Chapter 223 This is the gift he gave
At 9 o'clock, the two of them went out.
In the carriage, Zhuang Wan asked, "What gift do you want to give me?"
Pei Xingju sat there calmly reading a book, and refused to reveal a single word even if he was beaten to death.
The more he spoke like this, the more curious Zhuang Wan became. She leaned over and threw herself on his book. "Can't you just give me a little information first so I can guess?"
"No." Pei Xingju was firm.
Zhuang Wan pouted and returned to her seat. After a moment, she suddenly called out, "Pei Yan?"
It was as if a nerve in Pei Xingju's body was suddenly pulled by someone. He slowly raised his eyes, with a dazed look in his eyes.
"What?"
Zhuang Wan tilted her head and said with a smile, "Just tell me a little bit, okay? I'm really itching right now."
Pei Xingju smiled, the corners of his lips slightly raised, and he said in a calm voice: "Shout it again."
"Um?"
"Say my name again."
Zhuang Wan blinked and called out formally, "Pei Yan."
After a moment, he playfully called out, "Pei Yan."
"Pei Yan, Pei Yan, Pei Yan..."
She shouted noisily countless times in different tones and gestures, causing Pei Xingju to feel inexplicably emotional.
Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her recklessly.
His passion surged like the tide, rich and intense, his scorching kisses landing on Zhuang Wan's lips over and over again. Before she could react, she felt his tongue penetrate her, bringing with it an indescribable joy and excitement.
After a long time, Pei Xingju let her go. She had wet eyes and red lips, like a lotus emerging from water.
"Wanwan..." he said, "I like you calling me that."
"Then I'll call you that from now on?" Zhuang Wan said with unsteady breathing.
Pei Xingju gently touched her forehead and raised his lips.
After about three quarters of an hour, the carriage stopped.
Just as Zhuang Wan was about to lift the curtain to see where they were, Pei Xingju quickly pulled her out of the carriage.
However, after getting off the carriage, Zhuang Wan was stunned.
In front of us is the gate of the Zhuang Mansion.
It felt like two lifetimes apart, making her feel a little dazed.
This was where she had first come from, and it was also the only place this body had left in this world. Perhaps influenced by her original body's emotions, she felt a sense of unease and tears welling up in her eyes.
"Why... did you bring me here?" Her voice was muffled and a little hoarse.
Pei Xingju said, "I have already reiterated your Zhuang family's injustice to the emperor and presented all the evidence. Perhaps the Zhuang family's guilt can be cleared soon."
"Evidence? When did you find the evidence?" Zhuang Wan was surprised.
Pei Xingju pursed his lips and said nothing.
In fact, he had started collecting evidence about the Zhuang Mansion a long time ago. At that time, he just wanted to make up for his guilt of "forgetting her". Later...
"Your father was wrongly accused. I knew that from the beginning." He said, "Collecting evidence is not difficult. The difficulty lies in the fact that no one dares to handle this case until Duke Xin is brought down."
"Now that Duke Xin has lost power, if the evidence is presented, your family's crimes will be vindicated in no time."
"But..." Zhuang Wan looked at the clean door. "Where's the seal on the door? Hasn't it been clarified yet? Why is the seal gone?"
"Have you forgotten who I am?" Pei Xingju laughed.
That’s right, Zhuang Wan nodded.
He was the head of the Ministry of Justice, which had originally handled the Zhuang Mansion case. He only lifted the seal on a few mansions, but he still had this power.
"Let's go in and take a look." Pei Xingju took her hand.
The two were about to step over the threshold when they heard the hurried sound of horse hooves from behind.
They both stopped and saw the palace eunuch Wei Zongguan coming with the imperial edict in his hands.
Steward Wei quickly dismounted and upon seeing Pei Xingju, he immediately stepped forward to greet him: "So Lord Pei is here too. Fortunately, I arrived at the right time."
"Thank you, Eunuch Wei." Pei Xingju nodded.
As expected, Chief Steward Wei turned to Zhuang Wan and said, "Miss Zhuang, the emperor has issued an order. Please set up the incense table immediately to receive the order."
Zhuang Wan was stunned for a moment, then she heard Pei Xingju whisper in her ear, "The emperor's grace is immense. His Majesty has redressed the Zhuang family's wrongs. Please accept my order immediately."
After coming to his senses, Zhuang Wan hurried to prepare.
It turns out that this is the gift he was talking about.
.
In the dark and cold dungeon, there are thick stone walls on all sides.
A small window was carved into the stone wall, and light streamed in, as if it were the other side of the world, or the other side of a dream. The dark space was the afterimage of a dream.
A man sat on a bench and stared at the beam of light for a long time. Perhaps because it was dazzling, he slowly closed his eyes.
