Chapter 79 Returning to Bianjing
Pei Heng never expected to run into Song Jie at the city gate.
Song Jie, leading the Imperial Guards, followed closely behind Pei Heng.
He reined in his horse and said to Pei Heng with a smile, "I'm afraid that General Pei might have gone astray while chasing after Miss Yushu and missed her. So His Majesty ordered me to lead the Imperial Guards to accompany General Pei to pick her up."
Pei Heng looked at the large contingent of imperial guards behind him and knew all too well that Song Jie was determined to bring Xie Yushu back today.
"Let's go, General Pei, let's not waste any more time." Song Jie's tone revealed his understanding of Pei Heng's sarcasm: "Delaying any longer won't change the Emperor's will." He urged his horse forward slowly to Pei Heng and lowered his voice, saying, "You shouldn't have taken Xie Yushu away on your own initiative. You don't have the courage to defy the Emperor's will to protect her. I told you long ago, you should grant us your wish. Only I can protect her."
Pei Heng looked at him silently, then reached out and grabbed the reins of his horse, speaking in a low voice, "You should know what she will face when she returns to Bianjing. If you have even a little affection for her, how can you bear to see her humiliated?"
The horse was startled and lurched.
Song Jie pressed down on the horse's head, his brows furrowed as he looked up at Pei Heng and said, "How could I bear to see my beloved humiliated? I just want her to understand that the only person she can rely on is me. As long as she obediently listens and begs me to save her, I will naturally not let anyone bully her."
Pei Heng saw a sinister pleasure in his face and eyes, as if he had finally managed to bring the "disobedient" Xie Yushu back.
"Enough with the nonsense." Song Jie flicked the riding whip onto Pei Heng's hand, snatched back the reins, and ordered, "Split into two groups. One group will follow General Pei along the main road, and the other group will follow me along the back road."
The imperial guards responded in unison.
Pei Heng frowned more and more as he watched the Imperial Guards approach. Ming Zhao should have caught up with Xie Yushu and taken her to the ferry. Have they boarded the ship yet?
He whipped his horse again and rode ahead of Song Jie's horse, trying to slow him down.
But then he heard the sound of horses' hooves coming from outside the city gate, and Song Jie was surprised and reined in his horse again.
Pei Heng looked over and saw that the person riding up was Xie Yushu.
She rode alone on horseback, wearing a black cloak, galloping towards them.
Why did she come back on her own?
Pei Heng was so surprised that he immediately spurred his horse to go to her. After she reined in her horse, he reached out and held her horse's head, asking in a low voice, "Why are you back? Where are Princess Kangyang and the others?" He wanted to ask her if she hadn't seen Zhao Mingzhao. She should hurry south and leave Bianjing.
The imperial guards behind her, under Song Jie's orders, surrounded Xie Yushu from all sides, as if afraid she would escape.
Xie Yushu glanced around at the Imperial Guards, then his gaze fell on Song Jie, and he said meaningfully, "Prime Minister Song, there's no need for this. Now that I'm back, I have no intention of leaving again."
Song Jie spotted her among the Imperial Guards, stared at her, and slowly smiled: "I didn't expect Miss Yushu to come back on her own."
Under the gloomy sky, Xie Yushu smiled and said, "Stop pretending to be stupid. You sent Cangshu to catch up with me and tell me that the Emperor ordered Pei Heng to bring me back. Wasn't that just to force me to come back?"
Did Song Jie's men catch up with her?
Knowing what happened in the palace, she shouldn't have come back.
Pei Heng was filled with complex emotions. She suddenly looked at him, as if to comfort him, and said softly with a smile, "Thank you for your efforts for me. The Pei family's debt to me is now settled."
Despite the cold wind, her face showed a relieved and carefree expression. She pulled the reins back from Pei Heng's hand and took control of her own horse: "The person His Majesty is looking for is me. Now that I'm back, General Pei doesn't need to delay his journey any longer. My aunt and cousin are waiting for General Pei at the post station. General Pei's mission is important."
Without the slightest hesitation or struggle, she gently spurred the horse's belly and moved towards Song Jie: "Let's go, Prime Minister Song. Does His Majesty want you to take me to the palace? Or to the Yuqing Temple?"
Pei Heng felt as if his heart had fallen into a lake in the dead of winter. He turned around and saw Song Jie stop Xie Yushu.
“If you are willing, you can come back to the Prime Minister’s residence with me.” Song Jie said softly to her, “You know that as long as you are willing, I never care about disobeying imperial orders.”
Xie Yushu glanced at Song Jie. These words were useless to the plan. He should have said nothing and simply taken her into the palace.
But under the misty sky, Song Jie gently held her arm and said this useless "nonsense".
Xie Yushu looked into his eyes and actually saw a hint of sincerity in them. "You know I won't be with you."
Song Jie paused for a moment, then released his hand and slowly smiled. Yes, he knew.
