Chapter 37 Marriage.

"Whom does Young Master Lu wish to see?" Yuan Chaolu stepped forward and blocked his way.

Lu Yu impatiently brushed her arm away and stormed straight into the inner hall.

"Although Hongwen Academy has few guards, it is still a royal forbidden area. How can Young Master Lu be allowed to trespass like this! I will definitely report today's events to the palace officials!" Her voice was filled with anger.

Lu Yu had already stepped into the inner hall. Looking around, the room was empty, except for the plain-colored curtains by the window that were being blown up by the wind.

He turned to look at Yuan Chaolu, a sneer on his lips: "Second Miss, do you think these words can intimidate me? Where is that woman hiding? Hand her over as soon as possible."

He suddenly raised his voice, as if shouting into the shadows of the hall: "The second young lady of the Yuan family is right in front of me. If you insist on hiding and not coming out, how do you know what I will do to her?"

Yuan Chaolu: "Lu Yu!"

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Yu stepped forward, grabbed her by the neck, and slammed her hard onto the table. With a crash, all the teacups on the table overturned and fell to the ground, the crisp sound of shattering echoing in the hall.

Yuan Chaolu's cheeks flushed red, and she desperately pushed against his chest with both hands, trying to break free.

"Stop!" He Yi shouted from behind.

Lu Yu turned around and saw He Yi emerge from behind the screen. He couldn't help but sneer, "Wouldn't it have been easier if you had done this earlier? Why did you have to hide and waste time?"

He looked at the girl's face, flushed red from lack of oxygen, and the clear finger marks on her neck beneath his palm before slowly releasing his grip.

"I'm sorry, Miss."

"You dare come here!" He Yi's eyes surged with hatred. "I wish I could tear you and your vicious siblings to pieces!"

"Tsk," Lu Yu interrupted her casually, strolled to the table and sat down, tapping the surface with his fingertips, "You're lucky to still be alive. Where is your master? Where is Miss Abi?"

He Yi's voice trembled with anger: "She died in Jiangnan! Pierced through the heart by an arrow from your beastly brother, with such a severe wound, how could she possibly survive?"

Yuan Chaolu, who was leaning against the table catching her breath, looked up when she heard this.

Lu Yu said, "I personally set fire to your medicinal herb field on orders. Since you were able to crawl out of that burned field, it's not impossible for Miss Abi to do the same. Tell me! Where is she hiding!"

But then Yuan Chaolu stepped forward and blocked He Yi's way. "What exactly does Young Master Lu want? She is just a servant I bought. If Young Master Lu doesn't leave, don't blame me for being impolite."

"You're welcome?" Lu Yu laughed sarcastically, but his gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he realized something. "No wonder I felt you looked familiar when I first met you, Miss. Your features are extremely similar to those of that Miss Abi."

"I heard that a few months ago, the eldest daughter of the Yuan family went to Luoyang and restored her identity. Could it be that your sister is Miss Abi?"

Yuan Chaolu said, "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Lu Yu already understood and said, "Shortly after we left Jiangnan, that was the time when Miss Yuan arrived in Luoyang. Everything fits together."

He gestured to Yuan Chaolu with his chin, indicating that she should sit down opposite him: "Sit down, let's have a good talk."

Seeing that Yuan Chaolu remained unmoved, her face as cold as ice, Lu Yu sneered: "Second Miss, are you still playing dumb with me? You probably already know a lot of the inside story. Why are you looking at me so coldly? You were just shouting that you wanted me to leave, but now you're not calling the guards. Are you afraid of alerting people?"

He smiled, picked up the teapot on the table, and selectively chose a plain peach-colored teacup, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Is this the Second Miss's usual teacup?"

The tea was poured into the cup, making a soft, gurgling sound. Lu Yu looked over through the steam and asked, "Now that you no longer have the Prince of Yan as your backer, who can you rely on in this academy?"

"Come and sit down," Lu Yu urged again, his tone now carrying a hint of pressure.

"Your aunt, the Empress Dowager, has never approved of your marriage to the Prince of Yan. If she knew about your elder sister's past with Changli, she would probably be even less tolerant of the Yuan family's daughter. If you still want to protect the people around you, come and have a good talk with me."

