Chapter 358 Who are you, and where is A-Chu?

The prefectural government office.

Two baskets of potatoes were washed clean and brought in.

When Sun Yan came in, he was carrying a knife in his left hand and a cutting board in his right.

Ling Ce was completely bewildered and couldn't help but turn to glance at Pei Yuan.

What exactly is Pei Laoliu trying to do?

Pei Yuan instructed Sun Yan to leave, picked up a large potato and twirled it in his hand, then looked at Ling Ce with a faint smile.

"Achu, look at this potato. It's so big and round, doesn't it look like a human head?"

Ling Ce had no idea what he was up to, so he chuckled twice but didn't reply.

Pei Yuan didn't seem to care about his answer. He held the potato in one hand and picked up a kitchen knife in the other, slowly peeling the potato.

The potato was deftly rotated in my hand twice, and the thin potato skin was peeled off.

It's still a long, continuous strip, unbroken from beginning to end, like peeling a fruit.

Ling Ce stared in disbelief, a chill creeping down his spine for no apparent reason.

This guy can peel potatoes if he wants.

Why are you watching him chop off his head?

For some reason, it gave him the illusion that "what Pei Laoliu actually wanted to peel wasn't potato skins, but his head."

Bang.

Pei Yuan chopped down with his knife, cutting the peeled potato in half.

Ling Ce shuddered in fright, sat up abruptly, and his eyes darted around rapidly.

According to the junior sister's description of Pei Laoliu, he is not a person who speaks without reason.

Is this an attempt to intimidate me?

It seems my junior sister was right; she's really starting to suspect something.

Ling Ce took a little time to consider whether or not to confess the truth to Pei Yuan now.

He quickly rejected his idea.

Since my junior sister is already prepared to speak, it's better for her to explain things to me in person.

Besides, Pei Laoliu bullied the junior sister, so why should he let Pei Laoliu get away with it?

Let Pei Laoliu suffer for now, hehe.

Having mentally prepared himself, Ling Ce leaned back in his armchair, watching Pei Yuan slice potatoes with a hint of schadenfreude.

But when she looked up, her smile froze on her face.

Why is this guy staring at me while he's cutting potatoes? Shouldn't he look down at the potatoes?

Aren't you afraid of cutting off my hand?

Snap, snap, snap snap snap!

Whether he looked at the potatoes or not made no difference. With a swift movement of his knife, Pei Yuan transformed each potato into thin, hair-like shreds.

Ling Ce was dumbfounded.

Bang.

After cutting the last potato, Pei Yuan flicked his wrist, and the cleaver flew straight toward his face.

Ling Ce was startled and tilted his head back, barely dodging the kitchen knife.

But he couldn't dodge Pei Yuan's sweeping leg kick.

hiss.

He gasped in pain and found himself pinned to the table again.

The kind of pressure where your hands are tied behind your back and your face is pressed against the table.

It's even more humiliating.

Pei Yuan's voice, cold as a blade, rang out from above.

"Who are you? Where is Achu?"

Achu knew that when he was in a bad mood, he liked to cut potato shreds, and she had also seen him cut potato shreds.

But the expression on the person's face clearly indicated that it was the first time he had ever seen him cut potato shreds.

It wasn't a question, yet they were so quick to conclude that he wasn't Achu.

Ling Ce didn't understand where he had given himself away, but stubbornly insisted:

"I am Achu. Let me go and let's talk this out."

"Just say that."

Ling Ce cursed inwardly and was about to explain when he looked up and saw a shadowy figure flicker by the back window.

There are people outside.

His expression hardened. He couldn't explain now; if people found out his junior sister's true identity, it would bring her death.

He kicked Pei Yuan aside while shouting, "Who's outside?"

A figure flashed past the rear window.

Pei Yuan frowned slightly. Sun Yan wasn't outside?

A voice came from the courtyard gate, "Is Lord Shen here? I have urgent news to report."

It was Yu Feng of the Imperial Guard.

Ling Ce frowned slightly and glanced at Pei Yuan.

"Your Highness isn't leaving? Does Captain Yu wish to come in and pay his respects?"

Pei Yuan gave him a deep look, his expression sullen, "I'll come back to find you again."