After a while, some noises were heard from not far away. It seemed that there was only one person coming. The wide hem of her skirt dragged on the bluestone floor, and the gold-thread embroidered patterns rubbed against the hard stone surface, making a subtle and unfamiliar sound.
Soon, the visitor stopped outside the fence.
"Open the door," she said.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor has instructed..."
"Just open the door. I'll go in and see my father."
Soon, the chains rattled and the door opened.
Duke Xin was still sitting on the bench, motionless, with only a sarcastic smile on his lips.
Liang Yixin walked into the inner room and looked around for a while. After not seeing her father for a few days, he had aged a lot. His temples were covered with white hair and his chin was covered with a thick beard.
"Father." She said softly.
After a moment of silence, Duke Xin sneered, "What are you doing here? Pretending to be sympathetic?"
"No, I just came to say goodbye."
Hearing this, Duke Xin opened his eyes and glanced at her abdomen, which was already slightly bulging.
Liang Yixin slowly approached and stopped two steps away.
"You know what? I've always been ashamed of my father."
Duke Xin was stunned. He didn't expect to hear such words.
Liang Yixin continued, "When I was little, you taught me loyalty, righteousness, benevolence, and filial piety, but you yourself didn't practice any of that. When I was little, I heard you lying on the couch, openly telling my mother about your actions. You plotted against the monarch, and violated the principles of heaven... I found you disgusting."
"But I am your daughter. I cannot escape, and I can only enjoy the power and wealth you have gained through despicable and cruel means. So I feel disgusting myself. I hate my body, my identity, I hate you, and even more..."
She shed tears and murmured, "It's a trick of fate."
That person will never know that four years ago, she went out for a spring outing with her brother Liang Jinxian. The carriage broke down on the road, so they borrowed the carriage of Miss Zhuang to go down the mountain.
On the way, someone disturbed her carriage and she was frightened and panicked. It was that person who used his divine power to steady her carriage and saved her from danger.
The moment she opened the car door, she saw him, a handsome man as elegant as jade, and she was captivated at first sight.
She shyly got off the carriage and thanked him, secretly happy that it was a nice sunny day.
But later, he completely forgot about her.
Later...when she learned that he and her father were political enemies, she lived in even more pain.
"Why should I be your daughter?" Liang Yixin smiled sadly: "You probably don't know, but in this life I would rather be born in an ordinary family. At least that way, I can live with peace of mind."
She stared at Duke Xin's calm face and said, "Perhaps even at this moment you still don't think you're wrong."
"But have you ever thought that it was you who caused the Liang family's current situation?"
"Father," she cried, slowly kneeling before Duke Xin. "This is the last time I will call you father. Thank you for giving birth to me and raising me."
"If there is an afterlife... please don't be my father anymore. I just want to be born into a good family."
After saying that, she kowtowed, stood up and left.
In the cell, Duke Xin's back was silent. After a long while, he suddenly collapsed and cried out.
.
Pei Mansion.
As soon as Shen Yi entered the study, he saw Pei Xingju looking depressed. He silently took two steps back and asked Guard Lu who was standing outside the door.
"What's wrong with him? Why does he look so unsatisfied?"
"......" Guard Lu said honestly: "Miss Zhuang has left."
"Leaving? Where to?" Shen Yi didn't react for a moment, then he thought of something and suddenly understood.
The Emperor had already issued an edict clearing the Zhuang family of their charges, restoring the Zhuang family to power, and Madam Zhuang had returned to the capital from the manor. Naturally, Zhuang Wan could no longer live there and had to return to her own home.
Tsk tsk... He turned his head and looked at the man sitting at the desk, looking as if someone owed him hundreds of taels of silver and refused to pay him back. It was funny.
"You, Pei Xingju, are completely finished." He said coldly.
Pei Xingju ignored him: "Is the Ministry of Justice busy?"
What I mean is that he has time to make fun of him, but he is really too bored.
But Chen Yi was indeed free. Logically, with Pei Xingju suspended from his duties, the Ministry of Justice should have been overwhelmed. But for some reason, after the truth about Pei Xingju's identity was revealed, the Ministry of Justice united as never before. Some tasks were handled with impeccable efficiency, and with this increased efficiency, Chen Yi had more free time.
However, he really didn't come here to see Pei Xingju make fun of him today, but he had serious business to attend to.
"Duke Xin committed suicide in prison out of fear of punishment," he said.
Pei Xingju raised his eyes.
"I heard that the Empress visited him in prison before he committed suicide. No one knows what they said, but after the Empress left, he swallowed gold and hanged himself."
Pei Xingju picked up his brush and slowly dipped it in ink. He wasn't surprised by Duke Xin's death, and even felt a long-awaited sense of relief.
"But there's nothing much to say about the death of a person. Right now, there's just one thing that's not settled." Shen Yi continued.
