You want to see me?

Inside the side hall, Pei Zhi and Sun Shu sat facing each other.

"I heard you're leaving tomorrow?" Sun Shu tugged at the corner of her mouth. "If I don't see you today, I'm afraid I won't see you again."

"When I left the palace last time, you said you never wanted to see me again." Only a few days later, Pei Zhi's face was almost as pale as Sun Shu's. Seeing this, Sun Shu suddenly felt a helpless urge to laugh.

"Ke'er said that you didn't tell her the news."

“So, you’ve misunderstood me.” Pei Zhi stared intently at Sun Shu. “I’ve already said, I didn’t tell Qin Ke’er that I never intended for her to die.”

"Don't rush me, I haven't finished speaking yet."

Sun Shu twitched the corner of her mouth. "Ke'er said that someone somehow threw a note into the yard to tell Ke'er."

“Besides Ke’er and me, we only have two personal maids here, one for me and one for Ke’er.” Sun Shu’s voice sent a chill down Pei Zhi’s spine. “I’m not feeling well, so my maids are mostly in the room taking care of me. So the ones who come out the most are Ke’er and her maid.”

"So the person who threw the note was certain that Kerr would be the one to receive it."

"Even if we take a step back and I'm the one who gets the note, the person behind it won't suffer any loss, right?"

"Why are you telling me this? I don't understand." Pei Zhi had already understood the implication in Sun Shu's words, but she refused to believe it.

"Hmph, that's all I have to say. Pei Zhi, even if it wasn't you, it's still inextricably linked to your Pei family."

After all, there are only a handful of people who know so much about their situation these days; you could count them on one hand.

"You've already slandered me enough, now you're slandering the Pei family too."

“If you think it’s slander, then so be it.” Sun Shu stood up with difficulty. “I will tell Da Yu everything about the note. After that, you can decide what to do.”

"Sun Shu".

Just as Sun Shu was about to leave the house, Pei Zhi's voice rang out.

Sun Shu's steps slowly came to a stop.

Pei Zhi opened and closed her lips, and finally said softly, "Just tell everyone that I told them, please."

“It’s rare to see you, Young Master Pei, willingly take the blame for something that isn’t yours.” Sun Shu’s expression was full of sarcasm. “Aren’t you afraid that after I finish speaking, all the affection between you and the Empress Dowager will vanish, and the Qin family will make fun of you too?”

"It doesn't matter."

The light in Pei Zhi's eyes gradually faded; she was certain that it was her father who had done it.

That's absurd.

......

"Patriarch Pei, Young Master Pei, there are many matters to attend to in the palace as the year draws to a close, and the Emperor is unable to personally see you off, so he has sent me to do so."

Jiang He followed Pei Jian and Pei Zhi all the way to the gates of the capital.

"My lord, please wait. Zhi'er and I will head back. We should be back in Longyou in about four or five days," Pei Jian said with a smile. Pei Zhi, still recovering from her illness, sat in the carriage.

"How could we possibly make it in time for the New Year?" Jiang He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Pei Jian. "We'll meet again if fate allows."

"See you again someday."

Watching the Pei father and daughter leave, Jiang He's smile slowly faded. "My lord, this Pei father and daughter seem rather strange."

"You noticed it too?"

"Of course not." Chang Qing pursed his lips. "Before, because Pei Jian saved you, we subordinates all had a lot of goodwill towards the Pei family. But this time, the head of the Pei family is acting very strangely. He only came to the Marquis's residence once, and he even only went to the palace once. It's as if..."

"What do you think?"

"It seems the purpose of this trip wasn't the palace or the Marquis's residence." Chang Qing scratched his head. "My lord, do you think I'm right?"

"Which place do you think Pei Jian visited the most on this trip?"

"To the Second Prince."

Chang Qing blurted out without thinking, and then he was startled by his own words. Jiang He reached out and punched Chang Qing in the chest, saying, "You're absolutely right."

Pei Jian came here specifically for Gu Qingfeng.

"My goodness, my lord, this Pei Jian is truly cunning and shrewd. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No need, let's just have a peaceful and happy New Year first."

Jiang He smiled and gestured for Chang Qing to go back first, but Chang Qing raised his thick eyebrows, "Why isn't Your Excellency going back with me? It's freezing cold outside..."

"We're waiting for your sister-in-law; she's coming back today too."

"Oh, then I'll wait with you." Chang Qing had barely finished speaking when Jiang He glared at him fiercely. Realizing what had happened, he quickly made his escape.

Good heavens! He actually said he wanted to wait for the Lady of the Marquis with the Marquis. He really has no sense of propriety.

"That idiot."

Jiang He smiled and looked back at the only road leading to the capital. He waited for two full hours before he finally saw Bai Qian riding up on horseback.

"Mount up!"

Bai Qian clearly saw Jiang He as well. As she passed by Jiang He, she reached out her hand to him. Jiang He cleverly leaped onto his horse and pulled Bai Qian into his arms.

"We can't ride horses in the city, so let's take a ride in the outskirts of Beijing first."

"What, not going straight back to the Marquis's residence? I've been missing Yao Yao terribly." Bai Qian laughed heartily, smelling the familiar scent on the person beside her.

"Don't think about Yaoyao yet, think about me first."

......

On New Year's Eve, Gu Qingyan officially stopped writing and held a grand New Year's Eve banquet in the palace.

The entire court, including officials and their families, entered the palace for a banquet to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.

Gu Lin and Jiang Yu, accompanied by Gu Qingyan, attended the event in full regalia. Jiang Yu wore a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe befitting an empress dowager, and her imposing presence made everyone hesitant to look directly at her.

"Yaoyao, come to my home."

In public, Jiang Yu never hesitated to express his affection for Jiang Yao, wishing the whole world would know that Princess Fu'an was the apple of the royal family's eye.

"Today is New Year's Eve, and I am very happy. Come, let us drink a cup together." As soon as Gu Lin said this, everyone below immediately stood up straight and raised their wine cups.

Even Gu Qingyan was stunned by the scene. These ministers were never this obedient in front of him. Why did they all act like mice in front of a cat when they saw their father?

"Alright, you all continue drinking. I'll be leaving now."

Gu Lin left with Jiang Yu in a carefree manner, and everyone relaxed a little. Seeing this, Gu Qingyan couldn't wait to end the banquet so he could go to Zhaoning Palace to celebrate the New Year.

Meanwhile, Qin Ke'er and Sun Shu felt even more desolate as they listened to the unusually lively sounds from the palace.

"Sister Shu, do you think... the aristocratic family will have good fortune in the new year?"

"Good luck? Now, when I hear that word, I feel like it's something very far removed from us."

Looking at the bright moon in the sky, Sun Shu said, "In previous years, the whole family would stay up all night to celebrate the New Year, but this year it's just the two of us."

I hope for good luck in the new year.