When Jiao Rong heard Yin Yichen ask him this question, his face immediately turned extremely ugly. He could only stammer, "Prime Minister, I really don't know what you are talking about. I have been managing the Fengxian Restaurant in the capital, so how could I know the bandits from Langfeng Mountain? I'm afraid that it was just a coincidence that they met my wife. How could I dare to collude with them? It's a capital crime."
Seeing Jiao Rong still stubbornly trying to hold his ground, Yin Yichen immediately looked up at Wei Fu, who understood and stepped forward to break Jiao Rong's arm.
A pig-slaughtering cry echoed out, and Jiao Rong's head was covered in cold sweat. He kowtowed and explained to Yin Yichen, "Prime Minister, I really don't know. If I knew, I would tell you everything. How could I have kept it secret until now? I beg you to examine it."
Yin Yichen sat on a chair, his face calm, and slowly said, "He won't say anything. When he's sent to the Dali Temple, just say he's a wanted criminal who's colluding with bandits. Tell Qian Xingyu to take good care of him."
"I...I..." Jiao Rong's face instantly turned bitter upon hearing this, and he had no choice but to tell the truth. "Your Excellency, I have nothing to do with the bandits in Langfeng Mountain. How we met dates back several years ago. Before Zhang Daoba, the leader of the bandits in Langfeng Mountain, went to the capital to seek a way to resist the miasma, and he came to my father. When my father heard Zhang Daoba say that he had a miserable life, he felt pity for him and gave Zhang Daoba the remedy he had inherited from his ancestors."
Jiao Rong swallowed and continued, "That Zhang Daoba is also a good man. After he robbed the money in Langfeng Mountain, he didn't forget to send some supplements to my father. But my father has always been a conservative. Ever since he found out what Zhang Daoba did, he didn't want to have any contact with me. So Zhang Daoba gave these things to me and asked me to treat my father well. After a few visits, I became familiar with him and felt that he was a good man. This time, his wife came and I had no way out. I was anxious all of a sudden, and that's when I came up with this idea... I made such a mistake because of a momentary mistake."
Jiao Rong burst into tears when he said this, and he wanted to crawl to Yin Yichen's feet and said, "Prime Minister, please spare my life. I also ask Prime Minister to spare me this time for the sake of my father. I will definitely turn over a new leaf and become a new man."
"Send him to the Dali Temple and tell Qian Xingyu that he's a serious criminal colluding with the bandits on Langfeng Mountain." Yin Yichen pressed his hand between his eyebrows and spoke slowly, "Don't let him get any obvious injuries yet. He might be of use to others later."
When Jiao Rong heard this, his face was filled with despair. He sat on the ground blankly, forgetting even to beg for mercy, until Wei Fu picked him up and took him away.
After Yin Yichen finished interrogating Jiao Rong, he stood up and walked towards the bedroom where Song Wanning was.
It was already daybreak when Yin Yichen entered the bedroom, only to find Song Wanning had already gotten up and washed up. Yin Yichen was quite surprised and asked softly, "Why don't you rest a little longer?"
Song Wanning sighed and looked at Yin Yichen and said, "I'm worried about Xuanzhi's injury. I want to go to the Pei Mansion to check on him and apologize to Master and Madam Pei. They've been very kind to me since I was a child, and now I don't know how to explain it."
Song Wanning said, then raised her eyes and said to the two maids beside her, "Go to the storehouse and bring some ginseng and deer antlers."
The maid responded and went to find something for Song Wanning.
"I'll go with you." Yin Yichen held Song Wanning's hand and said in a low voice, "Husband and wife are one. We should repay the Pei family together for what we owe them."
After hearing what Yin Yichen said, Song Wanning raised her eyes and glanced at the dark circles on his face. She said calmly, "You haven't slept all night. You are busy with official business at the court. It's better for you to rest at home. It's just a visit from relatives. I can do it alone."
Yin Yichen simply said, "It's okay. It's the same if you come back and rest. There's no end to the court's business. No matter how many things pile up, they're still piles."
Seeing that he insisted, Song Wanning stopped persuading him, and the couple went to Pei Mansion together.
When Song Wanning and Yin Yichen arrived at the Pei residence, Song Jing and Song Lan had already returned to the General's Residence, and the doctor who had come to the Pei residence to treat Pei Xuanzhi's injuries had already left. When Mrs. Pei and Master Pei heard that someone had arrived from the Prime Minister's Residence, they immediately went to the door to greet them.
When Song Wanning saw the two of them, she immediately looked at them and said apologetically, "Uncle Pei, Aunt Pei, Xuanzhi got injured while helping me, and Wanning feels really bad about it. So I brought some supplements here, hoping Xuanzhi can get better soon."
Master Pei and Madam Pei were always reasonable. Madam Pei, however, raised her sleeve to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes and said slowly to Song Wanning, "My dear, this is not your fault. Our two families are old friends. No matter what, Xuanzhi should help you. The doctor has already said that his current injury will heal with rest."
Song Wanning heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this, and then looked at Madam Pei and said softly, "Aunt, I am the one who has let Xuanzhi down in this matter."
"Come in and talk." Mrs. Pei looked at Song Wanning, then glanced at the prime minister standing beside Song Wanning.
Master Pei stood aside and said to Yin Yichen, "Since the Prime Minister has come to my humble abode, why don't you follow me to the front hall for tea?"
Yin Yichen responded and followed Master Pei to the front hall, leaving Song Wanning and Madam Pei to walk to the backyard. Madam Pei looked at Pei Xuanzhi as he walked away and said with emotion, "Wanning said she wanted to marry our Xuanzhi when she was little. Now she's married to the Prime Minister and her life is pretty good. The Prime Minister would actually condescend to come to our house, which is really unexpected for us."
"The Prime Minister... he's really been very good to me." After hearing what Madam Pei said, Song Wanning knew that her family had let the Pei family down, so she spoke out, "Aunt, our family has let Xuanzhi down, and now Xuanzhi has saved my life, and I really feel..."
"You don't have to feel guilty. The government had no choice but to grant you this marriage. If you're feeling bad, just go see Xuanzhi." Madam Pei's eyes reddened again as she spoke. "This child is stubborn. Even though he doesn't say it, he really wants to see you. Ever since you got married, he hasn't wanted to see any other women. He's just worried about this. The person who tied the bell must untie it. I hope Sister Ning can persuade him and help him put his mind at ease."
Song Wanning responded softly, took a breath, and followed Mrs. Pei to Pei Xuanzhi's yard.
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