Chapter 149

"Back then, when the Empress Dowager was still the Empress, her own son, the Fourth Prince, was still alive. Lady Cai spared no effort in helping the Fourth Prince inherit the throne. My father won a battle against the desert. If he were to return to the capital, he would be the greatest help no matter which prince he sided with."

Pei Lingjun's dark eyes suppressed a torrent of hatred as he calmly stated these bloody facts, "Father was upright and unwilling to get involved in the struggle for the throne. Cai tried to win him over several times but failed, so she simply turned against him."

"I only found these things out later."

Her breath caught in her throat, and Wen Shu unconsciously clenched her fists until her nails pricked her palms, at which point she suddenly came to her senses.

So it was the Cai family?

Then everything that happened before can be explained.

Why was Pei Lingjun so determined to bring down Grand Tutor Cai Hui at all costs? It turns out it was because of a blood feud with the Marquis's family.

"You..." Wen Shu's throat tightened for a moment, and she paused for a moment, "So that's why you started with the Grand Tutor's embezzlement case and came to Anyang to investigate?"

"Yes and no," the young man said with a self-deprecating laugh. "Without His Majesty's secret instructions, how could I have progressed so smoothly?"

Wen Shu couldn't see the emotions in his eyes, but she sensed that he wasn't in a good mood.

"But after Cai Hui lost power, His Majesty changed his mind. He spared Cai Hui's life and allowed him to return to his hometown." Pei Lingjun's eyes blazed with hatred as he gritted his teeth and said, "How could I allow him to live out his old age in peace? He will pay the price he deserves!"

"You..." Wen Shu subconsciously wanted to comfort him, but before she could speak, the young man suddenly looked up, carefully took her fingers, and kissed them tenderly.

"I didn't tell you about these things before because I thought they were too bloody and you wouldn't like them. Besides, I am the one who caused your family's property to be confiscated. Ah Shu, do you blame me?"

The young man's dark eyes were fixed on her, and Wen Shu felt her breathing become erratic for a moment.

She pursed her lips and said, "I...I never blamed you for upholding the law and convicting the Wen family. My father was an official, yet he was corrupt and accepted bribes. Even if he could fool people for a while, he couldn't hide it forever. The truth will eventually come out."

Perhaps not expecting to be forgiven so quickly, Pei Lingjun's eyes flashed with disbelief as he held Wen Shu's hand to his cheek. "But I still feel sorry. I'm sorry, A-Shu."

The low, husky voice was right next to her. Wen Shu suddenly opened her eyes wide and abruptly pulled her hand away. She always felt that Pei Lingjun was acting very improperly.

"You, you can talk, why did you have to hit me?"

The young man chuckled softly, his smile spreading across his lips. He rose and sat down next to Wen Shu, then knocked on the window. The guards outside understood and pulled on the reins, driving away.

"So that night, it was the Cai family who sent people to assassinate you?" Wen Shu recalled that night when dozens of black-clad assassins silently surrounded the courtyard, and Pei Lingjun, Cui Pei, Wen Ji, and several guards fought fiercely inside.

She and her mother huddled together in the room, the fear of impending death so intense, the sounds of killing so close to their ears.

For a moment, Wen Shu thought that she probably couldn't change the outcome.

“Yes.” Pei Lingjun did not deny it, even though Zhou Yun still thought it was the He family’s revenge. “Cai Hui is desperate and wants to drag me down with him.”

She was terrified that night, and she feared she would never forget it.

As they were talking, the carriage came to a steady stop outside the courtyard.

The two got off the carriage, with Hanxiang following closely behind. The soft, fragrant cake in her hand had been chilled to the bone by the cold wind all the way.

Pei Lingjun reached out and took the cakes, teasing the neighbor's big yellow dog, and slurped down the remaining pieces of cake for it.

Wen Shu tried to stop it, but it was too late.

She looked at the empty oil paper package and heard the young man's smiling voice above her, "These pastries won't taste good if they get cold, let's buy some warm ones."

The young man pulled Wen Shu inside. From an angle where Wen Shu couldn't see, Pei Lingjun turned his head and looked at the big yellow dog that was huffing and puffing while eating, and revealed a triumphant smile.

Did Lu Jiang buy the cakes?

Ha, that's the only ending they deserve.