That evening, a strange "guest" arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

"Your Majesty, Miss Pei requests an audience."

Why is she here at this time? Gu Qingyan frowned subconsciously. Given Pei Zhi's personality, she wouldn't come to Taihe Palace unless it was something important. Could it be that the Empress Dowager is unwell?

Upon imagining this, Gu Qingyan became restless. "Quickly, please invite Miss Pei in."

Pei Zhi walked in slowly and bowed to Gu Qingyan.

"Miss Pei, there's no need for formalities. May I ask what brings you to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to see me?"

"Today His Majesty received the letters of surrender from the Qin and Sun families," Pei Zhi said slowly. "He... is still in the imperial prison, and His Majesty has not yet gone to see him."

"Miss Pei, are you perhaps trying to plead for Pei Jian?"

Although Gu Qingyan's expression remained unchanged, a chill began to seep into his eyes.

No.

Pei Zhi spoke again, "I want to see him and tell him this good news in person."

Pei Zhi placed great importance on the word "good news," as she had not seen Pei Jian since he was escorted to the capital of Dayu.

"Miss Pei wishes to meet Pei Jian?"

Pei Zhi nodded. "I must resolve the grudge between him and me personally. Please give me this opportunity, Your Majesty."

After understanding the situation, Gu Qingyan relaxed. "I originally wanted to tell Pei Jian the good news that I was going to unify the world, but now I think it is more appropriate for Miss Pei to go."

It could even break Pei Jian down.

"In that case, I grant Miss Pei permission to go to the Imperial Prison."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Pei Zhi's back remained ramrod straight throughout, as if Pei Jian's current misfortune had nothing to do with her. Gu Qingyan watched Pei Zhi's departing figure for a while, then couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Why is Your Majesty smiling?" Yingzhi stepped forward to make tea for Gu Qingyan and asked softly.

"I just find the Pei family father and daughter quite interesting." Gu Qingyan took a sip of tea. "They clearly have a thoughtful and capable daughter, yet Pei Jian still sent someone to kill Pei Zhi. Now that Pei Jian is in prison, Pei Zhi is going to watch the spectacle."

"In my humble opinion, all the current disastrous consequences are caused by Pei Jian alone, and he deserves his fate."

“Yes.” Gu Qingyan sighed. “Sometimes I think, if I were Pei Zhi, I would not have come to Dayu. I would have taken the opportunity to go back and kill my way back after Pei Jian’s assassination attempt.”

Outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Pei Zhi slowly curled the corners of her lips into a smile.

Dear Father, I wonder if you ever thought of me while you were in prison?

......

The next morning, Pei Zhi arrived at the prison.

Pei Jian was imprisoned in the deepest part of the imperial prison, where it was dark and gloomy. The further he went in, the stronger the smell of blood became, and screams could be heard all the time.

"It's right here."

The guard stopped in his tracks, and Pei Zhi looked in the direction he was pointing, and saw a man with half-white hair and a curled-up body...

Pei Zhi simply didn't know how to describe Pei Jian. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were stained with blood. If it weren't for the rhythm of his breathing, Pei Zhi would have thought that the person in front of her might already be dead.

"Pei Jian, someone has come to see you."

The guard's words made Pei Jian slowly raise his head to look, and when he saw Pei Zhi, his eyes narrowed sharply.

"I've been imprisoned in the dungeon for who knows how many days. You're only coming to see me now, so you must be here to make a fool of yourself."

"Please wait outside." Pei Zhi said to the guard. The guard did not make things difficult for Pei Zhi. After binding Pei Jian's hands behind his back, he walked outside. "Miss Pei, you only have half an hour."

"Thank you, guard."

When only the father and daughter remained in the cell, neither of them spoke for a moment.

"I've come today to tell you some news."

Pei Zhi broke the silence first, "The Qin family and the Sun family have already written their submission documents, and the world is now unified."

"Surrender? Coward!"

Pei Jian's expression was clearly agitated. "These aristocratic families have existed for over a hundred years, yet they actually surrendered to us willingly. These people will never be forgiven by their ancestors, even in death!"

"Will the Pei family ancestors forgive you?!"

Pei Zhi's voice was hoarse, "Our ancestors said that raising Gu was forbidden, but you raised it on your own and even used me to poison the Empress Dowager of Dayu."

“I just did what I was supposed to do. The Gu worms can help the Pei family rise to a higher level. Even the ancestors would understand me. If it weren’t for you, Pei Zhi, my plan would have succeeded. You are a traitor.”

"You're really arrogant." Pei Zhi looked at Pei Jian as if he were a complete stranger, as if she had never known him before. "Do you think Zhong Lian'er is still loyal to you? Or is Gu Qingfeng just a pawn you can use at will?"

"What do you mean?" Pei Jian's eyes widened. "How did you know these things?"

“Perhaps in the eyes of the Dayu royal family, you are just a clown.” Pei Zhi smirked. “What you thought was a perfect plan has actually been seen through long ago. The reason we’ve been keeping it from you is simply because we want to find the Gu poison.”

"Impossible."

Pei Jian refused to believe Pei Zhi's words and glared at her fiercely, "You must have made this up on purpose, you're deliberately trying to annoy me, you're resentful, you've always been like this since you were little, always trying to get my attention this way..."

"Enough!"

Pei Zhi's eyes were already a little red. "Pei Jian, it's disgusting to hear you say these things now."

“You wretched child, I am your father.”

“My father died long before you sent people to assassinate me.” Pei Zhi took a step back. “Perhaps even earlier, when you used me to obtain the Jiang family’s blood.”

“Pei Jian, back then, when you pretended to be seriously ill and watched me take care of you day and night at your bedside, my eyes swollen like walnuts from crying, did you think I was ridiculous?”

Upon hearing this, Pei Jian's excited expression gradually calmed down.

Back then, his children were all vying for the position of head of the family, but his youngest daughter was constantly worried about his health.

How could he not like it?

Otherwise, why would he have chosen Pei Zhi, a young lady, as his young master?

"Fine, I don't want to know." Pei Zhi stared at Pei Jian for a moment. "Now that the world is unified, the Qin and Sun families have been granted the title of kings, but the Pei family will no longer exist, and Pei Ju is already dead."

"From this day forward, our father-daughter relationship is completely over. My descendants, Pei Zhi's descendants, will be of their own lineage and will have no connection with the Pei family of Longyou."

Pei Zhi left decisively, without any hesitation or soft-heartedness.

Behind her, Pei Jian seemed to realize what was happening and struggled to call Pei Zhi's name, but Pei Zhi's steps did not falter at all.

Pei Jian fainted after Pei Zhi's figure completely disappeared from his sight.