Chapter 39 Grand Secretary Pei Lang (Three chapters of 10,000 words combined) Only the year is visible...

The whistling wind rang in her ears. Lin Zhi had only been unconscious for a short while when she regained consciousness. She was now in a carriage, the curtains were drawn tightly, and a veil had been placed beside her. Once the veil was removed, no one would recognize her.

"Take this money and deliver the person to the Pei residence..."

The sound of pouring rain could be heard outside the carriage curtain, but Lin Zhi felt a pang of pain in her heart. That voice was clearly Pei Lang's.

She felt alternating chills and burning sensations throughout her body, a stinging pain that seemed to pierce her internal organs, yet she still gritted her teeth and chased after the carriage.

"Where is he? Where is the person who was just talking to you?!"

Seeing her anxious expression, the coachman quickly straightened the straw hat that she had knocked ask, "Are you alright, young lady?"

"That person left right after saying that."

"Gone?" Lin Zhi stumbled down from the carriage. The night was as dark as ink, and even without the veil, no one would recognize her as the cousin of the Pei family.

How could someone who decides to save someone on a whim possibly have considered everything so thoroughly? Besides Pei Lang, who else would care about her so much?

The cold rain poured into her collar and sleeves with the wind. Through the hazy rain, Lin Zhi saw that the figure had not gone far and chased after him without hesitation.

Even just one meeting, just one meeting would be enough!

Lin Zhi's legs felt weak and numb, as if she were dragging a heavy burden. By the time she caught up, the person had already turned around, startled by the commotion behind him.

"Young lady, who are you?"

Looking at the completely unfamiliar face in front of her, Lin Zhi's smile froze, she blinked, and large raindrops mingled with her cheeks and streamed down.

"...I'm sorry."

The man disappeared down the long street, utterly bewildered. Lin Zhi turned her head, her eyes filled with confusion. She couldn't possibly have misheard; it was Pei Lang's voice.

But why wouldn't he see her? Then why did he save her in the first place?

The sharp pain in her palm pierced her heart. Lin Zhi slowly lowered her head and saw that the edges of her wound were white and swollen from being soaked in rainwater.

My knees were so sore and weak that I was about to collapse to the ground, but someone caught me and held me steady.

"Miss Lin! Is it really you!"

Xie Zheng frowned, helped the man to his feet, and stepped back half a step. "I was guarding outside Lu Jue's villa just now, afraid that you might still be inside. What are you doing here? And in such a bad state?"

"That villa caught fire for some reason, and Lu Jue looks quite badly injured."

Lin Zhi's ears were ringing, and she couldn't hear clearly, but she gripped Xie Zheng's arm tightly: "Pei Lang... can Pei Lang come out?"

Upon hearing her question, Xie Zheng's expression changed drastically. Even though there was no one else around, he still lowered his voice and said, "Miss Lin, what are you saying? That's the imperial prison. How could Pei Lang possibly get out?"

"Shall I take you home? You'll only get hurt worse if you keep going like this."

The last glimmer of hope in Lin Zhi's heart was extinguished. She frowned deeply and slowly climbed into the carriage. Xie Zheng, worried, rode behind the carriage until he saw people come out of the side gate to pick her up before leaving.

He had only tugged at the reins when he seemed to sense something and turned around to look. The street was covered in water in the deep night, and nothing could be heard except the sound of rain.

Xie Zheng frowned and pondered for a moment, then gently pulled on the reins and spurred his horse back to the mansion.

"Young master, you have taken a very risky day! If Marquis Lu's men find out, I'm afraid the Crown Prince will blame you!"

Pei Lang raised his hand, removed the black iron mask from his face, and casually tossed it to Xingyun: "You're so verbose."

"Now that the Emperor's passing is being kept under wraps, the Crown Prince is too busy to care about me."

Xingyun reluctantly shut his mouth, but couldn't help asking, "Then... weren't you being too cruel to Miss Biao today?"

"Since you all saved people, why didn't you even bother to see them?"

"I've heard that Miss Biao has been turned away many times these past few days trying to help you, and now everyone in the capital is secretly laughing at her. Today, she almost..."

Pei Lang stood under the eaves, his deep and handsome face hidden in the shadows, his expression somber.

He truly hadn't expected Lin Zhi to be so foolish as to be deceived by Lu Jue again. However, he had to admit that it was impossible for him not to be moved when he saw Lin Zhi's miserable state tonight.

But why? Why would she value herself so much? Just because of those days of intimacy?

