He's allowed to lie if he's joking, right? It's an untruth they both enjoy playing up, so he doesn't feel guilty for it. The things Kexing says about him would be at least as rude as this.

"He's the one who does the falconry and has the horse, right?" He asks. That man had left a positive impression on Baiyi, even with their missteps. "Do you ever go with him on these hunts?"