"What's up?"
"All the men in the Xinguo Mansion were imprisoned, except for one whose whereabouts remain unknown."
Upon hearing this, Pei Xingju understood.
Liang Jinxian had been missing since the Hezhou incident. However, this was within his expectations. Liang Jinxian didn't dare to appear in the capital with his true identity, but no one knew where he was now.
He asked, "Is there any news from the southwest?"
"I was just about to tell you this," Shen Yi said with an expression of admiration, "I have some guesses in my mind, I wonder if they are correct..."
"Are you trying to say that Liang Jinxian is very likely hiding in the southwest?"
"That's right," Chen Yi said, "Didn't you notice earlier that Liang Jinxian had been looking for someone? He even sent people to his hometown of Changguo. Now that he hasn't shown up, I guess he's probably there too. Besides, his biological mother is from Changguo herself, so maybe he has some old acquaintances there. Should we send someone to investigate?"
"No need," Pei Xingju said, "Xue Gang has already left the capital and headed southwest."
It's so fast.
Shen Yi was relieved.
After finishing his business, he drank a cup of tea with great interest, and suddenly sighed: "Oh, I don't know why, the tea I drank from your Pei Mansion today was a little cold."
"It really is true what they say, when people leave, the tea gets cold!"
"......" Pei Xingju was too lazy to pay attention to him.
Chen Yi turned around and asked Guard Lu at the door, "Lu Huai, are you getting married next month?"
Lu Huai replied honestly, "The sixth day of next month."
"Congratulations!" Chen Yi leaned back lazily. "You'll be married soon, and we'll have company. Let's get together for a drink later."
His words were obviously mocking, meaning that he and Lu Huai were married people and would not hang out with bachelors anymore.
"Pei Guanggun" looked up from the official documents and ruthlessly exposed him: "It's just a contract marriage. Where does your family come from?"
“…”
Chen Yi choked and felt a tightness in his chest.
.
Zhuang Mansion.
The courtyard is shaded by green trees, the flower beds are connected to the winding corridor, the white walls and green tiles are reflected in the fish pond under the corridor, and the time is so pleasant.
At this time, the windows in the room were half open, and the crackling sound of an abacus could be heard from inside.
Zhuang Wan was sitting at the table looking at the accounts. She didn't know how long she had been looking at them. She caught a glimpse of a figure standing at the door and turned to look.
I saw Mrs. Zhuang standing there quietly.
"Mother," Zhuang Wan stood up, "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to look around the yard to see if there was anything that needed renovating, and I ended up here without realizing it." Mrs. Zhuang said with a smile.
After the emperor exonerated the Zhuang family, Pei Xingju sent someone to the manor to fetch Madam Zhuang that very day. Madam Zhuang was in disbelief and, upon arriving at the mansion, she embraced Zhuang Wan and wept uncontrollably.
I originally thought that this kind of emotion would take a long time to subside, but unexpectedly, Mrs. Zhuang adjusted herself after just two days.
Zhuang Wan asked, "Mother, have you seen anything that needs repairing? I'll go get a craftsman later."
Hearing her say this, Mrs. Zhuang's face showed relief, and her eyes looked at her with kindness yet insight.
"How could I possibly be so blessed to have such a clever and capable daughter like you?" she said, glancing at the pile of account books on the table. "I never dared to imagine having a daughter like you."
She didn't know if Zhuang Wan was overthinking it, but she felt that these words were a little strange, which made her feel guilty.
She hurried forward to welcome Madam Zhuang in and poured her a cup of tea: "Mother, you have worked hard. Please sit down and have some tea."
"Good." Mrs. Zhuang nodded. "You are capable and talented, and you even opened your own shop. I heard that your shop is doing very well, and many people outside know Zhuang Ji."
Zhuang Wan said, "I didn't know it would go so smoothly. Sir Pei has been very helpful."
Speaking of Pei Xingju, Madam Zhuang sighed, "I never thought that child...had suffered so much. I met Madam Pei in her time, and she was truly a dignified and generous lady. She and General Pei were also very affectionate. They had three sons together and had been married for many years without a blush. Who would have thought later..."
She couldn't bear to talk about what happened later, and sighed, "It can be said that God has a vision. With Lord Pei as a root, the Pei family has hope of reviving the family."
Zhuang Wan nodded.
After a moment, she said, "Mother, Lord Pei said he has sent someone to the border town to pick up my brother. Perhaps he will be able to return to the capital in half a month."
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhuang looked over in surprise, her eyes instantly reddening: "Really? Is my Hun'er coming back?"
"Of course it's true." Zhuang Wan held her hand. "With Lord Pei taking care of him, my brother is not suffering in the border town. Mother doesn't need to worry."
