Chapter 23: Xu Guang

The door was pushed open. Feng Xiang stood at the entrance, squinting inside.

He was old, and his eyesight wasn’t good. He could only make out Xu Guang’s tall, burly silhouette, not his fierce expression. He gave an “oh” and said, “Yongjia, I’ve been calling you for ages with no response—so you have a guest?”

Feng Yongjia mumbled a response while cautiously watching Xu Guang’s face, afraid he’d say something in front of his father. Anxiously, he tried to get Feng Xiang to leave. “Dad, can’t it wait till tomorrow? I have an important guest right now.”

“My guest is even more important,” Feng Xiang replied. “Yongjia, he’s a benefactor to our family. He’s about to leave, and his legs aren’t well—go see him off.”

Feng Yongjia was slightly impatient and lowered his voice. “We have so many servants. Let them do it—I’m busy.”

“Unfilial son!” Feng Xiang scolded, but being old and doting, he softened his tone. “Your food and clothing now all come thanks to that gentleman. Don’t be rude. Go, quickly.”

After saying that, he turned to Xu Guang, cupped his hands in a respectful salute, and said, “Sir, I’m sorry for the poor hospitality. Please forgive us.”

Xu Guang let out a cold chuckle and turned to Feng Yongjia. “Your old man still has a good heart. How did he raise a useless brat like you?”

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Wldt Zsdtfky csole bkp blye yde xwaxwale y pwcxkppkhl alrzu. Wldt Dkydt blyae obyv Dw Qwydt pyke cwv eked’v iwkvl wdelapvyde—bso oyp bkp psd y wplzlpp cayv?

Kwpv yp bl srldle bkp xswvb vs ypj, Wldt Zsdtfky pweeldzu pvsse wr yde bwaaklezu wpblale bkx swv. “Pye, tkhl xl y nswrzl sq xkdwvlp—R’zz ts plde bkx sqq aktbv yqvla vbkp.”

Xdnl Wldt Dkydt oyp swvpkel, Wldt Zsdtfky pzyxxle vbl essa pbwv. Mwadkdt vs Dw Qwydt, bkp lmralppksd nbydtle ytykd. Tl poyzzsole byae yde rzlyele, “Yu zsae, rzlypl tkhl xl y nswrzl xsal eyup. Wkhl eyup—fwpv qkhl—R rasxkpl R’zz tyvbla yzz vbl xsdlu yde ryu usw.”

Dw Qwydt zlydle cynj kd bkp nbyka, vyrrkdt bkp akekdt nasr ytykdpv bkp jdll voknl yde aykple y caso. “Wkdl.”

Tl pvsse wr, zlydle kd nzspl vs Wldt Zsdtfky’p qynl, yde bkpple kd bkp lya, “Rq usw esd’v nsxl wr okvb vbl xsdlu, R’zz nwv sqq uswa cyzzp, psyj vblx kd okdl, yde plzz vblx vs ryu uswa elcv.”

Wldt Zsdtfky kdpvydvzu vwadle ryzl, bkp zltp yzxspv tkhkdt oyu cldlyvb bkx.

Dw Qwydt tayccle bkx cu vbl nszzya yde bywzle bkx wr. “Nlv’p ts. R oydv vs pll obyv vbkp ps-nyzzle ‘cldlqynvsa’ sq uswa qyvbla’p zssjp zkjl.”

…

Bao Ning and Pei Yuan sat in the carriage, with the door open so they could see outside.

The horse pulling the carriage was a chestnut mare. Saifeng was standing a few steps away, impatiently swishing his tail. The mare stretched her neck toward him, trying to get close, but Saifeng just glanced at her and trotted off.
The mare watched him longingly, seemingly disappointed.

Bao Ning thought, What kind of owner trains what kind of horse? Both of them are aloof and proud with bad tempers.
Suddenly, she remembered what Feng Xiang had said—that this stud farm was being looked after for Pei Yuan. Curious, she leaned closer and asked, “Is that old man Feng Xiang an old friend of yours?”

Pei Yuan looked down at his fingernails. “You could say that.”

He paused. “Feng Xiang used to be my stableman.”

Bao Ning was surprised. “Then the horse farm—?”

“I gave it to him,” Pei Yuan said, still looking down. Bao Ning couldn’t see his expression but heard his calm voice. “When my residence was raided, he protected something very important to me and was even injured because of it. I didn’t have much else to give him. He loves horses, so I gave him the horse farm—so he could live out his later years peacefully.”

What was that important thing? Maybe it was something private—Pei Yuan didn’t say, and Bao Ning didn’t ask. Instead, she smiled. “Didn’t think you’d be so sentimental.”

Pei Yuan curled his finger to his lips and gave a light blow. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

Something occurred to him. He turned his head and asked, “I’ve got a pretty bad reputation, don’t I? Weren’t you afraid when you married me?”

