Chapter 152 Song's Desperate Recklessness

Ji Shu continued to lean on his shoulder, letting out a low chuckle: "According to you, no matter what you do, I can't have the slightest complaint. In a few years, when I'm old and faded, you'll be completely tired of me. Then, will I have to grovel and beg you to consider our past relationship?"

Pei Yanzhi found her increasingly absurd statements and was somewhat troubled. She rarely acted so unreasonably; what was wrong with her today?

With the expedition imminent, he didn't want her to have any lingering resentment, so he gently lifted her face, forcing her to look directly at him.

"If there is anything I have done wrong in the past, I apologize to you here, but my original intention has always been to have you by my side."

“At first, I may have just wanted you to come to Yanzhou, but as time went on, I wanted you to be with me all the time. Now that war is about to break out, I really can’t bear to leave you alone out there. I will have Xingjian stay in Yanzhou to guard it.”

"I can only feel at ease when he's around."

Ji Shu's beautiful eyes were fixed on him without blinking, from his tied-up hair crown to his tall, straight eyebrows, and then to his phoenix eyes that were usually so imposing that one dared not look him in the eye.

For someone like him, perhaps only when everything is under his control can he find a moment of peace.

She lowered her eyes, pretending to be thinking, then feigned a tentative question: "What should I do if something happens to you on the battlefield?"

Pei Yanzhi assumed she was worried about him, and a gentle smile appeared in his eyes as he said, "Don't worry, this battle is not only about Hanzhong, but both sides have almost mobilized the entire strength of their countries. I—will never lose."

Ji Shu nodded slowly, but a thought suddenly surfaced in her mind. The thought grew stronger and stronger, and she almost knew that the idea was definitely feasible.

She gently rested her head against his chest, gazing wistfully ahead.

After speaking, Pei Yanzhi intended to stay for dinner, but Fu Shou Yuan Shu Tong suddenly arrived, saying that the old lady had invited him to come.

Pei Yanzhi guessed that Xingjian's matter had been resolved. He looked deeply at the person in his arms and said, "I'll go to Mother's courtyard first. I'll probably be back very late tonight, so don't wait for me for dinner."

Ji Shu stood up and nodded obediently.

Seeing how docile she was, he lowered his head and kissed her lips. Just as he was about to go deeper, Ji Shu turned her head away. Seeing his displeased expression, she could only smile awkwardly.

"Mother is waiting, don't be late."

Pei Yanzhi pinched her cheek before leaving.

As he walked along, the air was filled with the pleasant fragrance of osmanthus blossoms. When he entered Fushou Garden, a faint smile was on his face.

But when he saw Song kneeling on the ground, her face streaked with tears, her expression turned pale.

Clearly, something had already happened inside the hall before his arrival that he was unaware of.

After sitting down, he asked, "What is it?"

Song Yunshu knelt down first, tears still streaming down her face, and cried out hoarsely, "Brother, save me! I have no intention of harming Xingjian!"

“Xingjian grew up in my life, how could I possibly poison him!”

It turned out that after Pei Xingjian left Wenxin Pavilion yesterday, he secretly conducted a thorough investigation, which was indeed difficult at first.

It wasn't until Xiao Er confessed about Miao Yin that they followed the clues and discovered that the mastermind behind it all was his kind second aunt who had given him the drug.

Pei Song stood there, stunned and bewildered, muttering to himself, "Brother, Mother... what happened to her?"

Madam Pei, supporting her forehead with disappointment, said, "Why don't you ask your wife, Madam Song? I would say I don't love you like my own daughter, but since you married into the household, six years have passed and Erlang has no children, yet I have never been harsh with you."

"But what have you done now?" She slammed her hand on the table, clearly very angry.

Pei Yanzhi's hawk-like gaze pierced straight at Song Yunshu, cold and authoritative, carrying the pressure of a superior.

Song Yunshu shook her head frantically, repeatedly saying no. Only then did Pei Xingjian speak up, "I don't know why Second Aunt is treating me like this. These are things I had searched Miaoyin's room. Are you still trying to deny it?"

Song Yunshu's eyes lit up. "That was Miaoyin's doing. It has nothing to do with me."

Pei Yanzhi: "Where is she?"

Pei Xingjian lowered his eyes: "She got away!"

Seeing that there was no way to prove it, Song Yunshu pressed on with Miaoyin, "She must have been jealous of the Second Master, so she targeted Xingjian because of her hatred for him."

Pei Song suddenly stood up and angrily said, "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Song Yunshu gave a cold, mocking laugh: "Does my lord think I don't know you're having an affair with that lowly maid? I really didn't expect that if you wanted her, you could have just asked me for her directly. Why did you have to hide it from me?"

"Or is it that you men just like this, that a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a stolen one, because it's more exciting?"

Pei Yanzhi picked up his teacup and took a sip. Seeing the mess in the room, Madam Pei shouted sternly, "Enough! What kind of behavior is this!"

Then, turning to Song Yunshu, he said, "You keep saying that Miaoyin poisoned Xingjian, so what do you say about that?"

Madam Pei ordered someone to bring the waiter who had served food at the restaurant that day. Upon seeing this person, Song Yunshu immediately collapsed to the ground.

That day, she and Miaoyin watched Pei Xingjian drink it before leaving, and the waiter witnessed the two of them together.

Now that there are witnesses and physical evidence, it seems everyone is saying, "What else do you have to say in your defense?"

Song Yunshu looked at everyone present, especially that person who never even glanced at her, enduring everyone's criticism and complaints, and felt a deep sadness in her heart.

But why would she want to go through this?

She looked at Pei Song and suddenly smiled: "Yes, it was indeed me. I was just jealous that my elder brother doted on my sister-in-law and treated her with utmost care."

The next sentence made Pei Xingjian gasp for breath, and his blood almost froze.

She said softly, "I saw that Xingjian seemed to have feelings for my sister-in-law, so I thought it was a good opportunity. If I could make my brother dislike Ji Shu, that would be all."

Pei Xingjian stood up and roared, "I called you Second Aunt, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"How could I possibly have any improper thoughts about my stepmother?" Pei Xingjian's jaw tightened, and his hands clenched tightly in his sleeves.

After saying that, he turned to Madam Pei, who was sitting at the head of the table, and said, "Grandmother, I think Second Aunt has gone mad."

He didn't know when his second aunt had found out, but with so many people around, he could only suppress all his emotions.

Song Yunshu stood up, surveying everyone present without any regard for their presence, her eyes filled with undisguised mockery, and her words were sharp and cutting.

"Xingjian, you can only fool yourself with these words. I originally thought that my elder brother was unaware, but I realized yesterday that he was not unaware at all; he was trying to cover for you."

"Insolence!" Pei Yanzhi threw the teacup in his hand at her feet.

"Guards, drag him out!"