The fewer people who know about his trip to Yangzhou, the better.

Pei Yuan jumped out of the window and left.

Ling Ce tugged at his collar. "Captain Yu, come in."

Yu Feng was dumbfounded as soon as he entered the room.

"Why...why are there so many shredded potatoes?"

Ling Ce touched his nose and chuckled.

"This? I had someone cut it. The case has been solved, so I'm treating the brothers in the yamen to shredded potatoes. Plenty to go."

Yu Feng...

Mr. Shen, you know how to be stingy.

"Captain Yu, what's the emergency?"

Yu Feng's expression hardened.

------

Pei Yuan came out of the prefectural government office, and Sun Yan hurriedly came to greet him.

"Your Highness, Miss Chen has arrived in Yangzhou and is already waiting for you at her residence."

Pei Yuan frowned. Why would Chen Jiaying come to Yangzhou?

How did she know he was in Yangzhou?

"Has Jinbao sent any messages by carrier pigeon?"

Sun Yan shook his head, "No, I'm afraid Miss Chen got the information through the Chen family's channels."

Pei Yuan pondered for a moment, then turned and glanced in the direction of the prefectural government office.

He was now certain that the "Chen Chu" in the yamen was a fake.

But where is the real Achu?

The fact that the fake Chen Chu didn't seem to have any ill intentions suggests that the fake Chen Chu must know where A Chu is.

His heart pounded as he thought of the pregnant woman.

I felt he was about to uncover the truth.

He whispered to Sun Yan, "Keep a close eye on Shen Chu, see where he goes and who he meets."

"Huh?" Sun Yan was completely bewildered, not understanding why His Highness wanted him to keep an eye on Lord Shen.

Pei Yuan said nothing more, mounted his horse, and left.

Back at the house, the gatekeeper greeted me with a smile.

"The Sixth Young Master is back."

Pei Yuan tossed the riding whip over and, as he walked inside, casually asked, "Has Liufeng returned?"

The gatekeeper shook his head. "Young Master Liufeng hasn't returned yet."

Has anyone come to see me today?

The gatekeeper paused.

Pei Yuan turned his head to look over.

The gatekeeper quickly lowered his head, "Miss Chen...Miss Chen has come to see the Sixth Young Master, she's inside."

"Sixth Brother, you're back."

Chen Jiaying had just finished washing up and changed into a new outfit. She came over like a butterfly, smiling as she took Pei Yuan's arm.

Pei Yuan put his hand behind his back, dodging Chen Jiaying's hand.

"Why is Miss Chen here?"

Chen Jiaying's hand paused in mid-air, and she casually brushed a stray hair from her temple, smiling gently.

"Sixth Brother has been out for many days, and the elders at home are really worried, so they sent me to visit him."

Sixth Brother must be exhausted after working outside all day. I've instructed the servants to prepare some food; let's eat and talk."

Upon hearing the words of his elders, Pei Yuan's eyes flickered slightly, and he gave Chen Jiaying a deep look.

Chen Jiaying looked at him with a smile.

Pei Yuan withdrew his gaze and stepped into the flower hall.

A table was set out with dishes in the flower hall, and Chen Jiaying poured a glass of wine and handed it over.

"Sixth Brother, have a drink to relax."

Pei Yuan did not take the wine cup, his expression indifferent.

“Miss Chen, please call me Your Highness. You shouldn’t call me Sixth Brother.”

Chen Jiaying's smile froze, and a flash of jealousy quickly crossed her eyes.

If she can't befriend Sixth Brother, who can she call?

Is it that pregnant woman?

She took a deep breath, put down her wine glass, and a look of grievance appeared in her eyes.

"The prince is the commander of the Flying Eagle Guard. He has secretly come to Yangzhou without imperial decree. If His Majesty finds out about this, he will surely be furious."

Jiaying rode two horses to death on her way to find the prince, and only arrived in Yangzhou safely at noon today.

Does Your Highness really dislike seeing Jiaying?

Pei Yuan immediately grasped the key point.

"You only arrived in Yangzhou at noon, and you came straight here? How did you know I was staying here? And how did you know I came to Yangzhou?"

Chen Jiaying's eyes flickered slightly as she took something out of her pocket.