Chapter 125 Coaxing
"Fair?" Pei Ji took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "You killed four people! Four lives! Even if they deserved it, you also put yourself in a dead end! Is this fair? If your sister is still alive, would she be willing to see you become a murderer with blood on your hands in order to avenge her, and ultimately die?"
"It's impossible to escape death?" Liu Yueli suddenly smiled, that smile was sad and beautiful. "Sir, do you think that after all this time, I'm still afraid of death?"
Her eyes became empty again, looking at Pei Ji, but also seemed to be looking through him to a place farther away, her voice light and floating: "My revenge is complete. My sister can rest in peace. My life, sir, can be taken at any time."
After saying this, she actually slowly closed her eyes and stopped looking at anyone, as if she had accepted her fate.
The hall was completely silent, with only the heavy breathing of the crowd remaining.
Pei Ji looked at Liu Yueli, who was waiting to die with her eyes closed in the hall, and his heart was in turmoil.
The case was solved, the murderer was right in front of us, the evidence was solid, and the motive was clear.
But he did not feel the slightest joy of solving the case. Instead, he felt as if he had swallowed a piece of ice, cold and blocked.
The law of the country is as heavy as a mountain. Killing someone means paying with one's life. This is the only right.
But behind this cold legal provision is a woman who has been forced into a desperate situation and is accusing this unfair world in the most tragic way.
He slowly sat back on the cold official chair, his dark robe sleeves falling again, covering his slightly trembling fingers.
After looking at Liu Yueli with her eyes closed for a long time, he gave the order in a dry voice:
"Prisoner Liu Yueli has confessed to all charges. She has been taken to death row and placed under strict guard. The case file will be carefully recorded and submitted to the Ministry of Justice for review."
"Yes!" The bailiff stepped forward, his movements no longer rough, and lifted up Liu Yueli, who had stopped struggling.
Liu Yueli was taken away.
The door to the lobby reopened, and the light from outside poured in, but it could not dispel the heaviness that permeated the hall.
Pei Ji sat alone in the empty lobby, looking at the pieced-together handkerchief evidence on the ground for a long time without moving.
"Coincidence? Accident?" He whispered to himself, his voice filled with unprecedented confusion. "What the hell is this world!"
Pei Ji felt that his position as the Shaoqing of Dali Temple was secure and that trying cases and arresting criminals were easy for him. However, when trying to coax his fiancée Luo Zhaohan, he fell flat on his face and got bruised and battered.
These days, he finally understood what it meant to "result from one's own actions."
The cause was actually not a earth-shattering event.
It's just him. He's used to investigating cases, he's extremely suspicious, and he has a bit of a male chauvinism.
A few days ago, Luo Zhaohan went to the famous Jingci Temple outside the city to stay for a few days and pray for his family.
This was an ordinary matter, but Pei Ji was investigating a case involving bandits outside the city at the time, so he felt a little uneasy and that things were not peaceful outside.
Zhao Han has a gentle personality, and he was afraid that she would be bullied. But he also felt that directly saying "Don't go" would make him seem too nosy and not respectful enough to her.
So, he did something stupid, which he thought was quite clever. He sent two of his best secret guards to secretly follow Luo Zhaohan to Jingci Temple.
It is euphemistically called "protecting safety".
What was the result? After Luo Zhaohan had been in the nunnery for three days, he discovered that there were always two shadows following him closely.
At first she thought it was a coincidence, but later she found that these two people even looked at her nervously when she went to the back mountain to pick wild flowers. How could this be a coincidence?
She wondered in her heart, who else could it be except Pei Ji?
Luo Zhaohan did not have an attack at that time. He stayed quietly in the nunnery for a full period of time before returning to the city.
As soon as he returned to the mansion, Pei Ji came up to him cheerfully and asked, "Zhao Han, is it peaceful in the nunnery? Are you feeling well?"
Luo Zhaohan raised his eyes and glanced at him indifferently. The look was so calm that Pei Ji's heart skipped a beat and he understood instantly.
It's broken! It's exposed!
Sure enough, Luo Zhaohan didn't cry or make a fuss, he just locked himself in the room, not seeing anyone, and even ate very little.
Pei Ji was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He paced around the door and said all the nice things he could, but there was no movement from inside.
Only then did he panic, knowing that he had really touched Zhao Han's bottom line this time.
