Chapter 46 Night Talk: He Can't Let Her Leave

After Pei Xiaoyun left, Ming Ying was able to calm down and focus.

But his eyes remained vacant, and he remained kneeling, not saying a word.

Seeing He Lianqing enter, she loosened her tightly clasped hands, letting her guard down a bit.

Like a frightened bird, fearing that it might be harmed at any moment.

Seeing her like this, He Lianqing felt a bitter taste in his throat and sighed heavily, a surge of resentment churning in his chest.

After taking her pulse, Pei Xiaoyun walked in with his hands behind his back. He glanced at the frail figure on the bed and asked, "How is she?"

Her nonsensical and incoherent words startled him slightly; she was completely different from the talkative and cheerful Mingying of the past.

He Lianqing remained silent for a long time before saying, "She was so frightened that she is mentally unstable and often feels disoriented. She needs to rest and should not be subjected to any further stimulation."

Pei Xiaoyun's aura was deep, his pupils slightly constricted, and a sense of unease occupied his mind.

He walked over, slowly sat on the couch, stared at her pale, lifeless face for a moment, opened his lips as if to say something, but was silenced by a cold remark.

"Don't touch me."

Mingying watched as he sat down, his hands clasped together again, resting on his knees, and he coldly turned his head away.

Pei Xiaoyun was at a loss for words.

He asked himself honestly, and realized that some things he had forced her to do were against her will.

But he had given her chances more than once, only to have her refuse them; she was the one who wouldn't listen to reason and had to suffer the consequences.

He didn't think he had done anything wrong. If she had been more obedient, why would he have treated her that way?

"If you truly care for her, then please be merciful and stop hurting her." He Lianqing said with a stern face, finally unable to hold back any longer. "Some things cannot be forced. Do you see that now?"

"This is none of your business, get out." Pei Xiaoyun was silent for a moment, then glanced outside and shooed the person out.

He Lianqing, that traitor, secretly helped Mingying escape and tried to get Mingying and Lin Xian together. That's why he said such nonsense, trying to make him let go.

You can't force it.

What should we do then? Let her go and watch her fall into someone else's arms?

Impossible. She's his for life. He can't do that.

"I promise you, I will not kill anyone in front of you from now on, but on the condition that you do not utter any more arrogant words to provoke me."

Had he known this would happen, why not spare that courtesan's life? He never imagined she would be so heartbroken over such a lowly person.

Mingying's starry eyes were wet with tears. She covered her ears, not wanting to hear his voice.

Which word she said was wrong?

He was always like that – arrogant, conceited, and rude. Once he set his mind on something, he would stop at nothing to get it, even at the cost of causing pain to many people, just to satisfy his own pleasure.

“I gave you a chance before I took you to Ningxue Tower.”

Pei Xiaoyun forcefully snatched her wrist, using it to pull her body forward. He met her gaze, his voice unusually earnest, yet the underlying tone remained authoritative. "I will give you many more chances. Think it over carefully. Don't refuse me, don't be stubborn with me. You can't win against me. I will cancel your slave status. From now on, be my person and don't be ungrateful."

The purpose of changing her status to slavery was to intimidate her and make her obedient and submissive, but it did not work.

On the contrary, he was afraid that she would think of that woman named Jin Kui again, and become suspicious, saying that she was just like her and that she was afraid he would kill her too.

He can wipe the slate clean of all past debts.

He can be good to her, provided she pleases him.

Mingying's mind was in turmoil. Every word he said disrupted her thoughts, leaving her nowhere to escape and causing her unbearable pain.

She won't be grateful to him; all her suffering is because of him.

She didn't know what to do, feeling as if she were locked in a small iron cage, counting down the days and enduring the pain.

The maidservant brought in the medicine prepared according to He Lianqing's prescription, and it seemed that wherever Mingying was, there was the bitter smell of medicine.

In the dead of night, Pei Xiaoyun did not leave, watching her drink the medicine, then her eyelids drooped with sleep, and finally she fell asleep peacefully.

The night was still, the wind was calm, and the cold dew was silent; it was a temporary respite from the heat.

The next day, Mingying was unusually quiet when she got up. Perhaps because of the medicine, she felt the slightly sunken cushion beside her gradually bounce back, but she just watched him get up without expression.

For her, opening or closing her eyes made no difference; she was still in a cage.

