Chapter 131 Don't Want to Break Off the Engagement
For a moment, a look of touch flashed across Pei Zhao's face.
At the time, both sides had their own difficulties. The Crown Prince's subordinates were all arrogant and fierce. Lingyi was lucky not to be silenced after she caught them intercepting the assassin. When they first met in Qingshi Town, he knew she was lying, but he didn't investigate further. If only he had been more cautious...
"Do you really think so?"
Song Lingyi nodded silently and did not defend herself anymore.
The man's gaze rested on her for a long time, but he wasn't as furious as she had expected. He simply said calmly, "What if I say I don't want to cancel the engagement?"
Song Lingyi looked up in surprise.
Pei Zhao looked at her deeply, his expression showing nothing unusual.
After the New Year's Eve palace banquet, he did have the urge to cancel the engagement, but he quickly convinced himself that there was no need to back down because of some fabricated things. His fiancée was smart and clever, and it was normal for someone to admire her.
The person who set up the trap just wanted to see him choose fish or bear's paw.
Unfortunately, the man miscalculated. He did want power, but this incident also made him see his own heart clearly. The situation in the court was changing rapidly, and he didn't want to gamble his marriage on an unknown future.
The reason I don't want to communicate with her today is not because I'm angry about her hiding the truth, but because I'm afraid that she will back down first.
After two breaths of silence, he continued, "I'm glad you can be honest with me. Regarding what happened on New Year's Eve, I wanted to calm down for a few days and find another opportunity to talk to you, but I didn't expect you to come to me first."
"Even if you are the crown prince, you still have to consider ethical principles. How can you covet my wife? It's not the behavior of a wise ruler. If he likes you, it's his business. You didn't wear that pearl hairpin, which has already shown your attitude. Why should I worry about it?" Pei Zhao's eyes were firm and earnest.
"But you should know—"
"I know."
“…”
Song Lingyi's brows furrowed slightly, a look of confusion growing on her face. She wondered if he hadn't understood or if he simply didn't care. She was no longer a virgin, and Xiao Mingyi was determined. She was afraid it would be difficult to deal with him in the future.
"Lingyi," Pei Zhaoji said solemnly, "I know times are tough and the Song family is in decline. It was no easy feat for you to reach the capital safely. If I had recognized you in Qingshi Town that day, this marriage might have gone more smoothly. But the past cannot be reversed. The most important thing is to seize the present."
He still remembered the year his eldest brother left Beijing, he'd told him, "Don't make choices that will make you regret it." He didn't want his eldest brother's regrets to happen to him, nor did he want to disappoint his mother. They were getting married right after the Lunar New Year, and causing a stir now would be bad for both families.
The softest part of Song Lingyi's heart was slightly touched, and the corners of her eyes gradually became moist. She took two steps forward and threw herself into Pei Zhao's arms, saying "thank you" in a hoarse voice.
Even if I know her darkness and ugliness, I will not leave her.
Over the past year, all the emotions that had been suppressed deep in her heart, including fear, tension, bitterness, and grievance, suddenly surged up.
From an invisible angle, a thin layer of water light appeared in those bright black eyes.
Pei Zhao's expression was moved, and he raised his hand to stroke her hair.
The sky gradually darkened.
Hongju sat in the corridor, watching the girl and Master Pei returning hand in hand, feeling both surprised and delighted. She didn't know what they had talked about, but the atmosphere had been awkward just now, but now it was as if nothing had happened.
Guan happened to come back from interpreting the divination and saw this scene. A hint of emotion flashed in his eyes.
When the two of them approached, she smiled and said, "Erlang, mother has something else to do. She needs to go to the north of the city. You don't have to follow her. Please send Lingyi back home first."
Hearing this, Pei Zhao's thick eyebrows knitted slightly, and his voice sank: "Why do we have to go to the north of the city? But this sign is not good?"
Ever since my eldest brother went to Qizhou, my mother has become more and more convinced of the magic of alchemists. There is an alchemist in the north of the city who is quite famous in the capital. In the past six months, every time my mother has a nightmare about my eldest brother, she has to go to the north of the city to seek peace of mind.
Guan shook her head and said, "The weather will soon change. Go back early."
…
An hour later, when we returned to the Duke's Mansion, the falling snow was sweeping across the entire capital.
The carriage only stopped briefly at the gate. Song Lingyi, preoccupied with matters, did not force Pei Zhao to stay inside. Once inside, she led Hongju straight to the backyard.
The master and servant came to Mingzhu Garden where Lu Qian lived. The courtyard was quiet, with only the lights on in the main house.
Song Lingyi ordered Hongju to guard the courtyard gate, and then walked into the main house.
A young man in a dark purple brocade robe sat with his back to the couch behind a carved window. Hearing footsteps behind him, he remained motionless, fiddling with the warm jade chess piece in his hand.
Until the girl stood beside the couch, lowered her eyes and stared at him for a while, then slowly raised her head and curled her lips casually: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Song Lingyi glared at him and asked, "Did you send the palace maid to pass on a message to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Brother Jianzhi on the day of the New Year's Eve palace banquet?"
Lu Qian's heart skipped a beat.
I didn't expect the truth to be exposed so quickly. I thought she wouldn't know. But it doesn't matter if she knows. Knowing it makes some things easier to talk about.
"It's me."
Seeing him admit it so quickly, Song Lingyi frowned slightly, in disbelief: "How do you know that I know His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
As soon as she finished speaking, her mind raced, and she suddenly remembered that at the Pei family banquet, the pretty boy had said that Xiao Mingyi had taken a portrait of a woman to look for someone.
"Because of that painting? You clearly recognized that the person in the painting was me, but you deliberately pretended not to know?!"
Lu Qian chuckled softly: "I thought you would first ask why I did this."
Song Lingyi snorted coldly, her clear black eyes were particularly indifferent, and her tone was mocking: "Young Master, you are very scheming, and your means of revenge are very vicious. Who wants to know what you are planning?"
"I thought our feud was over. What on earth do you want?"
Lu Qian stopped smiling, his eyes darkened, and his expression gradually became gloomy.
"how?"
"Why are you so eager to bring an army to accuse me? Could it be that Pei Zhao has given up and wants to cancel the engagement?"
Thinking he was waiting to see her laugh, Song Lingyi forced a cold smile and raised her chin slightly: "I'm afraid I'll disappoint my cousin. Brother Jianzhi won't cancel the engagement, and the wedding banquet will be held as scheduled."
“…” Lu Qian’s eyes were dim.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince and I knew each other before we came to the capital, but that's all in the past. I've detained the maidservant you sent. If you dare to threaten me with this again, I'll have to fight you to the death. I'll let my uncle and aunt know how you've been secretly plotting the Crown Prince's marriage to our two families."
After saying that, Song Lingyi turned around and left Mingzhuyuan with a resolute attitude.
The room fell into dead silence, and the harsh words seemed to still echo in Lu Qian's ears. It was as if a thorn was stuck in his throat. A hint of obscurity flashed across his eyes. His fists were clenched, and veins bulged on his forehead.
The next moment, the entire chessboard fell to the ground.
The black and white chess pieces kept clattering.
The noise attracted the attention of the servants in the yard, but no one dared to enter the house to check what was going on. After all, no one wanted to offend the young master at this critical moment.
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