Later, it was Chunxi, Luo Zhaohan's personal maid, who secretly passed a message to Pei Ji: "The young lady said that Master Pei has sent people to protect her well. She is afraid of disturbing Master's eyes even if she takes a breath. She is very tired and wants to be alone."
Pei Ji's face flushed red with embarrassment when he heard this. The word "protect" coming from Chunxi's mouth was more painful than being slapped twice.
He knew that Zhao Han was furious. She was angry that he didn't trust her, that he acted on his own and didn't respect her wishes at all.
From then on, Pei Ji became a frequent visitor to the Luo Mansion. No, to be more precise, he became the door god at the entrance of Luo Zhaohan's courtyard.
He didn't force his way in, but came to report every day, rain or shine.
Since Zhaohan didn't see him, he stood guard outside the courtyard gate and talked to her through the door.
"Zhao Han, I know I was wrong, I was really wrong!" Pei Ji's voice came through the crack in the door, full of regret, "I'm crazy, I'm paranoid! I shouldn't have sent people to follow you, that was a stupid idea! I promise, there won't be a next time, just believe me this time!"
It was quiet inside.
"Zhao Han, can you please open the door? Even let me take a look at you? You can scold me or hit me a few times, but don't hold it in like this. It hurts me to see you..."
There was still no sound from inside.
Pei Ji was so anxious that he scratched his head. As the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, he was so majestic when trying criminals, but now he was facing the gate of his beloved's courtyard and was helpless, like a child who had done something wrong and was waiting to be punished.
He came every day. Luo Zhaohan sometimes read in the room, sometimes embroidered by the window, and occasionally one or two low sighs could be heard.
She actually heard everything Pei Ji said outside.
She was not a heartless person, and seeing Pei Ji standing outside the door in the sun every day made her feel bad. But she couldn't swallow this anger.
She needed Pei Ji to truly understand that she was not a canary under his wings that needed to be monitored at all times, but a person with her own ideas who needed respect and trust.
Pei Ji gradually began to understand what was going on. Merely admitting his mistakes was useless; he needed to show some real action.
First, he collected a lot of snacks that Luo Zhaohan liked and asked Chunxi to deliver them in.
Chunxi came out, holding the unopened food box in her hands, and said with a bitter face: "The young lady said that she has no appetite and can't eat. She also asked the adults not to bother with these little things."
Pei Ji was met with dismay.
He also thought that Zhao Han liked flowers, so he went to the best flower garden outside the city, spent a lot of money to buy a pot of top-quality orchids in full bloom, and personally brought it to the gate of the courtyard.
He said to the crack in the door: "Zhao Han, look at this orchid, it's elegant and refined, just like you. I like it the moment I see it, and you..."
Before he could finish his words, the door creaked open a crack. Pei Ji was delighted, thinking there was hope.
Chunxi finally stuck half of her head out and said helplessly, "Master Pei, the young lady said that although the flowers are beautiful, they will not live long if left in her stuffy little courtyard. It would be a waste. I ask you to take them back and take good care of them."
After saying that, the door closed again.
Pei Ji stood at the door holding the precious orchid, feeling both amused and helpless.
This is not about growing flowers, this is clearly about teasing him!
After several times, Pei Ji was really a little dejected.
He sat in the pavilion in the back garden of Luo Mansion, pouring out his grievances to his childhood friend and bad friend, the commander of the Imperial Guards, Shen Feng, who had hurried over.
"Old Shen, what do you think I should do? I've admitted my mistake, tried to coax her, and even offered her gifts, but she just won't give in! I feel like I'm being scratched by a cat!"
Pei Ji took a big sip of cold tea, his brows furrowed so tightly that they could kill a fly.
Chen Feng crossed his legs, munched on sunflower seeds, and gloated, "Serves you right! You're so careless! Sending secret guards to follow your fiancée? You're so imaginative! Which girl wouldn't be angry about this? Miss Luo is well-educated and well-mannered. If it were someone with a hot temper, she would have beaten those two secret guards out and kicked you out of the house long ago!"
"I know I was wrong! I regret it so much now!" Pei Ji scratched his hair irritably, "Stop talking nonsense and think of a solution for me!"