Yuan Chaolu, who had been standing at a distance, finally took a step forward, but Heyi grabbed her arm. She covered Heyi's hand with her own and patted it lightly, then stepped forward and said, "If Young Master Lu wanted to report this, he could have left earlier. Why waste your breath arguing with me here?"

“Second Miss is indeed a smart person,” Lu Yu raised his teacup and gently touched the rim with his lips. “My cousin Lu Changli may seem gentle and refined, but he is actually cold-hearted and ruthless. He is very good at weighing the pros and cons and it is common for him to use someone and then discard them.”

Lu Yu smiled sinisterly, "Killing one is the same as killing two. The Second Miss is now all alone and has no one to turn to. Tell me, should I report her or not?"

Thunder rumbled outside the window, and a pale flash of lightning illuminated Yuan Chaolu's face. She said coldly, "Tell me about my elder sister's past with Lu Changli."

“Let Heyi tell you.” Lu Yu changed his posture and spoke in a light tone. “It’s simple. My brother went to Jiangnan to oversee the canal transport before the New Year. He selected a piece of land to take over, but your sister was ungrateful and insisted on guarding the medicinal herb field left by her teacher’s wife. She refused to hand it over to the government. If she had obediently handed over the land back then, there wouldn’t have been this huge problem later.”

He Yi gritted her teeth: "He clearly concealed his identity and approached A Bi with ulterior motives, gaining her trust before ruthlessly trying to kill her! You all deserve to die!"

Lu Yu smiled smugly: "Is that so? But my elder brother is alive and well, and the Lu family is at the height of its power in the court. We can live in such a powerful and prosperous state for many more years. Miss Yuan, do you know your place?"

Yuan Chaolu clenched her fists at her sides, her knuckles turning bluish-white.

Lu Yu's smile grew even wider: "The Lu family intends for me to interact more with the Yuan family's daughters. It would be best if I could marry the Second Miss into the family. I'll give the Second Miss two choices. If you're willing to beg me, kowtow twice, and ask to become a concubine in the Lu household, I will make peace with the Yuan family and we'll be considered family from now on. I'll keep this matter a secret for you."

He Yi was so angry that she trembled all over.

“Originally, the Empress Dowager intended for me to make you her principal wife,” Lu Yu said with a disdainful smile, “but now it seems unnecessary. With this connection, being a concubine is enough for you.”

His gaze swept lightly over Yuan Chaolu: "Second Miss, you probably don't know my brother's methods, do you? When he was in an alias, he and your elder sister were lovers for a time, and he could kill them without any scruples, let alone you?"

Yuan Chaolu slowly raised her head, her eyes clear and sharp, meeting his gaze without the slightest fear.

Lu Yu's heart stirred. From the first moment he saw her, he found her stunning face exceptionally captivating, radiating a certain charm. He had seen all sorts of beauties, yet she still made his heart tremble. So, even knowing the gravity of the matter, he patiently pointed her in the right direction, but she simply didn't appreciate it.

"Since that's the case, I won't waste any more words." He flicked his sleeves and stood up.

He took a step, and then his voice came from behind him, "If I kneel down before you, will you let me and He Yi go?"

A glint suddenly appeared in Lu Yu's eyes: "Of course."

Yuan Chaolu stared into his eyes, her voice cold, "No, you won't. Even if I beg you, you'll still complain to your brother."

Having his thoughts exposed, Lu Yu no longer concealed them: "If I inform on you, my elder brother will reward me. At that time, getting a second young lady will be a piece of cake. You choose."

Having said that, he left without lingering.

He Yi rushed forward, and Lu Yu frowned as he saw her grab his arm. He abruptly pulled his arm away and pushed her to the ground.

Taking advantage of this moment, Yuan Chaolu quickly stepped forward and closed the palace door, pressing her back against the door panel.

"Get out of the way!" Lu Yu's face was grim.

A sharp pain suddenly shot through his arm; He Yi had pulled out a silver hairpin from her hair and stabbed him hard.

Lu Yu's face contorted in pain. He shoved He Yi to the ground and grabbed her by the neck.

"You bitch!"

He was a grown man, far stronger than a woman. He Yi's vision blurred, and the air in her throat grew thin. Behind him, she saw Yuan Chaolu bend down and pick up a piece from the scattered shards of a teacup on the ground. He Yi's eyes widened suddenly, realizing what she was about to do. She could only make hoarse sounds as she tried to stop her, but it was too late.