Pei Lang frowned. He could understand even the most profound and obscure strategies and plans, but he couldn't understand the thoughts of this young woman.

But then she remembered Xie Zheng's anxious and distressed look from earlier, and her heart hardened. She let out a soft snort.

"She simply feels that now that I and the Pei family have fallen from grace, she doesn't want all her years of effort and energy to go to waste. But now she's still hooked up with Xie Zheng, hasn't she? She's so devoted to him, she's not at a loss."

"I can tell how much of Lin Zhi's act is genuine and how much is just acting."

"Today I only saved her casually to displease Lord Lu. I will never interfere with whatever she wants to do in the future."

Xingyun hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. He had followed the young master for many years, and there were very few things that would make the young master take the risk to do. But for this young lady, the young master had made an exception many times.

Pei Lang was unwilling to say anything more. He pulled up his cloak and hood and strode into the rain.

"Miss, it's all my fault! I should have gone with you! It's all my fault!"

As Lin Zhi drifted off to sleep after taking the medicine, she heard the sobbing voice beside her: "It's alright, Chun Tao, I'm fine..."

Chuntao, holding back tears, applied medicine and bandaged Lin Zhi's wounds, asking, "Has Miss seen the Eldest Young Master?"

Lin Zhi glanced at the veiled hat placed not far away, shook her head with a dejected look in her eyes. Even if that person was Pei Lang, he did not want to see her.

Perhaps she was afraid of getting involved, or perhaps she was afraid of becoming entangled with him.

She had done everything she could for Pei Lang, and she had neither the strength nor the ability to do anything more.

"No, we can't see it anymore."

Chun Tao stared in shock as Lin Zhi closed her eyes and turned her head away, only a single crystal tear sliding down her cheek.

Lin Shaowan originally thought that Lin Zhi's agreement to meet the Su family was just to make her happy, but she didn't expect to see Lin Zhi dressed up carefully and come to find her early in the morning.

“Aunt, Azhi has prepared several gifts for Aunt Su’s family. Please take a look.”

Looking at the exquisitely crafted fan-shaped handkerchief, Lin Shaowan's eyes flashed with satisfaction: "Not bad, not bad, Azhi is truly very polite."

"Your aunt was worried that you might change your mind, but thankfully you didn't disappoint her."

Lin Shaowan put down what she was holding, looked up at her and frowned slightly: "But Azhi, why do you look so pale these days? Even with makeup on, you look a bit haggard."

However, what Lin Shaowan didn't say was that this kind of Lin Zhi had a more delicate and frail beauty, which seemed to make her even more eye-catching.

Lin Zhi simply touched her face and smiled, "I heard that Madam Su likes obedient and docile girls, so I deliberately dressed up. I'm glad my aunt thinks so too."

Lin Shaowan nodded in satisfaction, and when the appointed time arrived, she took Lin Zhi and went to their home. The Pei family was not what it used to be, and it would be humiliating to be seen meeting them outside.

The aunt and niece waited for quite a while in the main hall of the Su family, but Madam Su still did not come out.

Lin Zhi twisted and loosened the handkerchief in her hand, creating many wrinkles. Her wounds ached slightly, and her mind wandered elsewhere.

"Madam Pei, I am truly sorry. I had some trivial matters to attend to at home today and was unable to come and greet you!"

The moment Madam Su entered, she noticed Lin Zhi. Although she exchanged pleasantries with Lin Shaowan, her eyes never left Lin Zhi.

"This must be A-Zhi! She's truly beautiful!"

Lin Shaowan smiled and replied, "Since we had some free time today, we brought Azhi to bother you. We wonder how Madam Su is doing today? We also brought some of the best tonics to visit her."

"After all, Madam Su and my mother-in-law used to have some relationship."

Mentioning this, Madam Su's smile faded a little: "The old lady's health has been getting worse and worse in recent years, and I have gone to great lengths to find doctors to take good care of her. Now she is still quite healthy."

"It's just that the old lady has always been concerned about her grandson's marriage. She's looked at so many girls but isn't satisfied with any of them. She's always been thinking about it."

Finally, they got down to business. Lin Shaowan became serious and said, "Men should marry when they are of age and women should marry when they are of age. Now that your son has entered the court as an official, it is natural for him to consider settling down."

Madam Su smiled, about to say something, when she looked up and saw a small figure running past the door. She quickly waved with delight, "Xi-ge'er! Come to Grandmother quickly!"

Lin Shaowan and her niece were both taken aback and looked towards the door. They saw a little boy dressed in light clothes and trousers running towards them with a smile. He looked about three or four years old.