Mrs. Zhuang couldn't help shedding tears: "Good, good! Now I can see that you and your sister are safe and sound, I am satisfied."
Family love is the most precious thing in this world, always touching people's hearts inadvertently. At this moment, Zhuang Wan couldn't help but feel sad.
"Mother," she said, "Let the past be the past. From now on, let's live a good life."
Hearing this, Madam Zhuang raised her eyes and said, "You know, if it were the Wan'er of the past, she would definitely not be able to say such insightful words as you do."
"I didn't expect..." she said with joy, "What I lost, God has perfectly restored to me."
Zhuang Wan felt a little nervous and was afraid to look into Madam Zhuang's eyes, as she felt like she had discovered something.
"Yes, mother, just look forward and take good care of yourself." She said, "When my brother comes back, you will have to arrange a marriage for him."
When this was mentioned, Madam Zhuang nodded and said, "You are right. Now that you and your sister have grown up, there is no time to delay your marriage."
"Mother," Zhuang Wan said solemnly, remembering something, "There's something else I want to discuss with you."
"you say."
"Mother, do you still remember Qiu Tan?" Zhuang Wan asked, "She used to be my maid, but I later returned her bond. Now she's a free woman and has even opened a shop of her own."
"She's getting married next month, and the man she's marrying happens to be a guard close to Lord Pei. Although he's just a guard, he's a very good person. I thought Qiu Tan had served me for many years, and we've been master and servant, so I planned to give her some dowry."
"I don't care about anything," Mrs. Zhuang said with a smile. "Just use this money. If it's not enough, we have more in our house."
"It's not about money," Zhuang Wan said. "Qiutan has been an orphan since childhood, and has considered the Zhuang Mansion her own. I'd like to discuss with you whether I can marry out of the Zhuang Mansion when the time comes."
"This is a good thing," said Madam Zhuang. "Our family hasn't had a wedding in a long time. Why don't I adopt her as my goddaughter to make this wedding more lively?"
"That's great!" Zhuang Wan said, "Qiutan would definitely be very happy if she knew about this."
While the mother and daughter were talking, a stealthy carriage arrived outside the mansion.
In the carriage, Pei Xingju hesitated for a moment and said to Guard Lu, "Don't stop in front of the door. Change the place."
Guard Lu was puzzled: "Aren't you going to see Miss Zhuang, sir? Why don't you stop in front of the door?"
Pei Xingju must have had his reasons for not stopping in front of the door.
Now that Zhuang Wan had returned to the Zhuang Mansion, it was a little inconvenient for the two of them to meet again. Yesterday, he had rushed to the Zhuang Mansion to visit, hoping to see Zhuang Wan, but his future mother-in-law played dumb and refused to let them meet.
Pei Xingju naturally didn't want to bring up the matter. He drank two cups of tea, put down his gift, and left dejectedly. This was also the reason why Shen Yi saw him looking so depressed today.
Right now, he wanted to see Zhuang Wan, but he couldn't do so openly. After all, he had just visited her yesterday, so what excuse could he use to come again today?
Pei Xingju was too proud to let his future mother-in-law laugh at him, so he thought about it and decided to take the back door.
However, Guard Lu could not understand what Lord Pei meant. After driving the carriage to the west corner gate, he stepped forward to knock on the door.
But he was stopped by Pei Xingju.
"Sir," Guard Lu said, puzzled, "You're not going in?"
"Come in," Pei Xingju said seriously, "but you don't have to knock."
"No need to knock?"
Guard Lu was completely confused. Just as he was wondering how someone could get in without knocking, he saw Pei Xingju tiptoeing and quietly climbing over the wall.
“.........”
"Just stay here and guard it." Pei Xingju said this and jumped straight into the yard.
“........”
Guard Lu looked up at the sky in silence. For the first time, he felt ashamed to follow their master.
Here, Pei Xingju walked towards Zhuang Wan's courtyard with a familiarity of the route. Fortunately, he had been to the Zhuang Mansion before and remembered the route immediately. Moreover, there were few servants in the mansion at the moment, so the road was empty, so there was no need to worry about being discovered.
Soon, he arrived at Zhuang Wan's courtyard. After observing for a moment, he walked to a hibiscus tree, used a thick branch as a footstool, and then spun around and jumped onto the eaves.
The tiles were dried by the summer sun and made noises when walked on. Although Pei Xingju tried his best to walk lightly, some noises were still heard.
Mrs. Zhuang had just come out of the house. When she heard the noise, she thought that the tiles were cracked due to the sun. She looked up and looked at it quietly for a while, thinking about asking a craftsman to repair it another day.
The next moment, a figure flew down from the eaves and stood right in front of her.
Eye to eye......
Mrs. Zhuang: “..........”
Pei Xingju: “..........”
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