Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 44

The guests who’d come to offer birthday congratulations were invited to move into the inner courtyard to take their seats. Huo Fenghua was holding a pastry in his hand, searching along the lakeside for Su Zeyang, but he couldn’t find him. As crowds of people passed by him heading inward, a young man suddenly grabbed Huo Fenghua by the wrist and said, “Huo Fenghua?”

Huo Fenghua looked at him. The young man was dressed in fine, luxurious clothes, and by his looks he seemed like the son of an official family in the capital. Huo Fenghua clasped his hands in greeting. “Hello, brother. Do we know each other?”

The young man let go, staring at him in confusion. “You don’t recognize me anymore?”

Huo Fenghua smiled. “My memory’s not great. I was locked up in the General’s Manor for so long that even people I used to know, I don’t recognize anymore.”

The young man looked him up and down, still full of doubt. After a moment he reached out and grabbed Huo Fenghua’s wrist again. “Come. Come with me.”

Huo Fenghua saw him heading toward the inner courtyard. He needed to go there to find Su Zeyang anyway, so he followed along. On the way, the two of them ran into Wang Anzhi, who was greeting guests. The young man lifted a hand and waved. “Look who I ran into!”

Wang Anzhi walked over with a smile. “Well, isn’t this Brother Fenghua? You haven’t seen him in ages. I was drinking with him not that long ago.”

“Oh?” The young man looked surprised.

Wang Anzhi led them farther in. “Since we’ve run into each other, we have to drink a few cups together tonight. You two sit first. Once I’m done here, I’ll come over.”

The inner courtyard was a large garden. One side had a pond too, though it was much smaller than the big lake outside, and the water seemed shallow, with only some aquatic plants floating around the edges. At this time, the garden was filled with banquet tables. Guests gathered around the round tables to sit, and a stage had been set up at the front. To celebrate Wang Chu’s birthday, the Wang family had hired the best opera troupe in the capital to perform “The Eight Immortals Congratulate the Birthday.”

Wang Anzhi and the young man brought Huo Fenghua toward a table near the pond. Halfway there, Huo Fenghua shook off the young man’s hand and said, “I still need to find someone.”

Wang Anzhi let out a laugh and asked, “Looking for your ‘sister’?”

The young man didn’t understand at first what Wang Anzhi meant, but then he laughed along.

“I saw him just now,” Wang Anzhi said. “Today I’m treating you to a drink. There’s no reason I need his permission. I’ll go talk to him for you.” With that, Wang Anzhi let go of Huo Fenghua and found Su Zeyang in the crowd.

Following his gaze, Huo Fenghua finally spotted Su Zeyang. Su Zeyang had casually chosen a table and sat down. Wang Anzhi walked over, murmured a few words to him, then pointed in Huo Fenghua’s direction.

Su Zeyang looked over and gave a slight nod.

Only then did Wang Anzhi grin and stroll back.

Huo Fenghua remembered Su Zeyang saying he still had something to do and couldn’t help feeling puzzled. At that moment the young man tugged at him again. Huo Fenghua didn’t resist, and the young man led him to sit at a table near the pond.

There were seven or eight young men at that table, all of them Wang Anzhi’s drinking buddies, the spoiled sons of the rich of the capital. Back when Huo Fenghua used to hang around with Wang Anzhi, he’d often drank and visited prostitutes with this group too.

Huo Fenghua’s appearance today naturally caused a stir. These young men, whose names he couldn’t even remember, pulled him down by the round table, all saying it had been ages, asking whether he’d been doing well living in the General’s Manor.

But no matter what they said, most of the “concern” was malicious. On the surface they called him brother, but inside they were curious about his identity as a male concubine. The concern was fake. The real point was to mock and humiliate him.

Huo Fenghua didn’t really care. When someone asked, he answered freely, without the slightest embarrassment.

The young man who’d brought him over said, “Brother Fenghua is truly a carefree soul.”

Huo Fenghua clasped his hands. “You’re too kind, you’re too kind.”

After a while, Wang Anzhi arrived too. The first thing he did after sitting down was pour Huo Fenghua a cup of wine. “You haven’t been out in so long. Shouldn’t you drink this one?”

Hearing that, Huo Fenghua picked up his cup and raised it to Wang Anzhi. “Brother Wang’s got a point. Not only should I drink, I should toast you first. Today is the Right Prime Minister’s birthday. With this cup, I wish him evergreen pines and cypresses, and a long life as lofty as the Southern Mountain!”

With him putting it like that, Wang Anzhi couldn’t very well refuse. He lifted his cup, clinked it with Huo Fenghua’s, and the two of them drained it.

As soon as the cup was set down, Huo Fenghua stood and refilled both their cups. He raised his cup again to toast Wang Anzhi. “This second cup, I wish the Old Madam robust health and blessings and longevity without end.”

Wang Anzhi shot him a look, then drank again.

When Huo Fenghua reached to pour a third cup, Wang Anzhi grabbed his hand. “What? Are you trying to get me drunk?”

Huo Fenghua smiled. “What are you saying? Today’s the Right Prime Minister’s birthday. Brother Wang should be the star of the show. These cups are just my heartfelt intention. If Brother Wang doesn’t like it, then forget it.”

Wang Anzhi looked him up and down. “Ever since you went to the General’s Manor, you’ve changed a lot. Every time I see you, you feel different.”

Huo Fenghua stared at his wine cup, lips curling. He leaned close to Wang Anzhi’s ear and murmured, “That’s the General’s ‘nourishment.’ Is that what Brother Wang wants to hear? Satisfied?”

Wang Anzhi gave an awkward chuckle. He’d meant to humiliate and mock Huo Fenghua but hearing him say it so frankly and without any shame made it feel strangely pointless. So he asked, “Looks like you and that Su Zeyang get along pretty well?”