Lin Zhi's expression remained unchanged, but Lin Shaowan's face showed slight displeasure. "This child is... I've only heard that your son is an only child and doesn't have any brothers."

Madam Su smiled and held the child on her lap. "He's not a brother, he's Su Heng's son."

“This child is also unfortunate. His birth mother died young in childbirth. Our Heng-ge is kind-hearted and has raised this concubine’s child with the same care as his own.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Shaowan's expression was beyond ugly. She had thought the Su family was a respectable family and that Su Heng could enter the court through the imperial examinations, but she never expected that there was already a son in the house!

Lin Zhi glanced at her aunt's expression and didn't know what to say for a moment.

“Azhi, your aunt and Madam Su have something to say. Didn’t you bring a gift for Madam Su and the old lady? Go to the carriage and get it.”

Lin Zhi calmly rose and bowed, seemingly unperturbed by the child who had suddenly appeared.

"Then Azhi may step aside."

Watching the impeccably polite Lin Zhi withdraw, Madam Su couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of a girl raised by the Pei family, she has such poise even as a cousin."

Chun Tao quickly followed beside her young mistress, but her expression was also not good: "This young master Su clearly already has an eldest son born out of wedlock, yet he still dares to make a move on your young mistress!"

As Lin Zhi watched the people take the congratulatory gifts out of the carriage, she said softly, "Although Su Heng's official position is not high, the Su family is a rare scholarly family in the capital. Many private schools in the capital are related to his family."

"If any of them succeeds in the future, the Su family will also benefit from it."

"Although it's not the best, but not the worst either, and it's a bit awkward, it's still a rare and good marriage."

She had long known her aunt's intention: to insist she stay in the capital so that Pei Mingli's memorial tablet could be enshrined there. Her aunt feared that if the entire Pei family left the capital, no one would offer incense to her second cousin.

Lin Zhi wasn't a foolish person. Her aunt had saved her twice, and her family treated her well. Now, Pei Lang was avoiding her. Whether he had his reasons or was plotting something else, she couldn't change it, and in the end, she only ended up hurting herself.

It's better to just give up and treat the past as a dream.

Lin Zhi took a deep breath and watched as Chun Tao returned to the Su residence with the prepared gifts.

However, the two seemed to have taken the wrong turn after wandering around for a while. Looking at the path that was completely different from the one they had come by, Lin Zhi frowned and stopped: "The maid led us out not by this path."

Lin Zhi thought for a moment and then pulled Chun Tao to turn back via another path, but a gust of wind blew up the top dark blue handkerchief.

Chun Tao was extremely anxious, but Lin Zhi stopped her, saying, "I'll go pick it up."

Just as Lin Zhi turned around and bent down, she saw a large, fair hand grabbing the handkerchief first.

"This young lady looks unfamiliar. May I ask who you are?"

Lin Zhi stood up and looked up at the refined and gentle young man in front of her. She recognized him at a glance as Su Heng, the young master of the Su family.

There's no other reason than that the child really does look a lot like him.

Lin Zhi lowered her eyes, reached out and took the handkerchief he offered, and gave a slight curtsy: "I am a cousin of the Pei family, and I came with my aunt to visit the old lady and Madam Su."

The thin, silky handkerchief was pulled from his hand, but Su Heng was still in a daze for a long time. The fingertips that had accidentally touched each other just now were smoother and more delicate than the handkerchief.

"So it's Miss Lin. My mother has mentioned Miss Lin before, but I never imagined that Miss Lin would be so beautiful and refined."

Lin Zhi didn't take Su Heng's flattery to heart, nor did she listen carefully. "Young master is too kind. I have something to pass on, so I'll take my leave now."

Once the master and servant had disappeared from sight, Su Heng finally came to his senses with a hint of regret, muttering to himself, "This woman should only exist in heaven..."

Chun Tao was wondering whether she should ask someone for directions, but when she turned around, she saw her young mistress walking in a familiar direction. Sure enough, she soon returned to the main hall of the Su family.

Lin Zhi had just handed the gift to Madam Su's personal maid when she saw her aunt come out from inside with an angry expression: "Let's go back to the manor!"

As she was being pulled away by the arm, Lin Zhi turned around and saw Madam Su chasing after her: "Madam Pei, please wait. This is, after all, a marriage between two children. It's still negotiable!"

Lin Zhi stopped walking, led by Lin Shaowan, but her expression remained unchanged: "No matter what, the girls of our Lin family will never agree to register an illegitimate son under their names!"