Yuan Chaolu gripped the shard in her hand tightly and slashed it fiercely toward Lu Yu's throat.

The moment blood splattered, Lu Yu clutched his neck, staggered around in pain, and stared at Yuan Chaolu in disbelief.

The shard remained in his neck, blood seeping from his fingertips. Yuan Chaolu bent down, picked up the fruit dagger that had fallen to the ground, and stabbed it into his throat again.

One cut, two cuts, three cuts...

Her hair was disheveled, her forehead was damp with sweat, and her eyes were bloodshot, yet she remained unusually calm as she repeatedly plunged the dagger into his neck.

Blood trickled down her cheek as she whispered, "Go to hell."

Lu Yu's eyes widened, and he thrashed about in the pool of blood like an eel. With a final, forceful thrust of the dagger, the man was completely lifeless.

With a clang, the dagger slipped and fell to the ground.

He Yi struggled to get up and saw Yuan Chaolu covered in blood, sitting in a pool of blood, her face as pale as paper, blood mist rolling down her eyelashes, leaving a bloody mark on her cheek.

Inside the main hall, the air was thick with the scent of blood. Clearly, an accident had occurred.

He Yi hugged Yuan Chaolu, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "What do we do? You killed the Lu family!"

"If I don't kill him, neither of us will survive."

Yuan Chaolu stared coldly at the motionless corpse, its eyes still fixed on her. "He brought this upon himself."

Behind Lu Yu are Lu Changli, Prime Minister Lu, Empress Dowager Lu, and the entire intricate Lu family. She simply cannot contend with the Lu family, nor does she dare to gamble on who the Emperor's scales will tip in his favor.

After the initial panic comes a calm, resolute determination.

She slowly rose to her feet, supporting herself on the ground, and said to Heyi, "Go pack your things, wipe the blood off your body, and leave before the palace gates are locked tonight."

He Yi shook her head: "No, I'll help you clean up the main hall. This bloodstain will definitely attract attention..."

Yuan Chaolu wiped the blood from her cheek with a handkerchief. "I'm fine, but you can't stay any longer. Leave things here to me." Her tone left no room for argument.

Seeing that He Yi was still unwilling to leave, she reached out and took He Yi's hand, and said softly, "Think of your elder sister, she is waiting for you."

He Yi then said with tears in her eyes, "Okay."

After the extreme fear and anger subsided, Yuan Chaolu calmed down.

The students of Hongwen Academy each had their own separate palace courtyards, with few guards on weekdays. Her courtyard was particularly secluded, with the rear hall next to Taiye Pond. Dark clouds covered the area outside the hall, and a torrential downpour was falling, which provided a perfect opportunity to dispose of the corpse.

She first reassured Heyi, saying, "I'll go close the courtyard gate first, in case anyone breaks in."

Just as they reached the palace gate, they saw a figure being thrown in from outside.

He Yi noticed this too and suddenly grabbed her arm. Yuan Chaolu composed herself, took a deep breath, and pulled the door open completely.

In the dim light of day, a tall figure stood outside the door. Suddenly, several streaks of lightning flashed across the horizon, illuminating Pei Xi's face.

"Lord Pei?" Yuan Chaolu's voice trembled. "What are you doing here?"

Pei Xi's face was taut. His gaze first fell on her blood-stained robes, then he looked up at her pale face, his eyes sweeping over her shoulder and across the hall.

Inside the hall, a corpse lay starkly on the ground, blood splattered everywhere, clearly indicating that the person had long since died.

"When did you arrive, sir?" Yuan Chaolu asked.

"I just arrived, and that's when the Second Miss will commit murder." Pei Xi said, lifting his robes and striding into the inner hall.

Rain lashed against Yuan Chaolu's face, icy cold. She gazed at the gray rain curtain on the horizon, went inside, and silently closed the palace door from the back, instantly dimming the light inside. She gave Heyi a wink.

Pei Xi squatted down and examined Lu Yu's body.

Yuan Chaolu asked in a hoarse voice, "Did Lord Pei hear what we just said?"

Pei Xi did not reply.

As Yuan Chaolu watched his retreating figure, her heart sank deeper and deeper.

Killing one Lu Yu might be possible to cover up, but killing a second...

“Lord Pei.” Yuan Chaolu slowly squatted down beside him, her voice softening.

