Chapter 13

The Goguryeo men called to Pei Yao from outside. He rose unhurriedly, lifting the tent flap with one hand and doing up his already tightly fastened collar all over again with the other. “What is it?”

They stood in drunken little clusters, their arms around the entertainers. “Come and drink!”

This seemed the perfect moment to play the fiercely virtuous captive. I found his saber beside the bed, drew it with a ringing scrape, and lunged at him, shouting, “I’ll kill you!”

Pei Yao might have had eyes in the back of his head. Without even turning, he snatched the blade from me. A twist of his wrist sent the curved saber to the ground, and an outstretched arm caught me under his armpit. He looked down at my miserable, furious face, pinched my cheek, and smiled. “What a wild little cat.”

I struggled indignantly, to no avail. All I managed was to wrench my collar crooked and let the chilly air in.

The Goguryeo men roared with laughter at my disheveled state. They eyed me maliciously and praised “Heyan” for knowing how to keep someone in hand.

Pei Yao looked pleased, but he did not join in. He merely drew my collar closed with deliberate care. His eyes reflected the night like still water over a fathomless abyss. That handsome face wore something halfway to a smile, yet somehow it sent a chill down my spine. “Zhuzhu’er, keep this up, and I may decide you’re more trouble than you’re worth.”

For an instant, he truly frightened me. I froze as though struck by lightning and stopped struggling at once. Whenever he became “Ashina Heyan,” it was as if he became another man entirely, nothing like the courteous, cultured Pei Yao I knew.

And so, looking wretched and thoroughly terrified, I was taken in his arms to the Goguryeo men’s tent.

A brazier burned inside the large tent, filling it with warmth. Flushed with drink, the men sang to a steady beat, swaying their heads in happy intoxication.

Several entertainers sang and danced in the middle of the tent. I could not understand their songs, but their voices were sweet enough. Their dancing was rather clumsy, though, nowhere near the Pusaman dancers in Chang’an’s taverns.

When Pei Yao sat down with me, the men began clamoring for me to dance too.

I couldn’t!

I had been hopelessly uncoordinated since childhood. I had barely managed to learn to ride. Dancing was beyond me altogether.

Pei Yao remained perfectly composed. “Leave her alone. My Zhuzhu’er comes from a respectable family. How would she know such things?”

Their laughter grew loud and skeptical. “And how would Heyan know that?”

Pei Yao gave them a knowing look and silently mouthed, “She can’t keep a secret.”

One of the men slapped the table and rose in mock indignation. “You lucky dog! Come on, three cups as your penalty!”

Pei Yao waved them back to their seats, making a show of keeping the peace. He picked up his cup, then added warily, “Just these three. After that, no more of this nonsense.”

They ignored his condition. “Drink! Stop talking!”

With a helpless smile, Pei Yao drained all three cups in quick succession.

Watching him act like such a practiced charmer left a sour, bitter taste in my mouth. Perhaps all those years beyond the frontier had simply left him unfamiliar with the rules of a respectable household in the heartland. Why had I ever assumed he was an inexperienced young man? That had been nothing more than my own guesswork.

I was looking down, playing with the ends of my hair, when a piece of roast meat appeared in front of me.

The Goguryeo men roasted venison over charcoal with aromatic leaves, then dipped it in sauce. Its crisp edges and smoky fragrance were terribly tempting.

I gave Pei Yao a shove to tell him not to feed me, but he kept his hand extended, offering the meat on the tip of his knife. Resigned, I opened my mouth to bite it. He abruptly drew the knife away and turned toward me instead. The mouth I had opened for the meat met his lips.

I was stunned. Before I could push him away, he had released me and slipped a piece of meat into my still-open mouth.

Seeing my dazed face, he burst out laughing and put an arm around my shoulders. He leaned close, his siren’s beauty tinged with a flush from the wine. “Look after me properly, and you’ll have all the good wine and meat you want.”

Delighted by his antics, the men laughed harder than ever and applauded. One after another they got up to dance, until each was embracing an entertainer and their behavior grew increasingly indecent.

The women moved between the couches. Pei Yao was by far the handsomest man there, yet he was occupied entirely with holding me and drinking. They all came over to talk to him, but they spoke Goguryeo’s language. Unlike the noblemen, they evidently knew no Chinese.

Pei Yao apparently understood none of their language. He neither answered nor showed the slightest interest.

Most lost interest and returned to amuse themselves in the other men’s arms. One stayed attentive. She was probably the prettiest of them, with an arrogant expression and a black gauze robe quite unlike the others’ clothes. Although the highest-ranking Goguryeo man held her in his arms, her eyes remained fixed on Pei Yao. A bare foot slid beneath the low table, reaching to hook around his.

A sudden fury rushed straight to my head. I flung a cup of wine at her, soaking the foot she had only half extended.

The entertainer cried out and jerked it back. Everyone around us startled, then began pounding the tables with laughter. “Look at this little lady! A moment ago she was defending her virtue, and now she’s guarding her prize!”

Only then did I remember the part I was supposed to be playing. Mortified, I swept back my sleeve and tried to leave. Before I was even on my feet, Pei Yao pulled me into his arms, held the back of my head, and kissed me firmly.

I struggled with both hands and feet, without success. By the time he released me, I could not bear to face anyone and buried my head in his chest. He held me and laughed with evident delight.

Then a Goguryeo man spoke coldly behind us. “You’re a bold little thing. Once the princess joins his household, will you dare show this kind of jealousy?”