Chapter 118 Burning with Jealousy

Lu Zhaoxing's face grew paler and paler, and his body curled up slightly.

Her hands gripped her clothes tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Lu Zhaoxing repeated the question over and over, his voice broken like a candle flickering in the wind: "Who exactly is it..."

"Who on earth is so cruel as to treat my Lu family like this... to treat my parents like this?"

At this moment, Lu Zhaoxing's eyes were filled with overwhelming grief and hatred, and tears silently streamed down his face, leaving damp patches on his clothes.

Suddenly, she raised her head sharply, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes.

Lu Zhaoxing's voice trembled slightly: "Could it be...could it be Chu Huaiyu who did it?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Minghe, who was supporting her, slowly opened his mouth.

His voice was steady and certain: "Zhaoxing, it can't be His Majesty."

Then, Shen Minghe paused, his gaze sweeping over Lu Zhaoxing's suddenly tense expression.

He slowly added, "His Majesty is indeed ruthless, and the fact that he framed your sister and the deposed crown prince is common knowledge in the court and beyond dispute."

But given His Majesty's affection for the Empress, he would never resort to such underhanded methods as poisoning your parents.

In my opinion, someone is using the incident from back then as an excuse to take advantage of the situation and harm Uncle Lu and Aunt Lu.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuanzheng turned to look at Shen Minghe and nodded solemnly in agreement.

Pei Yuanzheng's brows were furrowed with seriousness: "I also suspect that this matter could not have been done by His Majesty."

"Then... then who exactly is this person? My father and mother have always been kind people, and my father has never made enemies with anyone in the court!"

"Why would this person go to such lengths to poison them?" Lu Zhaoxing continued to press.

At this moment, she was almost blinded by hatred, and her breathing became increasingly rapid.

Seeing that both Shen Minghe and Pei Yuanzheng had somber expressions, Lu Zhaoxing's heart clenched.

Then she turned to Pei Yuanzheng anxiously, a glimmer of hope burning in her eyes: "Didn't you say you had found the person being hunted?"

Did you ask him who bribed the servants to poison him?

Pei Yuanzheng met Lu Zhaoxing's gaze, his eyes filled with a complex and unreadable expression.

There was guilt, helplessness, and an indescribable heaviness in his eyes.

He slowly shook his head and said in a low voice, "I have already interrogated this person in detail, but his knowledge is ultimately limited."

Pei Yuanzheng paused, recalling the man's confession.

"This person said that the person who gave him the instructions was a man whose face was covered with a black cloth, so he could not see his face clearly."

The person's voice was somewhat high-pitched, as if they were deliberately speaking in a high-pitched voice. Also… there was a noticeable scar on the palm of their hand.

"Besides that, there is no other reliable information." Pei Yuanzheng shook his head helplessly after saying that.

As Lu Zhaoxing listened, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to his heart, and his heart sank to the bottom.

The color drained from her face, and pain and anxiety overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. She could only bite her lower lip tightly, trying to hold back her sobs.

But his shoulders trembled slightly uncontrollably.

Seeing Lu Zhaoxing's appearance, Shen Minghe felt a pang of sympathy, and he could no longer suppress the deep-seated pity he felt for her.

He couldn't help but reach out and gently grasp her hand, which was cold and sweaty at the moment.

Lu Zhaoxing's hands were small and trembling, like a frightened little bird.

"Zhaoxing, don't worry," Shen Minghe said gently.

“Since this matter concerns you and the Lu family, I will definitely pursue it to the end and never let go of any doubts. I will definitely give your parents justice.”

Lu Zhaoxing raised his head and met Shen Minghe's eyes, which were full of concern.

The determination and warmth in his eyes were like a ray of light in the darkness, slightly dispelling the chill in her heart.

Lu Zhaoxing stared at him blankly for a moment, then a grateful smile slowly appeared on her lips.

Though her face bore traces of tears, she possessed a delicate resilience, like a plum blossom just beginning to bloom in the cold winter.

This scene, in Pei Yuanzheng's eyes, was like a spark hitting a powder keg.

The air around Pei Yuanzheng froze instantly, and a fierce flame of jealousy ignited in his eyes, a flame that almost burned away his reason.

Pei Yuanzheng's gaze was fixed on Shen Minghe's hand holding Lu Zhaoxing's, his voice hoarse with anger:

"Shen Minghe, let go of my hand!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Minghe slowly raised his eyes to look at him, a half-smile curving his lips.

Instead of letting go, he tightened his grip slightly, interlocking his fingers with Lu Zhaoxing's.

Shen Minghe's warm fingertips tightly enveloped Lu Zhaoxing's icy skin.

Lu Zhaoxing didn't react for a moment, his body stiffened slightly, but for some inexplicable reason, he didn't break free and instead let Shen Minghe hold him.

She even unconsciously squeezed his hand back lightly.

This completely ignited Pei Yuanzheng's anger.

Pei Yuanzheng's eyes were bloodshot, his breathing rapid. He suddenly stepped forward and reached out to pry their interlocked fingers apart, his movements filled with uncontrolled violence.

"Pei Yuanzheng, that's enough!" Lu Zhaoxing suddenly spoke, his tone stern as ice.

She hurriedly shielded Shen Minghe and said coldly, "I am indeed grateful to you for informing me today that my parents were poisoned."

But between us, it all ended completely the day you married Princess Jinde.

Lu Zhaoxing's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve:

"Now that you are Princess Jinde's husband, please be mindful of your conduct and refrain from any actions that would be unbecoming of your status!"

Pei Yuanzheng was struck dumb, standing there in a daze.

The color drained from his face, leaving only a deathly pallor, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

He seemed unable to withstand this sudden blow; his bloodshot eyes stared intently at Lu Zhaoxing, filled with endless pain, resentment, and despair.

“Zhaoxing…” Pei Yuanzheng’s voice was hoarse, filled with deep sorrow.

"Could it be... that you've really fallen for him?"

Lu Zhaoxing avoided Pei Yuanzheng's gaze, his tone flat and emotionless, yet it was like a sharp blade piercing Pei Yuanzheng's heart.

"This has nothing to do with Prince Consort Pei."

After saying that, Lu Zhaoxing didn't look at him again, took Shen Minghe's hand, and turned to walk outside.

The hem of her skirt swept across the ground, leaving behind a series of hurried footsteps that gradually faded into the distance.

Only Pei Yuanzheng remained in the same spot.

He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, and even faint traces of blood seeping out.

The jealousy and pain in Pei Yuanzheng's eyes were intertwined, almost consuming him.

He stared in the direction Shen Minghe and Lu Zhaoxing had left, his body staggering, as if all his strength had been drained away in an instant, leaving only endless regret and despair.

Pei Yuanzheng slowly walked out of Chengqian Palace, his back view like that of a lonely soul abandoned by the world.

PS:

[Please give the author a 5-star review! Give the author some motivation to really torture Chu Huaiyu, okay? (ㄒoㄒ)]