Pei Xi looked up and saw her shoulders trembling slightly, her eyes filled with fear. She said to him, "What happened just now was truly out of necessity. Lu Yu tried to take advantage of me, and I lost my temper and resisted... Now that I've calmed down, I feel extremely frightened. I hope you, sir, can help me."

Her blood-stained arm gently gripped his sleeve, and she knelt down, her hair clinging delicately to her cheek: "My lord, could you please keep this a secret for me?"

Pei Xi remained unmoved. "Second Miss, you killed someone."

“I know.” Yuan Chaolu raised her eyes, her eyes misty with tears. “But if this matter is brought to the attention of the Empress Dowager and the Lu family, my maid and I will probably face certain death.”

His handsome face was devoid of emotion, and he never budged.

Yuan Chaolu said, "Sir, you have already helped me once before regarding the Heavenly Horse. Could you help me again now?"

She was gambling that Pei Xi would choose to lend a helping hand.

Lu Yu was insignificant in the court, and his disappearance for a few days might go unnoticed. But Pei Xi was different. She and He Yi were no match for him, so they could only try to recruit him.

She met Pei Xi's scrutinizing gaze. After a long silence, he asked, "What do you intend to do with this corpse?"

Yuan Chaolu was taken aback for a moment, then said truthfully, "My Luoxia Palace is right next to Taiye Pond, and there is a small grove of trees by the pond that is very secluded. It would be better to bury the body there."

Pei Xi: "That's not appropriate."

“Corpses decompose very quickly in summer, and the smell is strong. If they are buried near your palace, they will be discovered sooner or later if an investigation is launched.” He analyzed calmly. “If they were submerged in the lake, they might float to the surface. You must be restless day and night. The only way is to quietly send Lu Yu’s body out of the palace.”

He Yi stepped forward and asked, "Could someone be among the eunuchs who are going out of the palace to make purchases, and transport the corpse out by oxcart?"

Pei Xi said, "The palace gates are heavily guarded. Even if I were to take the corpse out of the palace in a carriage, I would still be checked by the Tiger Guards when I passed through the palace gates. There's no way to hide it. We can't rely on luck in this matter."

Yuan Chaolu said, "What if we cut the corpse into pieces and transport it out in batches?"

Pei Xi's gaze deepened, clearly not expecting to hear these words from her.

The hall fell into a deathly silence, with only the howling of wind and rain outside the window.

Yuan Chaolu asked, "Would Lord Pei be willing to help me dismember my body?"

The horror and complexity involved are unimaginable, and could not have been accomplished by Yuan Chaolu alone.

After a long silence, Pei Xi drew his sword, bent down and half-squatted beside the corpse. The sound of the sword cutting through flesh and bones was as grating as the sound of slaughtering livestock.

Yuan Chaolu's tense body finally relaxed the moment she saw him take action. "This corpse is really difficult to handle. I'll help Lord Pei."

Just then, a spurt of blood splattered towards her, but Pei Xi turned her face away to avoid it, her voice calm and even: "No need. I'm used to dealing with corpses in the army back in the day. Second Miss, go to the inner palace and leave this to me."

The rain came down hard, and the world was shrouded in darkness.

As evening approached, Pei Xi pulled off the cloth covering his face, took the handkerchief handed to him by Yuan Chaolu, and carefully wiped the bloodstains from his fingertips.

He stood up, picked up the head wrapped in cloth, and put it into the food box beside him, saying, "Later, my sister and I will leave the palace together and take the head and some severed limbs with us. The remaining internal organs will be sent to the palace hunting dogs along the way. The rest of the body will be buried in the hole I dug behind your palace for now, and I will send it out of the palace in the next few days."

Yuan Chaolu had changed into a clean robe and held an umbrella to see him out of the palace.

Before leaving the hospital, Pei Xi turned back and stopped. Raindrops dampened his cold and handsome features, and his tone softened a bit: "I originally wanted to invite the Second Miss to the martial arts arena today, but unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate. I wonder if I'll have the honor of inviting her another day?"

The heart in the Yuan Dynasty's exposed chest cavity was pounding.

Pei Xi's dark robes were already soaked through by the rain. His gaze pierced through the rain as he looked at her. "His Highness the Prince of Yan invited us to meet before. Miss, you must know that this was an invitation to meet. To be honest, Miss, I have already developed a liking for you after our two previous encounters. Seeing your bold actions today, my feelings have only grown stronger. However, I am not one to meddle in other people's business. I will not lend a hand to those who ask for my help without a second thought."

