Chapter 134: Breaking off the Engagement

When Pei Zhao heard his second uncle say that the Eastern Palace was going to dispatch a Supervisory Censor, his eyes moved slightly, like a stone thrown into a calm ancient well, causing ripples.

"Second Uncle, does the Eastern Palace have any officials that it would like to transfer?"

Pei Tingyou shook his head. "Not yet. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince knows that the situation in Qizhou is complicated. Most officials in the court are very resistant to the idea of ​​transfer. They are still under consideration. The best scenario is that an official can recommend himself."

After saying that, Pei Tingyou seemed to think of something, raised his eyes to glance at his nephew's expression, and was suddenly startled.

"Jianzhi, you don't mean to..."

Pei Zhao sat motionless and quietly, his thin lips slightly parted: "Brother's death was unclear, this matter must have a conclusion." His voice was extremely calm and composed.

"Are you crazy?!"

Pei Tingyou was horrified and stood up suddenly. However, he was afraid that his voice would be too loud and people outside would hear him, so he lowered his voice and said, "The court will investigate the cause of Youzhi's death. Your mother is still ill. If she knew you were going to Qizhou, do you think she could bear it?"

"Second uncle, who do you think in Kyoto would volunteer to go to Qizhou? Who do you think would withstand the pressure from local forces to find out the truth about my brother's death?" Pei Zhao remained calm and motionless.

“…”

Pei Tingyou was speechless for a moment.

Local forces couldn't be easily shaken, and the court was filled with corrupt officials who were only interested in political achievements. Even if they went, they would be afraid of offending people and would not investigate thoroughly. But even so, he couldn't just watch his nephew take risks.

"Then you can't go either!"

"You and Lingyi are engaged. If you leave, what will happen to the marriage between the two families?"

Pei Zhao looked at his second uncle's worried expression and said calmly, "Don't worry, second uncle. I won't delay Lingyi."

"No!" Pei Tingyou was shocked and said in a very serious tone, "I will never allow you to go to Qizhou, and you should not even think about it. If you dare to mention this matter again, don't blame your second uncle for using family rules!"

Over the past twenty years, the uncle and nephew rarely argued over something. He never thought that his nephew, who had always been gentle and calm, would be so obsessed with the cause of his brother's death.

Pei Zhao remained silent, his eyes lowered, as if lost in thought.

For two consecutive days, the deep winter wind and snow never stopped, and the snow was so deep that it seemed to be submerging the entire Kyoto.

It was not until the evening of the next day that the carriage carrying the coffin arrived in Kyoto.

Just as the servants carried the coffin into the front yard, they heard a commotion at the end of the corridor. Guan, wearing a fox fur coat with only a thin undergarment underneath, staggered to the front yard, ignoring the maids and old women's attempts to stop her.

In a short while, a thin layer of broken snow formed on the coffin lid.

"Madam, please go back to the house!"

"You're not well yet, don't catch a cold!"

The maids chased after Guan and begged her to go back to the yard, but Guan turned a deaf ear to them and stood on the corridor with her seriously ill body. Her originally dazed eyes were filled with fear the moment she saw the coffin.

When Pei Tingyou and Xiang rushed to the front yard, they saw Si Fu rushing into the courtyard like crazy in the wind and snow and throwing herself on the coffin.

The two were so frightened that they didn't even bother to hold their umbrellas and rushed forward to dissuade them.

Guan had been ill for two days and had hardly eaten, but now she suddenly found the strength from nowhere and pushed open the heavy coffin lid.

"ah--!"

Before Pei Tingyou and Xiang got close, they heard Guan's collapsed cries. They looked at each other with panic on their faces and hurried forward to check the situation.

Xiang only took a quick glance at the person in the coffin, and was so frightened that her face turned pale and she fell to the ground.

The young man in the coffin was wearing an official robe, his face painted with rouge and powder, giving it an unnatural bluish-gray color. The sleeves and hem of his robe were shriveled, leaving nothing underneath. The most obvious part was the neck, where there were obvious traces of a connection.

"Mother!"

Pei Ling came over with an umbrella and wanted to help Xiang, who had fallen to the ground, but was stopped by Xiang in a stern voice.

"Don't come over here!"

“…”

Pei Ling stopped dead in her tracks, her gaze shifting from her mother to her eldest aunt, who was hugging the coffin and sobbing uncontrollably. Her grip on the umbrella handle tightened, tears streaming down her face. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a moon-white figure passing by. Looking again, her second brother had already held up his umbrella to shield her.

Pei Zhao lowered his eyes to glance at the situation in the coffin, his pupils trembling slightly.

After a long while, he spoke in a hoarse voice: "Mother, it's still snowing. Let the servants carry the coffin into the mourning hall first."

"Yes, yes." Pei Tingyou helped Xiang up and comforted her, "Mrs. Si, you are still sick. Let's go inside first."

The sky and the earth were gloomy and dark. The delicate body lying on the coffin was shaking with intense anger, and the veins on the white hands with slender knuckles were bulging.

Guan ignored their words and reached out to touch Pei Shu's face, but felt only coldness.

"Mom, let's go back to the house."

Pei Zhao closed his eyes, put his arm around Guan's shoulders without saying anything, and led her to the backyard, then ordered the maid to bring some hot water.

Afterwards, the coffin was carried into the mourning hall, where huge candles were held high. The servant pushed the coffin lid closed and, unable to resist his curiosity, peeked inside. His face turned pale and he dared not look any further.

The snowy night is cold.

Only after he had calmed Guan's emotions did Pei Zhao go to the mourning hall to pay his respects.

The servants saw the moon-white figure slowly walking in and hurriedly bowed to greet him.

The second young master, dressed in plain mourning clothes, had his back to them, and his facial expression could not be seen clearly, but the muscles on his broad shoulders were tightly tensed, as if he was suppressing endless anger.

Pei Zhao stared blankly at the nanmu coffin. After a while, his heavy eyelids half-drooped, covering the last bit of dim light in his eyes.

…

The next morning.

Hongju hurried back to Zhilan Garden.

At that time, Song Lingyi had just finished washing up. After a sleepless night, she was not only listless, but also had a faint dark circle under her eyes.

"girl!"

Hong Ju walked into the inner room and saw the girl sitting on the soft couch quietly drinking porridge. She pursed her lips again and again and spoke carefully: "Miss, Master Pei and Madam Pei are here."

Song Lingyi was shocked.

The coffin of the eldest brother of the Pei family was just transported back to Kyoto last night. Uncle Pei and Aunt Pei should still be dealing with the funeral arrangements. Why would they choose to come to the Duke's Mansion at this time?

"But what happened at Pei Mansion?"

Hongqi's eyes gradually turned red. She shook her head, a little bewildered: "No, it's... it's..."

Yun Yao, who was standing by, was getting anxious and urged, "What is it? Tell me quickly!"

Perhaps it was because Hongju's mood was too abnormal, Song Lingyi felt a strong sense of unease in her heart, "Did something happen to Brother Jianzhi?"

Hong Qi took a deep breath and said slowly, "Miss, they came to the Duke's Mansion to cancel the engagement."

"Cancel the engagement?!"

Yun Yao was struck by lightning. She immediately covered her mouth and looked at her girl's expression.

Song Lingyi's face was solemn, and there was a hint of disbelief in her eyes.