"Besides, you've already brought up the matter of taking a concubine before the legal wife has even entered the family. What do you take my niece, Lin Shaowan, for!"

Lin Zhi, who was still confused, finally understood. It turned out that even her aunt couldn't stand the conditions proposed by Madam Su.

Madam Su looked somewhat disgruntled. "It's just that A-Zhi's body is too frail; she doesn't seem like someone who can easily bear children..."

"Besides, I was just saying it casually. If we can have a son in one go, these problems won't be a problem for long..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shaowan, not even bothering to save face, angrily led Lin Zhi away.

"The Pei family has fallen, what's with all the showing off... they're nothing but a paper tiger..."

Although Madam Su's voice was not loud, it was clearly heard by Lin Zhi.

Her eyes turned cold, but her movements remained unchanged as she helped her aunt into the carriage.

Seeing Lin Shaowan constantly pinching her brow, Lin Zhi knew that her aunt had another headache, so she leaned closer and whispered, "Aunt, what Aunt Su said makes sense."

Lin Shaowan paused, frowning as she looked at her: "Azhi, what nonsense are you talking about? Not only has his family gained an illegitimate son, but before you've even entered the family, before this marriage has even been finalized, they're already talking about taking a concubine in the future!"

"Which prominent family in the capital is like this?"

"Truly a petty and lowly family! They don't care about the slightest bit of dignity."

Seeing her aunt's extreme anger, Lin Zhi patiently tried to reason with her: "The child has been raised in the Su family for more than three years now. If you think like this, Aunt is just making things difficult for yourself."

"Besides, she was just a concubine's child. Now that she's gone, what threat could she pose?"

"As for taking a concubine, the Pei family is in dire straits now, and it is already difficult to find a marriage with the Su family. If it is delayed any longer, I am afraid there will be nowhere left for Azhi in the capital."

Lin Shaowan's already furrowed brows tightened even more as she reached out and grasped Lin Zhi's hand, overlapping it with her own: "Zhi, are you blaming your aunt?"

"How could that be? My aunt is now the pillar of the Pei family. Azhi knows that my aunt is thinking of me."

"If we miss the marriage with the Su family, I'm afraid the Marquis's mansion or Lin Fengyuan will come after us again, and Azhi will really have nowhere to go."

Lin Shaowan stared intently at her smooth, fair face, trying to find a trace of reluctance, but she couldn't.

"Ah Zhi, can you really accept this?"

Lin Zhi grasped Lin Shaowan's hand in return: "If I hadn't met my aunt, I wouldn't have survived to this day."

“My aunt has treated me so well, I should repay her even more.”

Lin Shaowan remained silent for a long time, then sighed deeply: "So stubborn, just like your mother, and just like me."

"Then shall Aunt come to the Su family again tomorrow to discuss the marriage?"

Lin Zhi shook her head again: "The Su family has been so disrespectful to Aunt today. I will make them come and apologize to Aunt in person."

Su Heng, who had been pacing anxiously back and forth in the room, rushed to greet his mother as soon as she returned: "Mother! How did your talk with Madam Pei go?"

When will we meet to exchange betrothal gifts and arrange the marriage?

Madam Su glanced at her son with a hint of reproach: "What's there to agree to? The Pei family is so arrogant, they won't agree to anything!"

"What are you talking about taking a concubine before she's even married into the family? We're a respectable family, don't bring up such ugly things upfront! What if she turns out to be all show and no substance, unable to bear children? What will happen to the Su family's lineage?"

Su Heng's expression froze, and he quickly sat down: "Mother, you're confused! What are you talking about, taking a concubine!"

"My son has no desire to take a concubine! Miss Lin is enough for him!"

"Besides, we already have Xige'er, so Mother doesn't need to worry so much about continuing the family line."

Madam Su raised her eyebrows and glared at her son with exasperation. "You heartless little brat! You think Xige'er is your son, but no one wants to raise him under their name!"

"If word gets out that you only have one son born out of wedlock, what kind of reputation will that be!"

But Su Heng still frowned: "I see that Miss Lin is in very good health, so why can't she have children?"

"You've seen her?"

Madam Su glanced sideways and knew that her son was bewitched. If Lin Zhi really married into the family, wouldn't she be distracted from her son's studies?

Thinking of that alluring face, Madam Su became even more determined: "No means no. She's not good enough for you. I'll find you a daughter from a better family..."

But Su Heng suddenly knelt down, saying, "If Mother doesn't agree, I will not marry anyone!"

