Chapter 13 Wishful Thinking: Execution After Autumn or Slow Slicing at the Beginning of Spring? This is...

He must like Meng Lingyao.

She was so beautiful, graceful as a fairy.

That day, a torrential downpour forced him to stay in the bookstore. Through the heavy bookshelves, he saw someone else eyeing the same book as him. So he let go of the book and, through the gaps between the pages, met a pair of clear eyes.

The rain had just stopped, and his heart was as clear as the sky.

Unlike many women before him, she understood his deep loneliness, his aloofness beneath his exterior, and the burning fire that constantly seared him.

During his time imprisoned, Lu Heming often had the same dream: that she accepted the hairpin, pressed her fingerprint on the marriage certificate, and they drank the nuptial wine together...

But when he woke up, his wrists were bleeding from the shackles digging into them.

A cold wind blew in through the vent, making the oil lamp flicker. Lu Heming's expression was uncertain, and his voice was hoarse, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, "We talked about the past and present, appreciated poetry and painted. I don't believe she would betray me like this. She must have been deceived."

"Zhou Yizhi, it's Zhou Yizhi!" Lu Heming clenched his fist and pounded on the railing, the iron chains rattling loudly.

"I want to see her—"

It was just a one-time meeting. Pei Xu also came from a prominent family and held a high position at a young age. People like them were born knowing how to make choices that maximize their interests.

"impossible."

Pei Xu's eyes were deep and unfathomable.

His rejection was so decisive that Lu Heming didn't have time to react. He stared blankly at him, still immersed in the self-pity of "the world may have wronged me, but I alone will not have wronged you."

“Lord Lu.” The flickering lamplight cast Pei Xu’s shadow on the wall, like a sword drawn from its sheath. He said slowly, “You have probably misjudged the situation. There is only one difference between you confessing and not confessing.”

"If you confess, you will be executed in the autumn. If you don't confess, you will be executed by slow slicing on the first day of spring."

Lu Heming's face turned as white as paper in an instant.

“Pei Xu, if His Majesty finds out that you have acted so rashly, he will surely not tolerate it.”

"The Dali Temple handles cases without Lord Lu having to worry about them."

Pei Xu's gaze fell on Lu Heming's blood-stained hands, hands that had once been stained with the blood of countless innocent women, and now all of that blood had been returned to him.

The dungeon was dark, damp, and had a lingering smell of blood; it shouldn't be a place for her.

After all, she even found archery practice too strenuous.

Pei Xu spoke calmly, "On the seventh day of the eighth month, the Zhou family's boat stopped at Qiu Niang Ferry."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

The iron chains were taut, and Lu Heming's heavy breathing abruptly stopped, as if an invisible hand had gripped his throat. After a moment, he finally spoke, "How...how did you know?"

Pei Xu did not want to say any more; the person in front of him had already proven a lot.

He withdrew his gaze, turned around, and left the cell without hesitation, leaving Lu Heming's screams and struggles behind.

The tea on the stove was bubbling and steaming, and Yue Meng was squatting in front of it, dozing off.

A hand lifted the boiling teapot, and the sound changed in an instant. He suddenly opened his eyes, "Who?"

Upon recognizing the person, he immediately relaxed. "Sir, have you finished your interrogation?"

Pei Xu nodded, poured a cup of hot tea, and pushed it toward Yue Meng.

"If you keep sleeping, everyone in the prison will be beheaded."

Jian Su put down the last volume of the dossier, glanced at him sideways, his dark circles under his eyes unchanged, but his pupils were bright and spirited.

"Young people are full of energy."

Yue Meng muttered a couple of words, then, under Jian Su's murderous gaze, flipped through the newly sorted dossier and frowned, saying, "It really is related to the Zhou family."

"Merchants steal the country." Jian Su scoffed, seemingly remembering something. "This Miss Meng's judgment of people is truly..."

“Last year on the Lantern Festival,” Pei Xu interrupted him, “your money bag was stolen while you were chasing a thief. Was that your fault?”

"..."

Jian Su pursed his lips and said in a hoarse voice, "The thief is too cunning."

Pei Xu remained silent, his handsome face revealing neither joy nor anger. The sun rose above the clouds, and a few rays of light shone through the window onto him, making his expression appear even colder.

Yue Meng wanted to say something, but after glancing at Pei Xu, he swallowed it back down.