“Then please go to Yuqing Temple, Miss Yushu. His Majesty is waiting for you.” Song Jie turned his horse around, making way for a path, a path leading to the prison.
Pei Heng chased after him again, but was stopped by Song Jie.
“Now that Miss Yushu has returned, you don’t need to go back with her.” Song Jie’s face turned completely cold: “Go do your errands.”
Pei Heng gripped the reins tightly, watching Song Jie and the Imperial Guards lead Xie Yushu away in a grand procession, as if they were escorting a prisoner.
Xie Yushu never looked back; she no longer expected anyone to "save" her.
Pei Heng felt as if his heart was exposed to the cold wind, becoming dry and tight, as if it were about to crack. He thought that Xie Yushu must be very disappointed in him.
"General." Zhao Mingzhao's voice came from behind. He waited until Song Jie and his men left before appearing. He rode up to Pei Heng and whispered, "Miss Yushu came back so as not to implicate you."
He knew, how could he not know?
"She asked me to tell you that you don't need to make things difficult for her anymore." Zhao Mingzhao was also in a terrible mood: "She said, please take good care of Xiaodao in the future."
Pei Heng turned to look at Zhao Mingzhao; her words sounded like she was entrusting her son to someone.
"General." Zhao Mingzhao looked at him, but there were many things he found difficult to say, such as: Isn't His Majesty's action tantamount to taking advantage of my wife? This is outrageous.
Imagine if the emperor had taken a fancy to his wife today? Would he also offer his wife to the emperor?
Did they fight and lose countless brothers to protect such an absurd emperor?
But saying these words is treasonous and could cost you your head.
All he could say was, "What does the general intend to do? Just watch Miss Yushu be taken away?"
As Pei Heng gazed at the majestic palace shrouded in gloom, how could he knowingly do as nothing had happened and carry out his duties for the Emperor, knowing full well what Xie Yushu would encounter?
#
Inside the Yuqing Temple.
Wan Susu didn't expect that not only Xiao Dao would come to see her today, but even the Emperor himself would come.
She had no time to wash and dress before the Emperor arrived at Suxinzhai.
Xiao Xu walked in from outside the door, waved for Xiao Dao to get up, and went to her bedside as if nothing had happened, asking, "Don't move around, just lie down peacefully. I didn't come to see you because I was afraid you would exhaust yourself."
Wan Susu looked haggard and subconsciously smoothed her hair, hoping she wouldn't look so bad. She wondered if it was just her imagination, but the Emperor seemed much more energetic, and his complexion had regained some color. "His Majesty has finally come to see me..."
She gripped the Emperor's hand tightly, eager to seize this opportunity to plead for Xiao Zhen, but her gaze fell upon Xiao Dao standing by the bedside.
Xiao Dao came to see her early this morning, prepared some herbal soup for her, and personally fed her bit by bit. She had finally managed to get a little familiar with her own son, and if she were to plead for Xiao Zhen now, it would surely break Xiao Dao's heart...
She choked up again.
Xiao Xu's mind was not on her at all. After asking a couple of questions about her health, he turned his gaze to Qiao Bao'er beside him and said with a smile, "Thanks to you for taking care of Su Su these days."
Qiao Bao'er was so frightened that she immediately knelt down to pay her respects, but then she heard the Emperor say, "I have ordered people to clean up the courtyard on the west side of Suxinzhai. I want your daughter Yushu to live in the west courtyard so that she can keep Susu company and you can see her every day."
What's the meaning?
Qiao Bao'er looked up at him in confusion, then immediately lowered her head and subconsciously said, "Yu Shu is already married, so it's probably inconvenient for her to stay at Suxin Zhai for long..."
"It won't be like that for long," Xiao Xu interrupted her casually.
Qiao Bao'er's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up without regard for etiquette, "Your Majesty..."
Before she could say anything more, a long, imposing sound of footsteps came from outside, and a troop of imperial guards stopped outside Suxinzhai.
Song Jie led Xie Yushu into the courtyard filled with fallen red leaves.
Qiao Bao'er noticed that the Emperor's gaze was fixed on Yu Shu, like a wolf eyeing its prey, naked and uninhibited. She felt a pang of panic and looked at Yu Shu with concern.
Xie Yushu walked to her side and, without bowing, looked directly at Xiao Xu: "I wonder what urgent matter Your Majesty has that warrants the use of the Imperial Guards to bring my wife back?"
She no longer wants to observe proper etiquette, and her tone is no longer kind.
Xiao Xu wasn't angry, because no matter how aloof she was, she still obediently came back, didn't she?
Even if Pei Heng is very powerful, he is still a subject and must obey his orders.
He was the emperor, and he never failed to get what he wanted.