Huo Fenghua nodded. “Pretty well. He’s the legitimate wife, after all. I don’t go provoking him.”

“Tsk,” Wang Anzhi snorted. “So you’re willing to spend your whole life in the General’s Manor as a male concubine?”

Huo Fenghua lowered his voice. “Then would Brother Wang be willing to point out a clear road for me?”

Wang Anzhi said, “If you’re willing, then I’ve got nothing to say. But if you’re not, you might as well come back and follow me again. The Feng family isn’t a place just anyone can slip into, but since you’re already inside, wouldn’t it be convenient to get a lot of things done?”

Huo Fenghua looked suddenly enlightened. “So that’s how it is. Give me a little time, Brother Wang. I still need to think it through carefully.”

After they whispered a few more words, the young men at the table began to toast one another, and the atmosphere warmed up.

At first, some couldn’t resist making jokes about Huo Fenghua’s status. Later, seeing he didn’t care, it faded. More often they reminisced about their carefree days in the capital. The more they drank, the more spirited they became.

Wang Anzhi draped an arm over Huo Fenghua’s shoulder and said, “Fenghua, do you remember Miss Linglong, the top courtesan at Zuixiang Pavilion?”

Huo Fenghua wasn’t actually drunk. He didn’t know why, but his body felt like a bottomless pit. No matter how much he drank, his mind stayed clear. Only his cheeks were flushed. He deliberately let his eyes look hazy and smiled, shaking his head. “Don’t remember.”

Wang Anzhi said, “You insisted on stealing her from me. I said, let her choose and she chose you. I’ve held a grudge ever since.”

Huo Fenghua burst into loud laughter.

Suddenly, a cool, clear voice spoke from behind him. “It’s time to go.”

Huo Fenghua immediately turned. Su Zeyang was standing there.

Before Huo Fenghua could say anything, Wang Anzhi flung his wine cup aside and stood, walking up to Su Zeyang. “I’m drinking with my brother. Why’s Madam Feng in such a hurry?”

Wang Anzhi had drunk quite a bit and was already muddleheaded.

On the stage, “The Eight Immortals Congratulate the Birthday” had finished, and the banquet had mostly broken up. Guests were leaving one after another. Only this table of young masters remained, still drinking and chatting, with a few maidservants standing by to attend them.

Wang Anzhi wasn’t speaking particularly loudly, but in the open garden his words were unusually clear.

Su Zeyang’s tone was calm. “It’s late. We should take our leave, Young Master Wang.”

Wang Anzhi reached out and shoved Su Zeyang on the shoulder. “I told you to stay with the women. If you want to leave, then leave by yourself.”

Seeing Su Zeyang stumble a step back, Huo Fenghua hurriedly stood, wanting to separate them. But Su Zeyang said unhurriedly, “Fenghua came with me. I should take him home. So tell me, Young Master Wang, what will it take for you to let him leave with me?”

Wang Anzhi laughed. “What will it take? Then come drink with me. Everybody in the capital says Feng Tianzong’s male wife is a great beauty. I’ve had plenty of pretty women serve me. I’ve never tried a pretty man. Serve Feng Tianzong the way you do and come serve me too. Let me try.”

His words were outrageously rude. If other guests heard them, it would be hard to contain. But the only people left in the garden were his pack of cronies. A few young men who were a little more sober came up to persuade him. “Brother Wang, you’ve had too much. You shouldn’t say nonsense.”

Huo Fenghua also tried to smooth things over. “You’re drunk. Go rest early.” He was about to call a maidservant over to help Wang Anzhi back.

But Wang Anzhi lifted a hand and shoved them aside, saying to Su Zeyang, “I’m serious.” Then he actually raised a hand and touched Su Zeyang’s face, clicking his tongue. “Tsk. Pretty smooth.”

Huo Fenghua narrowed his eyes, deeply displeased. One hand clenched into a fist at his side. Before he could speak, he heard Su Zeyang say, “Sure. I’ll offer Young Master Wang a toast. But once you finish this cup, please let Fenghua go home with me.”

Wang Anzhi dropped down onto a nearby stool, tugged at his robe, and said, “Pour.”

Huo Fenghua reached out to press on Su Zeyang’s arm, but Su Zeyang gently pushed his hand away. Su Zeyang picked up the wine pot, poured a cup, and held it out in front of Wang Anzhi. “I toast you, Young Master Wang.”

Wang Anzhi stared at his pale fingers and couldn’t help reaching up to touch them. He looked up at Su Zeyang and said, “Feed me.”

A young man beside them tried to stop him, murmuring, “Brother Wang, that’s enough.”

Su Zeyang lowered his eyes, his face unreadable. He brought the cup to Wang Anzhi’s lips and fed him the wine.

After Wang Anzhi finished the cup, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Su Zeyang, trying to drag him into his arms. Several people rushed forward to stop him. Someone shouted at the maidservants nearby, “Go fetch your master! Your young master is drunk. Don’t let him make a scene!”

Su Zeyang said nothing, only struggled.

A drunk person was frighteningly strong. Even with several people trying to restrain him, they couldn’t. Su Zeyang retreated toward the pond. Wang Anzhi chased after him trying to grab him but Su Zeyang dodged aside. When Wang Anzhi lunged forward, he fell straight into the pond.

The pond wasn’t deep, but the moment the drunk Wang Anzhi went in, he disappeared from view. Two servants immediately jumped in and hauled him up. Just as his head surfaced, someone on the bank pointed into the pond and shouted in alarm, “What’s that?”

Huo Fenghua also stood at the shore looking in. In the middle of the pond, a piece of red cloth floated up, bobbing up and down. It looked as if someone in red clothing were floating on the surface.

At that moment a maidservant shrieked, “Ah! There’s a dead body!”

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