“I want to bury Mallow.” She stared at the tassels on the bed curtains and spoke hesitantly.

Mallow's life was even more bitter than hers.

She at least briefly had family, but Jin Kui was constantly hurt and betrayed, and ultimately died unjustly in Ningxue Tower, a place where once you enter, you never leave.

She wanted to give Mallow a final resting place.

Pei Xiaoyun was slightly taken aback. Although he still couldn't understand why she felt so sorry for a prostitute, considering that she was still ill and her mind was unstable, he nodded for the first time: "I promise you."

Then, he looked at her and said slowly, "Didn't you want to see me investigate the Qinghe Prince's Mansion? I've caught Xiao Yuanyan."

Last night, the incident at Ningxue Tower occurred. The Wuhuan spies were captured on the spot, and their jaws were dislocated, preventing them from committing suicide.

This man had reservations and refused to reveal the location of the Qinghe Prince's Mansion, so he sent someone to use a poison made by the Wuhuan people on the spy. The poison entered his lungs and internal organs, causing his body to ooze pus and suffer greatly. The man quickly confessed.

The Xiao family father and son attempted to flee the city, but were captured that very night.

When Mingying heard the name Xiao Yuanyan, her eyes darkened, she clenched her fists, and anger rose on her face.

Mallow longed for him so much, yet he took advantage of her.

She wanted to see with her own eyes how this kind of person died!

Pei Xiaoyun took her to the dungeon.

This action was to satisfy her longing and to let her know that he, Pei Xiaoyun, is vengeful, never afraid of death, never fears anyone, and would never be a coward who uses women and children as scapegoats.

The dungeon was filled with winding, scarlet blood.

Pei Xiaoyun ordered someone to bring Xiao Yuanyan out for questioning alone.

Xiao Yuan Yan was covered in blood from being whipped and looked utterly disheveled; he was dragged all the way here.

Mingying stared intently, showing no fear. It was the first time she had witnessed such a miserable state, and she felt a sense of relief and satisfaction.

"What did you do to my father?" Xiao Yuanyan, bound to the rack, the blood at the corner of his mouth dried, glared fiercely at Pei Xiaoyun.

"I put a Gu poison on your father, but he couldn't hold on and died bleeding from all seven orifices." Pei Xiaoyun's casual tone carried a sinister undertone. "Tell me, if I put that Gu poison on you, do you think you'd last longer than your father?"

Upon hearing such a scene, Mingying couldn't help but curl her fingertips, only to have them grasped and kneaded by Pei Xiaoyun's palm.

Xiao Yuanyan felt a wave of fear wash over him, his teeth chattering. As if he had thought of something, his gaze softened and became more gentle: "I can tell you where those people are, but I want to bury Jin Kui myself."

He was the one who wronged her. He would bury her properly first, and then go to be with her. In the next life, they would never be separated again.

"You don't deserve it!" Mingying shook off Pei Xiaoyun's hand, tears streaming down her face, and suddenly burst into a fierce shout, "You don't deserve it!"

She remembered the look in Jin Kui's eyes when she last looked at her.

There was despair, fear, and a hint of hatred!

Xiao Yuan Yan lowered his head, remaining silent and unwilling, his heart filled with bitterness silencing him.

Pei Xiaoyun suppressed Ming Ying's strong reaction, pulled her behind her, and looked at Xiao Yuanyan with a look of mockery and disdain: "Your Xiao family are really all cowards. You found a woman to take the blame for you. Do you really treat that prostitute like trash, or are you deeply in love with her?"

The phrase "deeply in love" was drawn out, sharp as a needle.

If Xiao Yuanyan had come to stop him that night, he might have thought more highly of him.

Although courtesans are of lowly status, Xiao Yuan Yan's behavior is even more despicable.

"And what about you? What are you?" Xiao Yuanyan clenched his fists, laughing and crying at the same time, shrugging his shoulders maniacally. "My Qinghe Prince's Mansion is also a century-old family. When I was in the capital, where were you, Pei Xiaoyun? You were still a rat in the gutter, living a life of hiding in Zhaozui Temple and Yangzhou!"

After he finished speaking, he poured out his grief and indignation, and laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.

Pei Xiaoyun's eyes flashed with a cold light, flowing like a bottomless pool of stagnant water. He drew his sword, blood splattering all over the ground. The laughter stopped abruptly, and a silent, raging silence followed.