“Perfect timing. I just spoke with your mother, and from now on you will live in the west courtyard of Suxinzhai to keep her company.” Xiao Xu stopped beating around the bush. “I have also ordered the maids from your household to be brought over, and they are also permitted to stay in the west courtyard to take care of you.”
Xiao Xu raised his hand, and the Imperial Guards outside the door brought over three people.
"Miss!"
"lady!"
When Xie Yushu heard Jin Ye and Yin Ya's voices, he turned around and saw them being forced to kneel on the ground by the Imperial Guards at the door. Not only Jin Ye and Yin Ya, but even Granny Xi Zhi had been brought over.
She looked at them, sneered, and then looked at Xiao Xu again: "Is His Majesty going to place me under house arrest?"
Her question was so direct that even Wan Susu on the bed was startled. Only now did she come to her senses and stare at Xiao Xu in shock. His Majesty, His Majesty, has he taken a fancy to Xie Yushu? Does he want to imprison Xie Yushu here like he imprisoned her?
Xiao Dao, standing by the couch, finally couldn't help but look at Xie Yushu. Today, she was wearing a black cloak, under which was a narrow-sleeved dress and riding boots. Her black hair was simply tied up with a jade crown, making her look like a spirited young woman of the martial world.
She met Xiao Xu's gaze like an unyielding sword.
Xiao Dao looked at Xiao Xu again, his gaze almost taking root in Xie Yushu, so captivated that he couldn't hide it.
Xiao Xu seemed stunned for a moment before slowly saying, "It's not house arrest, it's just that you'll stay for a while."
He waved his hand, and a eunuch on the side took out a pen, ink, and a letter, and presented them to Xie Yushu.
"Madam Pei," the eunuch said respectfully, "this is a divorce agreement written by Lord Pei Shilin. He says that there have been disagreements since you were married, that you are unfilial to your mother-in-law and disobedient to your husband, and that he wants to divorce you. Please sign your name on it."
Xie Yushu didn't look at the divorce agreement, but looked at Xiao Xu and said, "Since His Majesty has taken a fancy to me and wants to take advantage of me, why does he need this divorce agreement? Don't you have plenty of reasons to imprison me?"
Xiao Xu's smile remained unchanged, because he had plenty of ways to force her to sign the divorce papers.
Even if she doesn't sign, she can't escape his grasp.
"This divorce agreement is nothing more than a cover-up for your shameful act of taking my wife." Xie Yushu picked up his pen and slowly drew a big X on the divorce agreement. "Just like when you gave Consort Wan to the late emperor to protect yourself, but you claimed to the outside world that the late emperor had taken her by force."
Xiao Xu's smile froze instantly.
Wan Susu's face also turned pale. How could she know about this? Even Meng Min didn't know about this. She had kept this secret for so many years, thinking that no one would know.
"Back then, you cowardly sacrificed your own wife, and now you're doing the same thing, forcing another coward to give up his wife." Xie Yushu threw down his pen and said with a sneer, "There's no need for this divorce agreement to cover up my shame. I can tell you now that even if it's the emperor, I just don't like him, and you can't have him no matter what you do."
The eunuch was so frightened that he knelt down and immediately said to Xie Yushu, "How dare you! Quickly kneel down and beg for forgiveness!"
Xie Yushu remained standing there.
Xiao Xu looked at her coldly, his voice also turning icy: "Is that so? Even if I kill you, even if I kill your mother, you won't care?"
“Killing me will only leave me with a lonely grave.” Xie Yushu looked at Qiao Bao’er, who was also looking at her with red eyes: “I think my mother would rather die than see me humiliated.”
Qiao Bao'er, suppressing her reddened eyes, immediately nodded to Yu Shu as if responding, and said timidly but firmly, "I am not afraid of death. Your Majesty does not need to use me to threaten Yu Shu. I was prepared to die for her when I gave birth to her."
Looking into her red eyes, Xie Yushu suddenly felt a pang of guilt; she shouldn't have dragged Qiao Bao'er into her plan.
"What a deep bond between mother and daughter! I will grant your wish today." Xiao Xu seemed genuinely enraged and ordered the imperial guards to draw their swords and place them against Qiao Bao'er's neck.
Song Jie instinctively wanted to pull Xie Yushu behind him to protect her, but he stopped himself immediately.
"Father." Xiao Dao could no longer hold back. He stepped forward and pushed aside the Imperial Guards, but he didn't know what to say. He just stared at Xiao Xu and stood in front of Qiao Bao'er and Xie Yushu, looking as if he was ready to fight for them at any time.
Xie Yushu frowned, feeling a bit annoyed. Xiao Dao shouldn't have been so impatient. By stepping forward now, all the things he had done to please Xiao Xu before had been wasted.
As expected, Xiao Xu asked coldly, "Why are you going to take the blame for them? I've long heard that you were Xie Yushu's attendant and that you had an ambiguous relationship with her. Now it seems that the rumors are true."
-----------------------
Author's note: Update!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
