors. This white brocade robe is grand yet easygoing, perfectly suited to this young master’s demeanor!”
The shop manager was skilled at reading facial expressions; the moment Xiao Jing’an walked into the shop and glanced at the white clothing, he had guessed that Xiao Jing’an favored white.
Pei Yan looked at Xiao Jing’an, waiting for him to speak.
Xiao Jing’an did not look at him, but guessed that he was watching him.
“Change.”
Pei Yan took the white clothing from the shop manager’s hands and headed to the fitting room.
After entering the fitting room, Pei Yan did not go to change right away.
Clutching that set of white brocade robe, he leaned gently against the door panel, raising his eyes to gaze at the cramped ceiling.
Then he let out a long sigh.
He shouldn’t have intentionally gone against him.
It was just that his death in the previous life had been too filled with grievance.
He simply hadn’t managed his emotions well.
He always wanted to exact a tiny revenge upon him.
Yet how could an arm ever twist a thigh?
A single teardrop slipped from the corner of Pei Yan’s eye, immediately wiped away by him.
The vulnerability in his eyes vanished in that instant, turning resolute.
In his past life, his father lived for him.
In this life, he would live for his father.
Xiao Jing’an was merely a passing cloud in his life.
Let it go, let it go, let it go.
The fitting room door opened, a white robe draped to the floor, and light silk fluttered around his head as Pei Yan walked out.
Xiao Jing’an’s gaze unconsciously drifted over.
The young man walking toward him possessed delicate eyebrows and eyes, a high and straight nose bridge, and lips as faintly scarlet as cherry blossoms. Set against the backdrop of his holy white robes, he looked precisely like an exiled immortal descending from the nine heavens.
“Are you satisfied?”
Pei Yan stopped right in front of Xiao Jing’an, his handsome face gentle, obediently resembling a pet raised by Xiao Jing’an.
His voice faded away, yet the person before him still didn’t speak.
“Your Highness?”
Xiao Jing’an’s eyelashes trembled slightly as he snapped out of it.
“Passable.”
At this point, Xiao Jing’an glared at Pei Yan: “Do you not want your tongue anymore?”
“You are His Highness!”
The store manager hurried forward to kneel and kowtow: “This humble one truly had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai.”
After saying that, he glanced at Pei Yan and added, “This young master’s clothes can be chosen freely from this shop, considered a token of this humble one’s filial sincerity and respect to you.”
That meant no payment required, take whatever he wanted.
Yet how could Xiao Jing’an care about this trifling amount of money?
He parted his lips intending to refuse, but unexpectedly Pei Yan had already walked over to the display rack, swiftly selecting over a dozen sets of top-quality bright red and green brocade robes.
Stunned for a moment by this minor twist, Xiao Jing’an was just about to speak when Pei Yan beat him to it: “Thank you, manager, for your generosity.”
He then smiled brightly at Xiao Jing’an: “And even more thanks to you for allowing me to possess so many brocade robes in the colors I love.”
After saying that, he hurriedly added: “Rest assured, when I wear these colored clothes, I will certainly not appear before you and offend your eyes.”
[Heh heh, after today, we will never see each other again!]
It turned out that the “Your Highness” Pei Yan had just called out was pre-planned.
It was meant for the store manager to hear.
A profiteer like the store manager wouldn’t hold back from extorting a hefty sum of money from Xiao Jing’an.
Most importantly, he had bootlickingly chosen these clothes in colors that Xiao Jing’an favored, colors whose appearance Pei Yan had grown sick of wearing in his past life.
He simply had to teach him a small lesson.
Let him spend some money.
Of course, he himself had to take advantage of some perks as well.
Picking out clothes in the colors he adored.
At this moment, Pei Yan was in high spirits, smiling warmly as he asked Xiao Jing’an: “Can we leave now?”
Annoyed, Xiao Jing’an glanced at him sideways, stood up, and left.
Clutching a large pile of colorful, premium brocade robes, Pei Yan happily followed him out.
The reason why someone fancied bright reds, greens, and vibrant floral colors was due to being influenced since childhood by Pei Mother, who adored such bright hues.
Inside the vermilion walls, early dawn appeared, and the melodious morning bell of the卯 hour rang out, echoing throughout the entire Imperial College.
Sunlight filtered through the clouds, spilling onto the resplendent glazed tiles of the main hall of the Imperial College, casting a pale golden glow.
Pei Yan walked through the Imperial College, memories of studying here in his youth sweeping through his mind like a revolving lantern.
At this moment, the Libationer of the Imperial College came over to greet Xiao Jing’an.
“This subject pays respects to Prince Ye.”
Xiao Jing’an cast a glance at Pei Yan and didn’t waste words: “Pei Yan is the person I recommended in my letter.”
The Libationer politely said: “This subject will certainly take good care of him.”
“No need.”
Xiao Jing’an lowered his gaze to tidy his cuffs.
“Don’t worry about saving face for me.”
Pei Yan turned his head, looking at him suspiciously.
[What is this malicious piece of work here for!]
[Coming all the way here specially just to tell the Libationer some things, and that sentence of kingly nonsense?]
Xiao Jing’an lowered his eyelashes, preventing Pei Yan from seeing his expression at the moment.
The Libationer remained as polite as ever toward Xiao Jing’an: “If Your Highness has no other instructions, this subject will send Pei Yan to the classroom?”
“Alright.”
The Libationer asked again: “Would Your Highness wish to accompany us?”
“No.”
A polite, respectful smile consistently hung on the Libationer’s face: “This subject will send someone to invite Your Highness to the inner chamber for a cup of tea first.”
“No time.”
Pei Yan quietly raised an eyebrow and curled his lip from the side.
[Words as precious as gold. Then hurry up and move your potato house, never to be seen again.]
Xiao Jing’an did not spare him another glance, turning around and leaving without looking back.
Subsequently, the Libationer led Pei Yan to the classroom door before leaving.
Clearly, he had heeded Xiao Jing’an’s words and did not give Pei Yan any special treatment.
Pei Yan let out a soft breath, then raised his hand, his fair and slender fingers tapping against the red wooden door panel carved with exquisite patterns.
Inside the room, not only was there the person who poisoned little dad, along with that despicable villain Prime Minister Lin, but there was also Zuo Qi, who frequently bullied little dad by taking advantage of his lack of a father to rely on, and finally there was-