"You!" Seeing her son's disgraceful state, Madam Su was so angry that she felt dizzy. She pointed at him with trembling fingers and said, "Fine, fine, you're disobeying your mother like this for the sake of a woman."

"Suit yourself! Kneel all you want! Nobody cares about you!"

Madam Su turned and left, but when she turned around and saw that her son had indeed not gotten up, her anger intensified.

"That seductive little vixen has already bewitched my son before anything even happened. Wouldn't it be even worse if he married into the Su family? A perfectly good man has been completely bewitched!"

The maid dared not speak, but carefully helped the lady away.

But Su Heng was a very honest person, and he really knelt there for a long time without getting up, and even refused to eat.

"Miss! I heard a strange thing while I was in town getting medicine!"

Lin Zhi flipped through the book and softly hummed in agreement: "What is it? Tell me."

Xia Ying put down what she was holding and squatted down at Lin Zhi's feet: "I heard that the young master of the Su family has had an accident. I don't know what kind of illness he has, but he has been staying at home during his leave without eating or drinking. He also said that he wants to send his illegitimate son to the estate to be raised, because he is an eyesore."

Upon hearing that it was about Su Heng, Lin Zhi closed the book and chuckled, "Isn't that great?"

"Now that all these obstacles have been removed, the marriage can naturally proceed."

Xia Ying scratched her head, puzzled. "Miss, what do you mean...?"

Lin Zhi smiled without saying a word, but took out a book full of complaints and whims and flipped through it again.

This was something Pei Lang had taken from his study along with other schoolwork; he probably took the wrong one. Su Heng's poems were extremely vulgar, consisting mostly of pretentious verses and longings for celestial beauties.

Even though it was written exceptionally badly, it was still special. Lin Zhi paid more attention to it, and unexpectedly, it actually came in handy one day.

Such a person is merely a puppet in human skin, their mind filled with the things instilled in them by their parents and relatives, and their only worldly desires are these few.

Now that he has suddenly seen Lin Zhi, whose appearance is almost identical to that in the poem, he naturally refuses to let go.

Sure enough, the next day Yu Shu came to invite her, saying that Madam Su wanted to visit her aunt.

"Madam Pei, please don't take what happened last time to heart. It was all my fault for being ignorant of the rules and offending you."

"I'm here today to apologize to Madam Pei and Azhi. Our two families were meant to be one, so how can we let this little thing cause such unpleasantness? Don't you agree?"

Looking at the obsequious and smiling Madam Su, Lin Shaowan picked up her teacup, took a few sips, and didn't rush to speak.

When she saw that Madam Su's forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat, she gently put down her teacup: "It wasn't a big deal originally, I just didn't want to wrong my Ah Zhi."

"After all, she is someone I raised with great care. Although she is my niece, she is practically my daughter. It's really hard to accept that she's being looked down upon like this."

Madam Su gave a bitter smile, a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Yes...it was my oversight that led me to come here today to apologize."

Lin Zhi looked up at the various rare medicinal herbs that the servants had brought out.

"These are the best tonics that relatives usually send over. Lord Pei hasn't fully recovered yet, so using these to nourish his body will be very helpful!"

Seeing that the Su family was about to reveal all their assets, the aunt and niece exchanged a glance, and Lin Shaowan reluctantly nodded: "In that case, I will accept Madam Su's kindness."

"Alright! Then regarding the engagement..."

Madam Su stared at Lin Shaowan with expectant eyes, and after a long moment of trepidation, she finally received her approval.

"Then let's choose an auspicious day and have a proper talk between the two families."

Madam Su breathed a sigh of relief and nodded eagerly: "I've seen it. Five days from now will be the perfect day for us to get together."

"Then we'll wait at home!"

After seeing Madam Su off, Lin Shaowan was extremely pleased with herself, letting out a long sigh of relief: "That was truly satisfying! It was so satisfying to see that face!"

With such a huge worry resolved, Lin Shaowan's steps became much lighter. She immediately said she needed to prepare her dowry, determined not to let the Su family look down on her.

Lin Zhi smiled as she watched her aunt's retreating figure, but a heavy weight still weighed on her heart, preventing her from feeling at ease.

Lin Zhi claimed that she was taking two young maids out to buy rouge and embroidery thread, but in reality, she wanted to find out if there were any inside stories she could gather.

"Is there still no news about the situation in the palace?"

"Now everyone's saying that His Majesty has passed away, but how can we believe that? He must be too ill to attend court, right?"