Xiao Yuan Yan's words touched the deepest sore spot he had ever hidden in his life.

If it weren't for Mingying's presence, he would have wielded his knife and torn this person to pieces.

He turned around and saw Mingying trembling violently, leaning against the wall, breathing heavily.

He threw down his sword, took her cold hand in his, and, remembering his promise to her yesterday, suppressed his anger and said as calmly as possible, "I broke my promise. This is the last time."

As he led her out, he left her with these words: "Don't leave her with a whole corpse, cut her into a thousand pieces."

Once they emerged from the dungeon, the carriage jolted along, and the streets and alleys were filled with people.

Upon catching a glimpse of the bright sunlight, Mingying finally calmed her breathing and spoke hesitantly.

"You killed him, what happened to that thief...?"

Pei Xiaoyun's forehead throbbed. She leaned against the car wall, closed her eyes to rest, and said calmly and confidently, "I can find out even without him."

In the afternoon, following the clues, he went to investigate the other hideouts of the Wuhuan people, and only sent a lot of people to accompany Mingying to the outskirts of the city to bury the prostitute.

After taking the medicine, Mingying was no longer as incoherent as she had been the night before, except that she was sometimes a bit dazed.

Pei Xiaoyun successfully destroyed three teahouses and captured seven or eight Wuhuan spies. Rubbing his aching temples, he returned to his residence. Mingying had already washed up and was lying on the couch with her back to him; he wondered if she had fallen asleep.

He took off his outer robe and got onto the bed, putting one arm around her waist and staring at the back of her snow-white neck. He felt exceptionally comfortable, and exhaustion overwhelmed his clarity. He closed his eyelids.

Not long after, he frowned slightly and dreamed of Xiao Yuan Yan laughing loudly and saying these words to him.

"And what about you? What are you? My Qinghe Prince's Mansion is a century-old family. When I was in the capital, where were you, Pei Xiaoyun? You were still a rat in the gutter, living a life of hiding in Zhaozui Temple and Yangzhou!"

Suddenly, the dim light shone on him, and the one bound to the rack became himself...

He suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp, agonizing pain shooting through his chest. "Ugh..."

He clutched his chest, breathing heavily, and his hand, which was wrapped around Mingying's waist, tightened involuntarily.

Mingying was not actually asleep; her eyes were shimmering with tears, and she seemed lost in thought. Then, a muffled groan was heard, and the arm around her waist became heavy and powerful, like a fierce python, tightly coiling around her.

She felt a sharp pain from being pinched, and when she turned around abruptly, she saw him leaning against the couch, his face pale, his lips tight, and large beads of sweat dripping down like rain.

She was familiar with this appearance; his poison had taken effect.

She calmly gazed at his pained expression, her fingers twitching slightly, her eyes remaining expressionless.

"Mian'er." Pei Xiaoyun frowned deeply, breathing heavily, "Go get me my medicine from the table..."

Even with her by his side, he still habitually asked her to get him his medicine.

Mingying seemed frozen in place; her heart no longer beat for his pain.

Pei Xiaoyun's mouth was slightly open, letting out a low, painful moan. Sweat quickly soaked his collar, and the veins on his forehead bulged as if a million ants were gnawing at his flesh.

"Mian'er..."

He called out to her, his tone pained, no longer carrying the imposing air he once did.

Mingying's pupils contracted as she looked at his face, which was gradually turning bluish-purple, and she couldn't help but think further.

Will he just die like this?

But that ferocious and terrifying expression stirred her calm heart, and she felt a sense of fear.

He said that he would take her with him before he died.

Fear compelled her to move, get out of bed to fetch the medicine, and as before, pour out two pills into his palm, without doing anything else.

Pei Xiaoyun took the medicine, took a few breaths, her breathing became even, the blue veins faded, and she felt much better.

He met Mingying's calm gaze, then suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms, regardless of her willingness.

She struggled, so he held her down, and she got tired and stopped resisting.

She will still get him his medicine, just like before.

"I haven't told you this before, have I?" His voice was low and husky as he stroked her hair, taking the initiative to tell her something he had been extremely reluctant to discuss. "The Northwest you want to go to, I once fought on the battlefields there, before I met you."

