Chapter 130 The Truth

The woman's eyes were evasive and she hesitated to speak.

"When my girl asks you a question, just answer it honestly!" Hongqiu said sternly.

"Yes...it was about asking me to send someone to take Second Master Pei and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to the side hall. I just took the money and did the job, so I didn't dare to ask the reason."

Hearing this, Song Lingyi's heart sank with a heavy heart.

Others didn't know what happened in the side hall, but she knew it in her heart.

No wonder Xiao Mingyi suddenly appeared that night. Pei Zhao was not in Xuanhe Hall. He must have seen Xiao Mingyi putting the twined hairpin on her, otherwise he would not have gone against his usual behavior and held her hand in front of Xiao Mingyi.

However, how could the pretty boy know that she knew the prince and even designed to let Pei Zhao see them?

Song Lingyi's expression suddenly changed slightly.

"Miss, you look very unhappy. Are you feeling unwell?" Hongqi asked.

A gust of cold wind blew, and Song Lingyi woke up. She immediately ordered the coachman to find someone to arrest the woman, and then got on the carriage to Changsheng Temple.

The streets are particularly deserted during the New Year holidays.

Song Lingyi stared at the gently swaying rambutan-patterned curtains. The closer the carriage got to Changsheng Temple, the deeper the worry in her eyes.

It was all her fault for being so slow. She hadn't noticed her fiancé's mood was off. How was she going to explain this to him later?

If she wanted to clarify the relationship between her and Xiao Mingyi, it would inevitably lead to what happened before she came to Beijing.

If Pei Zhao wanted to cancel the engagement, she wouldn't blame him.

After all, this is not the modern era. How could a man accept that a woman has another relationship before marriage, and the other party is the prince? If handled improperly, it will definitely affect his career.

…

Imperial City, Mingde Hall.

Under the eaves of the highest pavilion, the prince, wearing a crimson brocade robe with python patterns, leaned on the railing with one hand and looked out at the white imperial city with a dark look in his eyes.

Behind him, the deputy commander of the Palace Front Division stepped forward, bowed, and replied solemnly:

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, as you instructed, the palace maid has already informed Miss Song of the news."

Xiao Mingyi fumbled with the eagle jade ring and hummed faintly, "How did she react?"

"Miss Song sent someone to arrest the palace maid, and then went to the Changsheng Temple."

"Keep sending people to keep an eye on it."

"Yes!" The deputy commander of the Palace Front Division took the order and withdrew.

Feng Tong glanced at the Crown Prince, who was leaning over the railing overlooking the scene, and said cautiously, "Didn't His Highness say before that he was going to deal with that palace maid? Why did he suddenly let her out of the palace?"

The wind was howling around the pavilion. Xiao Mingyi looked up at the dull blue-gray sky, as if thinking about something.

On the New Year's Eve palace banquet, Pei Zhao clearly knew that he and Ah Li had a past, but he pretended not to know, even bringing people to show off in front of him, using his fiancé status as a demonstration. With this reaction, he would probably tolerate this matter later.

As the crown prince, he couldn't separate them openly, so he could only add fuel to the fire.

Since Pei Zhao was going to endure it, he might as well tell A Li the truth of what happened that day and wait for her to make a decision.

Even if the engagement was called off, Lu Qian still had to get past Ali if he wanted to get close to her.

"Lu Qian dared to plunder the tiger's mouth, so he must pay a price." Xiao Mingyi's expression was indistinguishable from joy and anger.

"Your Highness is wise." Feng Tong smiled and flattered him again.

…

It was half an hour later that the carriage arrived at Changsheng Temple.

Guan and Pei Zhao went to the temple to pray first. Song Lingyi didn't wait for the carriage of the Duke's Mansion to stop, and jumped out in two steps, which scared Hongqiu, who was afraid that her daughter would fall.

The master and servant walked quickly into the temple. There were fewer people coming to pray during the New Year holidays, so the temple was quiet and deserted.

Song Lingyi asked the old Taoist priest in the temple for directions and went straight to the Sanqing Temple.

The incense was burning brightly in the hall. Guan clasped her hands together and knelt on the cushion to pray devoutly. Song Lingyi glanced at the tall and slender figure next to Guan, her heart sank. After hesitating for a moment, she walked lightly to Pei Zhao's side and knelt down.

Pei Zhao didn't open his eyes when he noticed someone coming beside him. The candlelight in the hall danced on his face, and his expression was gentle and indifferent, as if he was keeping people at a distance.

Song Lingyi looked at him quietly. Her heart, which had been beating rapidly when she came, seemed to be drowning in a thousand-foot-deep pool at this moment, sinking bit by bit.

The surroundings were so quiet that you could hear a pinhole. Time seemed to be stretched infinitely. She felt like a prisoner waiting to be sentenced to death, feeling tormented and painful.

After a long while, Guan opened her eyes after bowing and found Lingyi coming. She said with joy, "It's so cold today. Auntie thought you wouldn't come."

"Since my aunt invited me, of course I had to come." Song Lingyi smiled and glanced at Pei Zhao inadvertently, but did not dare to greet him.

Mrs. Wen patted her hands and said with a sweet smile, "Auntie still needs to interpret the fortune. Jianzhi, please accompany Lingyi for a walk."

Pei Zhao nodded in agreement.

The two watched Wen walk away with the old Taoist priest in silence.

When Song Lingyi spoke again, her voice was a little rough: "Brother Jianzhi, I have something to tell you."

Pei Zhao glanced at the gray sky and said calmly, "It's cold today. Mother really shouldn't have called you to Changsheng Temple. You should go back quickly."

The topic changed abruptly. Song Lingyi knew that he was trying to avoid her. She put her sleeves together and lowered her eyes, with tears in her eyes.

Hong Qi, who was standing next to her, sensed something was amiss and immediately said, "How could Master Pei do this? My daughter is already here, how can you chase her away like this..."

Pei Zhao turned around and stared at Hong Ju sharply, who immediately shut up.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Let's go. It's not convenient to talk here."

The two of them walked along the path and came to a pavilion.

Song Lingyi fell half a step behind, looked at the young man's back, took a deep breath, but when the words came to her lips, she didn't know where to start.

After pondering for a moment, he slowly said, "On the day of the New Year's Eve palace banquet, my clothes got wet and the palace maid took me to a side hall to change. But after I came out, the palace maid disappeared. I didn't know the way and went in the wrong direction. Meeting His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was really just a coincidence."

Pei Zhao's expression remained calm: "I know, I believe you."

Her clothes were wet, so she changed in the side hall. If they met by chance again, as she was involved in the situation, she naturally couldn't avoid it.

"There's one more thing I've kept secret for a long time." Song Lingyi lowered her eyes and mustered up the courage to speak. "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and I have known each other for a long time. When I was in Xuancheng, I ran into him leading his men to intercept an assassin. He accidentally discovered me, and he was afraid I would reveal the secret, so he took me with him. Later, I ran away and met you on the outskirts of Qingshi Town..."

It is true.

Pei Zhao turned around and looked quietly at the girl in front of him who was burying her head like a quail.

"Did he bully you?"

Song Lingyi's eyes turned red at the question, and she spoke to herself, "I couldn't escape that day. I met his assassin in town. Fortunately, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince showed up in time and saved me. Before going to the capital, he left me alone in Hexian Tower. That's how I found the opportunity to go to the capital to stay with my relatives."

At this point, she raised her head, met Pei Zhao's gaze, and said, "From Huaizhou City to Kyoto, you are the first person who has shown me kindness. I shouldn't have hidden it from you. If you want to break off the engagement, I won't have any complaints."