Hearing the whispers of the noble ladies around her, Lin Zhi was startled and almost dropped what she was holding.

The thought that Pei Lang's framing might be related to this matter made Lin Zhi's breathing quicken. She even forgot about buying things and hurriedly left the shop to find Xie Zheng.

"Is it true that His Majesty has passed away?"

"How did you know? Did Pei Lang tell you?"

Xie Zheng shut his mouth as soon as he spoke, regretting it. He frowned in annoyance and said, "Knowing too much about this won't do you any good. Don't ask anymore."

But Lin Zhi refused to budge: "What do you mean, Xie Shaoqing? You already knew Pei Lang was alright!"

Xie Zheng pursed his thin lips and spoke after a long while: "He can't guarantee that he can get out of this unscathed either, so he didn't want me to tell you."

"How did you learn this? Logically speaking, no one but us should know about this!"

Lin Zhi lowered his gaze, his expression unreadable, and said, "This is no longer a secret among the aristocratic families in the capital."

"If you still want to keep it a secret, you might as well check if there are any moles among yourselves."

Knowing he felt guilty, Xie Zheng raised his hand to touch the tip of his nose and changed the subject: "You've got some free time today. Is the Pei family doing better?"

Lin Zhi's face turned cold, but after a moment's thought, she nodded frankly, "Much better."

"I've come today simply to buy some things for the wedding."

Xie Zheng was taken aback. "What marriage?"

"Naturally, I will get married. I will discuss the engagement with the Su family in five days."

Lin Zhi smiled slightly, her smile as elegant and serene as a blooming white gardenia, yet it struck Xie Zheng's heart like a heavy blow. "...How could you be so hasty?"

Knowing that he could see Pei Lang, Lin Zhi nodded deliberately: "It's a bit fast, but it's not hasty either. The elders' words and the matchmaker's agreement, once it's settled, it's settled."

"It's better to marry anyone than to be abandoned by me. I can't cling to the Pei family forever, or what kind of person would I, Lin Zhicheng, become?"

"I'm sorry to have bothered you, Young Master Xie. I'll take my leave now."

Xie Zheng quickly stood up, hesitated, and then remained silent.

The moment Lin Zhi stepped out of the Xie residence, she seemed to sense something and turned her head to look, only to see an empty space with nothing in it. Disappointment flashed in her eyes.

No sooner had the Pei family carriage left the Xie family residence than a dark figure leaped into the Xie family compound, grabbing the long sword Xie Zheng had placed aside and pressing it against his neck.

"What did she say to you?"

Hearing Pei Lang's cold voice, Xie Zheng felt a nameless rage rise in his heart. Ignoring the sword pressed against his throat, he turned around and started fighting with Pei Lang.

The two were evenly matched, fighting back and forth, and ultimately locked in a stalemate.

What's wrong with you?

A few streaks of blood appeared in Pei Lang's eyes. He had been busy day and night in the palace these days, and he still had to take time out of the palace to keep an eye on Lin Zhi. I wonder what kind of madness Pei Lang is going through now.

"She's getting engaged! Are you satisfied?"

Xie Zheng suppressed his emotions and roared, taking advantage of Pei Lang's momentary lapse in attention to slam him hard to the ground.

"It's all your fault for insisting on keeping this a secret, even from family. Now look what's happened!"

"Pei Lang, you are truly blinded by greed, willing to give up anything to climb the ladder!"

Xie Zheng was so angry that he wanted to leave, but Pei Lang stopped him.

Pei Lang, who had gotten up from the ground, had a cold look in his eyes: "Explain yourself."

"What do you mean she's getting engaged?"

Seeing that Pei Lang was still calm and composed, Xie Zheng rushed over and grabbed his collar tightly: "It means she regrets it!"

"You abandoned Lin Zhi when the Pei family was in turmoil! Leaving her to bear all the blame, do you even deserve to be called a human being!"

"She used to be willing to take the blame for you, but now she regrets it and is unwilling to do so. She is getting engaged and leaving the Pei family!"

With a hard shove, Pei Lang staggered two steps from Xie Zheng's push, but his expression remained aloof: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Seeing him turn to leave, Xie Zheng sneered: "Five days from now, you'll know whether I'm telling the truth or not."

“Pei Lang, you have no heart. Even a stone would be warmed by your warmth.”

"I really feel sorry for Lin Zhi."

Pei Lang, who had been walking away with his back to Xie Zheng, paused for a moment, then strode away from the Xie residence with long strides, seemingly unaffected by Xie Zheng's words.