Mingying felt the rise and fall of his chest. She could only lower her eyes and listen quietly to what he was about to say.

“I led the troops to defend against the enemy, but the royal family members used the military funds to recruit soldiers and horses, which led to the defeat of the battle. He was afraid of fighting and fled back to the capital. It was I who led a remnant of no more than a thousand men to defend the city in the northwest.”

He spoke to her slowly and deliberately.

The night was cool and still, the moonlight spilled through the window, and only his voice echoed in the room.

His voice grew heavier and deeper as he continued, “The late emperor wanted to protect his son, but the battle resulted in heavy losses, and he needed to give an explanation to the court. So, I was pushed out to take the blame, specifically for the crime of embezzling grain and colluding with the enemy. At that time, no one believed me.”

Mingying held her breath and blinked a few times.

He wouldn't say these things to her before; this is the first time.

For the first time, she learned that this ruthless and cold-blooded man had once been a prisoner and had such a past.

After stroking her hair, Pei Xiaoyun touched the tip of her ear and continued, "When I returned to the Duke's mansion, my father and mother poisoned me with a cup of tea laced with drugs and personally sent me to beg for forgiveness, just to protect that family and themselves. Later, I went to the Zhaozui Temple. They wanted me to confess, so they used every kind of torture on me. I have more scars on my body than I did on the battlefield. The poison in my body was also given to me at that time, and I can never get rid of it in this lifetime."

Mingying was startled by his words and unconsciously straightened up slightly, but he pressed her back down.

She thought back to her time in the Duke's mansion, and realized that she rarely saw him getting along well with his brothers or being close to his parents.

She had even seen his mother having an affair with his uncle in broad daylight.

It seems that only by following his words tonight can I see through him a little.

However, he himself has said that everyone has their own destiny.

These things are none of her concern.

“During my two years at Zhaozui Temple, I died once and came back to life. Later, in order to climb the social ladder, I didn’t hesitate to seek refuge with the Crown Prince, which led me to Yangzhou, where I met you.” Pei Xiaoyun glanced at her, pinching her fingertips, not wanting to let go of any inch of her skin. “All those who hurt me, I killed them one by one. Only you stayed with me from beginning to end. How could you leave me?”

He spoke those last words as if they were to himself.

It was as if he were speaking to her, a soft plea.

She was the person who stayed with him the longest, and the first person who was willing to give everything for him.

She asked him what he considered her to be, and he didn't know.

All he knew was that he couldn't let her leave.

He never told her these things, even though she had been by his side for so many years.

Because he didn't want anyone to know.

Now, he only wants to tell her in person that he will share half of his most secret possession with her.

Mentioning Yangzhou, Mingying's nose suddenly stung with tears, and she held them back from the tears that were about to spill.

Yangzhou has been through too much; it holds her pain and deep affection.

She didn't want to recall any of the events that happened to her—the loss of her family, the hardships of life, and her encounter with him.

“It’s all in the past,” Mingying said sullenly. “Let’s not bring up the past again.”

Her tone made Pei Xiaoyun feel closer to her, and he spoke softly, which was unusual for him. "Okay, I won't say anymore."

The full moon hung high in the sky, and no one spoke again.

And so, each with their own thoughts intertwined, they fell into a deep sleep.

When Pei Xiaoyun got up in the early morning, Mingying was still asleep. He had official business to attend to and needed to leave the residence as soon as possible.

As I walked into the courtyard, I overheard two maids whispering to each other.

The maids in the Xuzhou mansion were all newly purchased and had not yet been taught manners. These people only knew Pei Xiaoyun's identity but not the background of the people around him. In their spare time, they would gather together and gossip.

"Tell me, what is that woman's relationship to the master?"

"I heard that the adults brought her back from a brothel, so she probably came from there."

"Such skillful seduction! She even managed to win the master's favor..."

The air behind them seemed to freeze, sending chills down their spines. They turned around and saw Pei Xiaoyun with a gloomy face and eyes like knives, as if he wanted to cut off pieces of their flesh.

"Your Excellency, spare us! We know we were wrong!" The two maids realized their mistake and knelt down to kowtow.

"How dare you speak ill of your master!" Pei Xiaoyun said in a low voice, coldly. "Guards, drag them away and give each of them twenty lashes."

"My lord, have mercy on me! My lord, have mercy on me!"