“So you do know your reputation is awful.” Bao Ning giggled, cupping her face as she looked at him earnestly. “I was a little scared—but not too much. I figured, at worst, you’d just yell at me a bit. You couldn’t really hurt me, so I wasn’t afraid. As for your past—that’s just the past. Like flipping pages in a book—one page turns to the next. I don’t dwell on it. We look forward.”

Pei Yuan tilted his chin slightly and looked down at her. “You’re like a fool.”

Bao Ning was annoyed—he always insulted people so casually.

The next second, Pei Yuan’s hand came over and rubbed the back of her neck gently. In a low voice, he said, “It’s nice. A foolish girl makes people want to protect her.”

His breath brushed against Bao Ning’s face, making her momentarily breathless and a little dizzy. She didn’t even catch what he’d said.

Feeling awkward, Bao Ning shifted her waist, putting some distance between them. She grabbed his wrist and moved his hand away.

She noticed his fingernails—they weren’t neatly trimmed, maybe because men don’t pay much attention. They didn’t look good and were too long.

Eager to escape the vaguely flirtatious atmosphere, she blurted out, “I’ll trim them for you when we get home.”

Pei Yuan added, “My toenails are long too.”

Bao Ning’s cheeks turned red, and after a while, she mumbled, “That’s a bit much.”

Pei Yuan laughed.

As they chatted, Feng Yongjia was already approaching, followed by the bearded Xu Guang.

Feng Xiang had never told Feng Yongjia much. After all, Pei Yuan’s identity was complicated—he was a prince, though disgraced. Feng Xiang knew his youngest son was immature and didn’t mention Pei Yuan in detail, only calling him a benefactor.

Feng Xiang taught Feng Yongjia to live simply and work hard, but Yongjia clearly hadn’t taken it to heart—he was dressed in fine silk, looking like a rich young master next to Feng Xiang, who seemed more like an old servant.

Feng Xiang knocked on the carriage window and said, “My lord, it wouldn’t be easy for you to return with that horse alone. Let my son ride it back for you.”

Pei Yuan tapped the back of Bao Ning’s hand. “It’s your horse. Whether you allow it or not is up to you.”

Bao Ning was a bit surprised. Pei Yuan had said he would give Saifeng to her, but she hadn’t taken it too seriously at the time. Now, hearing his words, she felt a strange flutter deep inside.

Pei Yuan had a bad temper—sometimes even a bandit-like air—but he was a man who kept his word.

Bao Ning smiled. “Let’s listen to Uncle Xiang, then.”

Feng Xiang was delighted and turned back to wave at his son. “Yongjia, come on, let’s go.”

Feng Yongjia responded and quietly bid farewell to Xu Guang. “My lord, I’ll be off, then.”

Xu Guang stood with his arms around his blade, flanked by three attendants. He let out a faint mocking laugh and grunted, “Mm.”

Only then did Feng Yongjia feel reassured and walked toward Saifeng. But he was a little nervous. The horse was wild and difficult to control—he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to manage it and would make a fool of himself.

Sure enough, the moment his hand touched the reins, Saifeng grew agitated and reared up, about to kick him. Feng Yongjia hastily backed away. Xu Guang saw this and burst into loud laughter.

Hearing the commotion outside, Pei Yuan lifted a finger to part the curtain and said in a low voice, “Saifeng, behave.”

Xu Guang looked over when he heard the voice. At first, it was just a casual glance—but when he saw the side of Bao Ning’s face by the window, his heart suddenly sank.

He recognized Bao Ning.

Afraid he might be mistaken, he narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, wanting a better look.

Bao Ning felt the searing gaze and turned her head to look. The sky outside had grown quite dark—she couldn’t clearly see Xu Guang’s face and didn’t pay it much attention before turning back. Pei Yuan let the curtain fall back down.

Saifeng, upon hearing Pei Yuan’s command, actually calmed down. Feng Yongjia nervously mounted the horse. The driver called out, “Hyah!” and the carriage began moving slowly. Feng Yongjia guided Saifeng alongside it.

Xu Guang stared at the carriage’s receding silhouette, his gaze sharp as a blade, as if he wanted to bore a hole through the carriage with his eyes.

Someone beside him asked, “My lord, what are you looking at?”

Xu Guang sneered, “Looking at a beauty from my enemy’s household.”

That time he’d gone with Eunuch Huang to confront Pei Yuan, he had thoroughly lost face and held a deep grudge since. He had long been looking for a way to reclaim his pride—but had never found the right opportunity.

Now, the chance had landed right in his lap.

He waved his hand and shouted to the people behind him, “Let’s go!”

By the time Bao Ning returned home, the hour of You (around 5–7 PM) had already passed, and the sky was filled with stars.

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