His intuition told him that it was best to say as little as possible.

That guy really does have a lot to say sometimes. Miss Meng is such a nice girl, I don't know what's wrong with him, he always makes rude remarks.

He deserves a good scolding from an adult!

Jian Su squeezed his eyes shut, his earlobes turning bright red as if they were about to bleed. After a long while, he looked up and met Pei Xu's gaze. "My lord, it was my fault. I shouldn't have been unable to distinguish right from wrong and judged others so arbitrarily."

"This will not be repeated."

Jian Su immediately stood up and bowed deeply, "Yes."

Yue Meng seized the opportunity to smooth things over, saying, "I think the men in the capital are not good enough. Our Dali Temple needs to be more diligent and do some good for the young ladies of each family."

Jian Su, unusually, did not argue with him and simply gave a soft "hmm".

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Emperor issued his final imperial edict before sealing his pen. The male members of the main branch of the Lu family were sentenced to death, while the remaining female relatives and collateral branches were exiled three thousand li away.

Setting down his imperial brush, the emperor asked the chief eunuch beside him, "Has the eldest princess entered the palace today?"

"They've arrived and are currently in the Empress Dowager's palace."

The emperor nodded. "Go and invite them."

Before long, the chief eunuch led the princess into the inner palace.

Upon seeing the person, the emperor immediately rose to greet him, complaining, "Royal sister, your good nephew has given me a difficult problem. I didn't want to see blood during the New Year; it felt like bad luck."

The Emperor and the Eldest Princess shared a deep bond. As a child, he was frail and often bullied by the son of his father's favored concubine, but his elder sister repeatedly protected him. When he reached marriageable age, he married into the Pei family, making this century-old prominent clan his supporters. Over the years, she never sought to repay his kindness, and thus the sibling relationship remained strong, unchanged from their childhood. Their private conversations remained very affectionate.

"What?" The princess took the hot tea handed to her by the head eunuch and replied, "When you're in a good position, you're my good nephew; when you're not, you're my good nephew?"

The emperor laughed heartily and said, "Of course he is still my good nephew."

"However, I overheard some casual conversation among the farmers at the estate outside the city these past few days," the Princess said casually. "Cleansing up the pests before winter is essential for a bountiful harvest next year. Your Majesty's actions could be more auspicious."

The emperor pondered for a moment and found it to be quite reasonable. "Indeed, that is so."

The eldest princess gently stroked the hand warmer in her bosom, her voice gentle, "When the spring sacrifice to Heaven takes place, the people will surely praise His Majesty's wisdom."

That expression was exactly the same as when I praised him for his good reading skills when he was a child.

The emperor smiled again, carefully examining the princess, and said, "I see that my elder sister is in excellent health, which shows that Yanxing has been serving her diligently. I should let her rest for a few more days."

"Your Majesty should just send him on his errands," the eldest princess said disdainfully. "He always has a stern face and can't say a word; he's incredibly boring."

“We can’t be on official business every day.” The emperor shook his head. “Yanxing is not young anymore; it’s time for him to get to know me better.”

He paused slightly before continuing, "Pei Zhijie still hasn't returned home?"

The eldest princess nodded, "In August, she sent a message saying that he was currently in the border region and his return date was uncertain."

The Emperor sighed softly, "He was also a devoted lover." He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. The Pei family had truly suffered a lot over the past few generations. Pei the Imperial Son-in-Law was undoubtedly a good man, and Pei Xu was excellent in every way, except for his parents. His mother died of illness when he was young, and his father never recovered. He neglected his official position, family, and descendants, devoting himself entirely to medical books and traveling around in search of medicine for years on end, not returning to the capital even once in a few years.

"His parents are not around, so you, as his elder, should worry about him more."

"Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; let them be," the eldest princess said. "I can't be bothered with that."

The emperor looked disapproving. He did want to worry, wishing there were princesses of suitable age, but unfortunately, he had few daughters; the eldest of his several princesses was only nine years old.

He couldn't help but remind her, "Your Highness, there will be a palace banquet in a few days, where all the young ladies will be present. It will be a good opportunity to pick one out."

The eldest princess glanced at him with a smile, "Your Majesty is so concerned about your good nephew, but don't forget your own son. The Third Prince is also of marriageable age."