Five days is neither a long nor a short time, but it was enough for Lin Shaowan to bring out a whole courtyard of dowry. When Lin Zhi first saw it, she thought she had gone to the wrong place.

"Aunt, what are all these?"

Lin Shaowan waved her hand magnanimously: "How can my niece, Lin Shaowan's niece, be shortchanged on her dowry?"

"In any case, I'll be leaving Beijing soon anyway, so I might as well leave these things to you. They'll be a keepsake and a source of confidence for you."

Lin Shaowan held Lin Zhi's hand and gave her a lot of instructions, but she was still worried. Lin Zhi was also a little absent-minded. "Aunt, let's go over first. We can only continue after the engagement is settled."

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

This time, not only were Su's parents present, but even the old lady of the Su family made an appearance. To show their respect, the Su family also invited the most prestigious matchmaker in the capital.

As soon as Lin Zhi stepped off the carriage, she saw Su Heng come out of the mansion to greet her: "Miss Lin."

Lin Zhi glanced at him; he did look a bit more haggard than before, but his bright eyes stared at her, making Lin Zhi feel a little uneasy.

"I have been waiting for so long, and I am finally looking forward to your arrival."

Su Heng followed closely beside Lin Zhi, and even Lin Shaowan couldn't help but frown: "Young Master Su, the marriage is not settled yet, so you should be more reserved for now."

Su Heng was taught a lesson and became much more restrained, but his eyes still kept drifting towards Lin Zhi.

"Today is a very auspicious day. The betrothal and the naming ceremony have been completed. Today is the day of the auspicious date."

"This is the Su family's sincerity, along with the land and shops, all of which are given to Azhi as betrothal gifts."

Lin Zhi looked at the betrothal gifts, which were comparable to those of the Pei family, and raised her eyebrows with interest. She hadn't expected that this family from Qingliu would be so wealthy.

It is even more impressive than the once-prosperous Pei family.

Thinking of the precious tonics that Madam Su brought as an apology last time, Lin Zhi's eyes flickered slightly. This Su family seemed to be more interesting than she had thought.

"Of course, regarding the matter of taking a concubine and having a son born out of wedlock, our Su family has decided to agree after much consideration. After all, Miss Lin is a close relative of the Pei family, and this is something we absolutely cannot neglect."

Lin Zhi's eyes swept across the faces of the Su family members, and she didn't expect that they would actually abandon their own son and grandson.

She smiled slightly and said nothing.

"Since both sets of elders have no objections, shall we sign the marriage certificate? That way, we can start preparing for the wedding arrangements."

When the matchmaker brought out the marriage certificate that Su Heng had written long ago, Lin Zhi stared at every word on it and felt a sharp pain in her heart.

To be fair, Su Heng's calligraphy as a civil official was certainly not bad, but every stroke was too neat and uninteresting, completely unlike Pei Lang's flamboyant and unrestrained style.

Seeing the matchmaker hand her the pen, Lin Zhi hesitated for a moment before taking it. Just as the ink dot fell on the marriage certificate, she heard a noisy commotion outside the Su residence.

"Imperial guards are investigating! All bystanders, please step aside!"

The orderly and imposing Imperial Guards entered the Su Mansion, casting a somber atmosphere over the once picturesque and idyllic scenery.

Su Pingzhang was even more flustered. He quickly stood up and stood in front of his wife, children, and elderly parents, respectfully bowing to the leader of the Imperial Guards: "May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

"The entire Su family is loyal and dutiful!"

The Imperial Guard leader, clad in a cold, gleaming armor, frowned impatiently. "Where is Su Heng?"

Lin Zhi threw down the marriage certificate stained with ink and, with her aunt, dodged to the side, watching Su Heng warily as he walked forward.

"Your humble servant, Su Heng, a sixth-rank official, may I ask what important matter Your Excellency has to discuss?"

Su Heng's eyes were still full of helplessness and confusion, but in the next instant, someone pressed his shoulders and made him kneel down.

"The Su family accepts the imperial decree!"

Upon seeing the Imperial Guard leader produce the bright yellow imperial edict, everyone immediately knelt down, waiting anxiously.

But Lin Zhi felt something was off. Why did this bright yellow imperial edict look different from the one the Pei family had received?

"The wicked minister Su Heng embezzled public funds and enriched himself and his large family. He colluded with others to rebel and seek personal gain. His crimes deserve death! But out of consideration for his family, he is exiled! The Grand Secretary is hereby ordered to personally confiscate his property on my behalf!"