Yuan Chaolu understood the implied meaning in his words, "Lord Pei."

Pei Xi smiled slightly, "I have been busy pursuing fame and fortune, and my marriage has been put on hold. It is indeed time for me to settle down. Miss, there is no need to rush to answer. Why not spend a few more days with me before making any plans?"

Having said that, he said no more, picked up the food box, turned around, and walked into the rain.

He walked calmly to the carriage.

Yuan Chaolu stood in the rain, looking at the deep red marks on his palms where his fingernails had dug them. After a moment, he closed his palms, his eyes clear.

Pei Xi is a decisive, calm, and reliable person. At least from our interactions, he is not a weak person.

Everything in this world has a cause and an effect; if you ask someone to do something, you will inevitably have to pay a price.

Yuan Chaolu didn't feel any aversion to him, but since marriage was related to her future life, she naturally needed to spend more time with him.

**

The rain continued for several days, and dark clouds remained thick over the palace.

On this afternoon, the air in Penglai Palace was filled with the fragrance of incense. The wisps of smoke drifted through layers of gauze curtains into the inner hall, until they enveloped a tall, slender figure.

The emperor, wearing a jade crown and a black robe, with layers of robes piled on the ground, rested his forehead with his fingertips, his expression calm, leaning against a table for a short rest.

A sudden downpour made travel difficult. After the emperor visited the Empress Dowager at Penglai Palace, he was stopped by the rain and stayed in the inner palace to rest.

Zhong Changjun gently fanned him with a fan, listening to the commotion outside the hall. If there was anything strange about the court these past few days, it was the mysterious disappearance of Lu Yu, the young master of the third branch of the Lu family.

No matter how dissolute Lu Yu may be, he is still the legitimate son of the third branch of the Lu family. The disappearance of a member of the Lu family out of thin air is no small matter.

The clues obtained from the investigation are that Lu Yu did not leave the palace after entering it that day. The Tiger Guards guarding the palace gates did not record his departure from the palace, but the Lu family has not seen him for several days.

At first, it seemed like a normal thing, but as time went by, it gradually became a bit strange.

A palace servant just came to report that he personally saw Young Master Lu heading towards the Hongwen Academy that afternoon.

The rain pattered outside the hall, and even the burning sandalwood incense couldn't suppress the sticky, humid air of midsummer.

A palace maid's voice came from outside the curtain: "Your Majesty, Miss Yuan has arrived."

Zhong Changjun paused in his fanning motion and looked at the emperor before him. The commotion outside did not disturb the emperor in the slightest.

The Emperor has not summoned the Second Miss for several days, and no one knows the reason why. In recent days, the Emperor has been in poor spirits, and even the imperial physicians have been unable to diagnose his condition, which has truly worried Zhong Changjun.

As Zhong Changjun was pondering to himself, he suddenly saw the curtains move slightly, and Miss Gao Yurong of the Gao family gracefully entered, her steps light and graceful, reaching out to take the fan from Zhong Changjun's hand.

Zhong Changjun shook his head slightly and subtly avoided the situation.

Just then, Empress Dowager Lu's gentle voice came from the outer hall: "Why has Lord Pei come today as well?"

Pei Xi replied gently, "Your Majesty, I was just at the Second Miss's place when I heard about the disappearance of Young Master Lu, so I came here with her."

Because Pei Xi was the Prince of Yan's mentor, Empress Dowager Lu's attitude became more amiable. "Lord Pei and Miss Yuan are together?"

The man's voice was steady: "Yes, that afternoon, I was with the Second Miss and did not see Young Master Lu."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Changjun in the inner palace was startled and looked at the emperor, who was still resting with his eyes closed.

There was a moment of silence outside the hall. Empress Dowager Lu put away her smile and said, "Although Lord Pei often goes to Hongwen Academy and teaches many princes, Miss Yuan is, after all, an unmarried young lady."

Pei Xi smiled and said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, I am twenty-three years old and still unmarried. I have been spending a lot of time with the Second Miss lately, and we get along very well."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Both parties are interested in marriage."

Upon hearing this, the emperor, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly raised his long eyelashes.

"I intend to marry Miss Yuan Er."

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Author's note: A new rival has emerged.