The two maids were dragged away, crying and screaming.

When Mingying woke up, she was unaware that two maids had been punished because the servants had kept it from her.

The bitter medicine was delivered as usual, and she seemed to have lost her sense of taste, drinking it all in one gulp.

In this vast mansion, she could only sit alone, counting the number of birds and fallen leaves.

Only when He Lianqing came to take her pulse could he say a few words to her, but walls have ears, and Pei Xiaoyun had people watching them, so they never dared to say anything more.

From sunrise to sunset, a day passes quickly.

Pei Xiaoyun worked from dawn till dusk, and his actions were swift. He almost completely wiped out all the Wuhuan people who were roaming around Xuzhou. Some were killed, some were imprisoned, and not a single one was spared.

After finishing his day's work, he returned home.

Upon entering the room, the candlelight was dim, and only a graceful figure could be seen swaying like ripples on a ribbon; Mingying was having a meal.

As he entered, Mingying put down her chopsticks. Whether she was full or had no appetite, there was a trace of oil on the corner of her lips, which she wiped away with a handkerchief.

Pei Xiaoyun looked at the soup that she had only drunk half of and tapped the table with her fingertips: "I have already instructed the kitchen to prepare your meals from now on. Just eat whatever they make. Someone will come and report to me."

She was frail and sickly, probably because she was in poor health and had been deficient in nutrients in the past, so she needed to take supplements.

Thinking about how she had lost her mind, he felt a little scared. He didn't want her to get that kind of illness.

Mingying did not answer him. After burying Jin Kui that day, something had been lingering in her mind, causing her heart to ache.

"His birthday is in a few days. I want to go see him, just for a moment."

After hesitating several times, she finally said those words.

Lin Xian's death was the regret of her life.

He died for her, yet she could not set up a memorial tablet for him, nor could she openly and honestly remember him.

These past few days, with his birthday approaching, he has appeared in her dreams every night, and she can only cover herself with the blanket and silently shed tears.

Pei Xiaoyun's face immediately darkened. She put down the porcelain spoon that was holding the soup and threw it into the bowl, making a loud clatter. Her eyes turned cold, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "I won't allow it."

Considering her illness, he did not punish her for her audacity. Instead, he granted her several promises and, after their rare tenderness last night, he even took it upon himself to punish the two maids.

Isn't that enough? She even dared to mention Lin Xian to him.

She still thinks about him, remembers his birthday, and can't forget him for a moment.

He really wanted to dig out her heart and completely erase any part of her that thought about Lin Xian, leaving no trace.

"I only have one request. I can go with you, but I want to see him." Mingying insisted. She knew that this might anger him, but she was all alone and had nothing to fear anymore.

She knew her brother was brave and skilled in battle, and that Pei Xiaoyun wouldn't be so foolish as to kill a good general.

"Is this what you call being able to be with me?" Pei Xiaoyun looked at her, his disappointment pouring over him like a bucket of water, prompting him to sneer repeatedly. "I don't want a heartless, slave who's like a beast of burden. I want your willingness, I want you to only think of me. Do you even remember when my birthday is?"

His eyes were dark and deep, and he looked at her with the last glimmer of hope.

"If you wanted, millions of women would remember your birthday, so why bother..."

Before she could speak, Pei Xiaoyun suddenly stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow of oppression, and said decisively, "You will never know where he is, and I will not give you the chance to pay your respects to him."

Mingying gritted her teeth and glared at him coldly.

Pei Xiaoyun then realized that it was all an act last night.

He still fantasized that things would calm down and he could live a good life with her.

What an ungrateful wretch!

He stormed out, his robes billowing in the cold wind, casting fluttering shadows in the chilly night.

"Kong Qing, go find me something." After thinking for a long time, he finally made up his mind.

The way to grow flowers is to determine what kind of flowers will bloom based on what kind of seeds you sow.

If the flowers he grows grow crooked, he will start growing them again from the roots.

Kong Qing hesitated for a moment after hearing his words, then asked, "What do you need that for?"

The old man wouldn't be thinking of using it on Miss Ming, would he...?

"When did you become so talkative?" Pei Xiaoyun prompted him.

Kong Qing nodded, accepted the order, and withdrew, brushing past Xing Wei, who had been waiting a moment away and was walking up to report on matters.