Chapter 196: Master Master, do you have no selfish motives?

White tung tree?

Pei Jingxu frowned slightly when he heard this, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

What is she doing in Randeng Temple?

Facing the young monk, Pei Jingxu nodded slightly and smiled: "Thank you, little master. Let her come in."

The young monk muttered a Buddhist name softly and turned away.

Hongyao frowned, looking unhappy: "Girl, why do you want to meet someone like her? Who knows what bad ideas she has in mind."

Pei Jingxu's eyes were cold and serious. "I just happened to have something to ask her."

Hongyao said no more.

Not long after, Bai Shutong, dressed in white clothes as white as snow, walked straight towards Pei Jingxu's meditation room.

When he walked outside the Zen room, Pei Jingxu noticed Bai Shutong's expression.

He was cold and anxious, looking at her with a look of hatred that had nowhere to vent.

Before Pei Jingxu could even understand the source of her resentment, Bai Shutong's face darkened as he shouted at her, "Pei Jingxu, such a big thing has happened at the Rong Mansion, and you're still here!"

Without changing his expression, Pei Jingxu sneered, "Madam Bai, are you so anxious to see me just to accuse me from a high position?"

"You!" Bai Shutong's eyes were bloodshot, and his eyes were bloodshot. "Do you know that Brother Xuanzhou was publicly punished by His Majesty and demoted to a lower rank? Now he is confined to the Rong Mansion and cannot go anywhere!"

There was a hint of surprise in his eyes, but Pei Jingxu did not show it on his face.

She had not read all the letters sent to her, nor had she expected that so much seemed to have happened down the mountain in just five days.

The court was cleared up a few days ago, and except for Rong Jianxue, Rong Xuanzhou and Rong Baimao, all members of the Rong family were under investigation.

When Rong Xuanzhou faked his death and escaped, his own power was naturally not enough to conceal the truth, so he informed Prime Minister Shen Anshan and Crown Prince Shen Qianfan and got their help.

To put it simply, this was a secret plan to catch the enemy off guard; to put it more seriously, it was a military commander who openly stood on the side of the prince and had a close relationship with him.

It would be fine if this kind of thing happened in private, but the emperor would naturally be unhappy if it was brought to light.

Therefore, during this purge of the imperial court, Rong Xuanzhou had an excuse and received the punishment.

This matter was within Pei Jingxu's expectations. Rong Jianxue had helped Rong Xuanzhou avoid the emperor's suspicion. Unfortunately, Rong Xuanzhou did not repent. After returning to Beijing, he still had a close relationship with Shen Qianfan. Rong Jianxue could only teach him a lesson.

There is no need to mention Rong Baimao. When Rong Xuanzhou faked his death, it was Rong Baimao who wrote a letter suggesting that Rong Xuanzhou use the power of Crown Prince Chen Qianfan to complete his plan.

Long before, Rong Boyao had favored the crown prince Chen Qianfan.

But he has always been careful in his work and would not easily let others catch him. He did not expect the purge to be so strict this time.

Pei Jingxu moved his eyes and his gaze fell on Bai Shutong again.

The woman's clothes were wrinkled, her hair was messy, her face was disheveled, and she looked like she hadn't slept for several days and nights.

If Rong Xuanzhou was just punished and demoted, Bai Shutong wouldn't be so anxious with so many fish.

There must be something else.

Thinking of this, Pei Jingxu sat up straight, with a half-smile on his face: "That's also our Rong Mansion's family affair. Madam Bai hasn't even entered the Rong Mansion yet, and she's already so anxious?"

"Pei Jingxu, why are you pretending to be so noble?" Bai Shutong's eyes widened, his former grace and indifference completely gone. "Rong Xuanzhou was demoted, the Crown Prince was confined to the Eastern Palace, and I was expelled from the Eastern Palace by the palace servants. Isn't all this your fault!?"

Oh, so that’s how it is.

That's what she said. Rong Xuanzhou's fish shouldn't be enough to make her furious.

It turned out that she was thrown out of the East Palace before the biggest "Prince" was caught in the net.

Pei Jingxu raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Bai Shutong with an undisguised smile: "Madam Bai, I don't have the ability to drive you out of the East Palace."

"Even if it's not you, it's definitely not unrelated to you!" Bai Shutong growled, "Pei! Don't think I don't know about what happened between you and Rong Jianxue!"

"Yes, it's true that you and Rong Xuanzhou are husband and wife, but he no longer has any feelings for you. Why are you holding on to him?"

"Rong Xuanzhou is at least devoted to me, but what about Rong Jianxue towards you?" Bai Shutong sneered, looking at Pei Jingxu with mockery in his eyes, "If you weren't so good-looking, he probably wouldn't even look at you!"

Speaking of Rong Jianxue, Bai Shutong's heart surged with even greater anger, his face ferocious and ugly: "Why do you do that? Pei Jingxu, why do you do that!?"

"Rong Xuanzhou likes me, Chen Qianfan likes me, Zhou Qin, Shen Huaichen, and even the Emperor favors me!"

"Rong Jianxue should like me too!"

"You are nothing but a vicious, stupid, and self-aware stepping stone!"

From the distant mountains, the sound of bells and chimes could be heard again.

Bai Shutong was standing outside the Zen room in a white dress, and Pei Jingxu tilted his head to look at her.

Thick clouds blocked the sun, and the shadow slowly climbed up from the tip of her feet.

I don’t know if it was Pei Jingxu’s illusion.

——She always felt that Bai Shutong seemed not as...attractive as before.

--

Outside the main hall of Randeng Temple, under the Eternal Life Tree.

Rong Jianxue, wearing a wide blue robe, walked to Shen Anshan.

As always, he leaned forward slightly and said, "Prime Minister."

Shen Anshan looked back.

However, after not seeing him for a few days, the prime minister seemed to have aged by more than ten years overnight.

His temples were gray, and his sleeves were held up with a pair of somewhat skinny fingers. His tired eyes showed a deeper emotion when he saw the man.

"Master Young Master is much more cruel than I imagined."

Shen Anshan said this with ambiguous meaning, and looked at Rong Jianxue with meaningful eyes.

Rong Jianxue looked indifferent and calm, and did not answer.

Shen Anshan's originally straight body was slightly hunched. Looking at his former student, Shen Anshan narrowed his eyes and said, "I have submitted my resignation to His Majesty and request that His Majesty allow me to retire and return home to Jiangnan to spend the rest of my life."

The long wind blew up the man's wide robe. Rong Jianxue's dark eyes were cold and reserved: "I wish you a safe journey, sir."

Chen Anshan continued to look at Rong Jianxue. After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, "A few days ago, His Majesty said he wanted to purge the court. I never thought that this matter would affect me."

He never expected that in such a huge temple, if an investigation were really to be conducted, only this young tutor Rong Jianxue would dare to say that he was a "loyal minister" serving the country and the king.

"Whatever you do, you have to bear the risks." Rong Jianxue commented without any emotion.

Shen Anshan smiled and said, "When I was young, I fought on the battlefield with the emperor and made great contributions to Yunlan. At that time, I also thought that I would be a loyal minister who fulfilled my duties."

Become the backbone of the court, do not form cliques, and do not take sides for personal gain.

But he is old.

He had a daughter in his old age.

He became selfish.

Shen Anshan's eyes were heavy: "Master Shaofu, don't you have any selfish motives?"