After the discussion, the entire Su family was stunned. Su Heng was the first to react: "Your Excellency is mistaken! How could a lowly sixth-rank official possess such extraordinary abilities?"

"Moreover, what's more, there is no chief minister in the court!"

"Could this be a forged imperial edict?!"

But before he could finish speaking, his frail body was kicked to the ground by the leader of the Imperial Guards: "How dare you, Su Heng! How dare you question the imperial edict?"

"With the late emperor's passing and the crown prince's ascension to the throne, a new chief minister will naturally be appointed."

Su Heng clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground in pain, muttering "Impossible."

Lin Zhi, oblivious to everything, gripped her aunt's hand tightly: The Emperor's death was indeed true!

Even after meeting Xie Zheng, she still couldn't believe it was true!

"Lord Pei has arrived!"

The eunuch announced in a high-pitched voice, and the imperial guards quickly stepped aside to make way.

His dark purple official robe accentuated his tall and imposing figure, making him appear as upright as bamboo and pine, with a composed and dignified air. The gold and jade belt cinched his broad shoulders and narrow waist, giving him an appearance that was not weak and frail like that of an ordinary civil official, but rather robust and slender.

Lin Zhi's blood seemed to freeze when she saw the person's face clearly; she just stood there, staring blankly as Pei Lang stood tall and elegant before her.

Staring at Su Heng, who was terrified on the ground, Pei Lang frowned impatiently, his gaze sweeping over a certain spot before quickly withdrawing.

"Lord Zhao, take men to thoroughly investigate the entire Su residence; leave no stone unturned."

"And the estate outside the capital of the Su family, have it guarded well. No one is allowed to put anything in there, and no fire or fire is allowed. Otherwise, I will not spare any of them."

The Imperial Guard leader immediately accepted the order and led his men to search the entire Su residence from top to bottom.

Even after being tied up, Su Heng and his family were still unwilling to give up, shouting, "We are innocent! What kind of official are you! What kind of official are you!"

Only Su Heng, his face pale, prevented his parents from saying anything more.

Pei Lang walked steadily to Lin Zhi and her niece, glancing at Lin Zhi with his narrow phoenix eyes before casually looking away.

"Mother, I'm late, I'm sorry to have worried you."

Lin Shaowan seemed to wake up from a dream, pinching herself hard before she came to her senses: "...Didn't you say that you offended the Emperor and the Crown Prince and were imprisoned?"

Pei Lang straightened up, his expression frank: "It was merely to cooperate with the Crown Prince... Now it is His Majesty's turn."

"It's just a good show put on in cooperation with His Majesty."

Unable to say much under the watchful eyes of everyone, Lin Zhi's gaze remained fixed on Pei Lang. Pei Lang already possessed an ethereal beauty, but now, dressed in this black official robe, he exuded an even more unapproachable air of dignified aloofness.

Lin Zhi clenched her fists tightly to suppress her emotions, deliberately averting her gaze from him.

The Imperial Guards investigated swiftly, uncovering the bribes, illicit gains, and even the account books that the Su family had received in collusion with the private school in less than half an hour.

With irrefutable evidence, Su Heng and his family had no way to defend themselves and were forced to kneel on the ground, their faces ashen.

Pei Lang sat upright in the courtyard, his posture relaxed: "Su Heng, do you have anything else to say?"

"With witnesses and physical evidence, think carefully before you say anything."

Su Heng crawled forward on his knees and kowtowed heavily: "This sinful subject Su Heng has nothing to say."

"But I only hope that Lord Pei will not implicate my unmarried wife. Miss Lin knows nothing about this and has no involvement whatsoever."

Lin Zhi gasped in shock, never expecting Su Heng to say such a thing! This wasn't pleading; it was clearly an attempt to drag her into this and ruin her!

If it were someone else but Pei Lang here today, they would probably have taken Lin Zhi away with them!

Su Heng was hit hard, his forehead was covered in blood, and a pair of dark gold-patterned boots appeared in his blurred vision.

Forced to look up by having his head grabbed, he saw only a young and handsome prime minister smiling slightly, but the smile was icy and did not reach his eyes.

"Whose wife do you think Lin Zhi is?"

-----------------------

Author's Note: Da Pei's scenes are finally back in full force! I'm the one who's torturing this couple! I've invested just as much in this relationship as you two! Give me some sweetness!!!

I revised it several times before I was satisfied, hehe [please!] It's now a paid product, thank you everyone for your support!!