The emperor immediately changed his mind and sighed, "Children are all debts."

-

After being kept busy by her mother for several days, Meng Lingyao finally managed to sort out all the matters. Madam Zhong then graciously allowed her to go out for some fresh air.

At this time of year, the streets and alleys exude a unique festive atmosphere, and just strolling through them will bring a smile to your face.

Seeing a jewelry shop a few steps away that she had never been to before, Meng Lingyao became interested. "Jin Cui Xuan? Let's go take a look." Although she had already prepared her clothes and accessories for the New Year, who would complain about having too much jewelry?

The shopkeeper recognized the visitor as a VIP and greeted him with a broad smile. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the shopkeeper instructed one of his employees to fetch several brocade boxes.

"Miss, look at these red jade earrings. They are made from red jade that our shop sourced from the Western Regions. They were meticulously carved by our master craftsmen with decades of experience. They are crystal clear and perfect for wearing during the New Year."

"And this hairpin, the most precious part is the South Sea pearl on it, which is smooth, round, and retains its luster for a long time. It is a top-grade pearl..."

As the shopkeeper spoke, he subtly glanced up and sized up the young woman before him. She wore a perfectly proportioned light blue palace dress, and her features were like a clear spring. At first glance, she resembled a willow branch sprouting by a lake in early spring, delicate and charming.

I wonder which family's young lady she is. If she could wear their jewelry, she would surely attract many new customers.

For a moment, the words of praise he uttered became even more sincere.

Meng Lingyao didn't take the shopkeeper's praise to heart. She only felt that the earrings matched her newly made clothes very well, and the hairpin was also nice. She was sure her mother would like it.

Just as she was about to speak and make a decision, the beaded curtain at the door rustled. Meng Lingyao subconsciously turned her head, and Zhao Ruxuan walked in. Their eyes met, and both of them froze for a moment.

The next second, Zhao Ruxuan spoke first, "Oh, isn't this Miss Meng? Are you here to pick out jewelry too?"

Meng Lingyao withdrew her gaze and smiled faintly, "Miss Zhao, what a coincidence."

Zhao Ruxuan strode over, her gold hairpins swaying so brightly they were dazzling. She caught sight of a pair of bright red earrings in the brocade box in front of her and said mockingly, "Isn't Miss Meng always aloof and disdainful of such vulgar things?"

The shopkeeper, who had just praised the "common goods" to the skies, twitched his lips a few times.

Meng Lingyao said softly, "There's no such thing as vulgar or not when it comes to jewelry; it's just a matter of people adding their own interpretations to it."

“Miss Meng is truly eloquent; it must be because of this silver tongue,” Zhao Ruxuan said through gritted teeth, scanning Meng Lingyao up and down. “And this face of hers attracts all sorts of attention.”

Among the noble ladies of the capital, few speak so frankly; Zhao Ruxuan is one of them.

Meng Lingyao was momentarily unsure whether she was being sarcastic or praising.

I always felt there were more of the latter.

"Miss Zhao is too kind," Meng Lingyao said with a smile. "To attract bees and butterflies, one must have flowers to attract. But if one is as plain as a willow, even if one has the will, one may not be able to do so."

"You—" Zhao Ruxuan's face flushed red, "You said I'm as ugly as a willow?"

Meng Lingyao rarely encountered someone so cooperative, making her too embarrassed to say anything worse.

“How could that be?” She opened her clear black and white eyes wide and said innocently, “I was just using an analogy.”

"Miss!" The maid behind Zhao Ruxuan suddenly tugged at her sleeve, "Miss Lin is still waiting for you at Zuixianlou. It's getting late..."

Zhao Ruxuan glared at her, snorted heavily, and stormed off, the beaded curtain clattering against the doorframe.

Meng Lingyao's smile remained unchanged. "Miss Zhao, take care."

The shop finally quieted down, and she was about to continue looking at the jewelry when she suddenly heard the beaded curtain ripple again. Turning her head, she saw a splash of azure blue.

The shopkeeper beside him exclaimed in surprise, "Young Master, what brings you here?"

A note from the author:

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Does anyone understand the author's humor? [shy]

"You're so special. You're unlike any other guy I know. You give me a sense of distance, a feeling of loneliness, an elusive quality. I've heard many people say they're lonely, but I think your loneliness is the real loneliness..."