Chen Feng put down the melon seeds and said seriously, "Old Pei, I'm not criticizing you. It's no use just saying it. You have to let Miss Luo see that you've changed, that you truly understand where her grievances lie, and that you truly respect and trust her from the bottom of your heart. You have to show some sincerity, not just flowers and snacks, but sincerity that she can feel."
"Feelings?" Pei Ji was a little confused.
"Right!" Chen Feng slapped his thigh. "For example, in the future, wherever she wants to go, as long as it's not a dangerous place, you should let her go openly. Don't ask too many questions, don't be suspicious, let her know that you really trust her and don't treat her like a prisoner. For another example, when she encounters something, don't always try to make decisions for her. Ask her what she thinks and listen to her opinions... You have to make her feel that in your heart, she is a person who can make decisions and is trustworthy, not just a pet!"
Pei Ji listened to Shen Feng's words and fell into deep thought. Yes, he had been so busy apologizing and thinking about how to "appease" her that he forgot to dig deep into what Zhao Han really cared about.
Shen Feng's words were like a bolt of lightning, splitting his chaotic mind. What Zhao Han wanted was never his surveillance and control, but equal trust and respect.
He stood up suddenly: "I understand! Thanks, Old Shen!" After that, he ran away like a gust of wind, leaving Shen Feng behind, shaking his head and scolding with a smile: "You are a guy who values women over friends!"
Pei Ji did not go to Luo Zhaohan's courtyard gate again. He returned to his Dali Temple. But in the next few days, he did a few things.
He first reprimanded the two secret guards who had been sent to follow Luo Zhaohan in front of the officials of the Dali Temple and fined them three months' salary on the grounds that they "left their posts without permission, acted on their own without clear instructions, and disturbed the peace of others."
This reprimand and punishment was ostensibly to punish the secret guards, but in reality it was said to everyone and to show his own attitude.
That kind of self-proclaimed "protection" is wrong and not allowed.
Then, he went to Jingci Temple in person, found the abbess, solemnly donated a large sum of money, and expressed his apologies sincerely.
He said that he had been inconsiderate and had sent people to disturb the tranquility of the nunnery. The abbot was a perceptive person and, seeing his sincere attitude, he also expressed understanding.
Luo Zhaohan's younger brother Luo Jince was going to hold a poetry meeting and invited many young talents and ladies.
Pei Ji knew that Zhao Han liked such elegant gatherings, so he specially sent an invitation to Luo's residence with a line of words written on it: "I heard that Brother Luo is having a very elegant poetry gathering at his residence. If Zhao Han has time, would you like to go with us? If it's not convenient, that's fine too."
No further questions, no arrangements, just asking her wishes.
Luo Zhaohan received the post and looked at the three words "It's okay", his heart moved slightly.
This is unlike Pei Ji's previous style. He would definitely say "I'll go with you" or "I'll pick you up that day" with an unquestionable tone.
Two days later, Luo Zhaohan wanted to go to the newly opened silk shop in the east of the city to look at the materials.
Before going out, he subconsciously looked around and found that no one from Pei Ji was following him.
She took Chunxi to the gate of the mansion, but saw Pei Ji's carriage waiting there.
Pei Ji got out of the car, with a cautious look of anticipation on his face: "Zhao Han, are you going out? I happen to be on my way to the east of the city to do some work. Do you want me to give you a ride? If it's inconvenient, I can ask the driver to take you there."
Luo Zhaohan looked at the caution and sincerity in his eyes, and thought of his clumsy apologies and changes over the past few days. The ice in his heart finally cracked.
She nodded gently: "Okay, thank you, Master Pei."
There was a subtle silence in the carriage.
Pei Ji tried hard to find topics to talk about, all of which were insignificant things happening in the city or interesting things happening in the yamen. He never mentioned the previous unpleasantness, nor did he ask what Zhao Han was going to do.
He even took out a small food box containing Zhao Han's favorite steamed chestnut flour cake with osmanthus sugar, and said a little embarrassedly, "I passed by Baiweizhai and thought you might like it, so I bought some. Would you like to try it?"
Luo Zhaohan took the food box, picked up a small and exquisite piece of cake and put it in his mouth.
The familiar sweet and soft taste melted on her tongue, and seemed to melt the last bit of depression in her heart.
She raised her eyes and looked at Pei Ji.
Pei Ji was a little nervous when she looked at him, and his palms were sweating: "What's wrong? Is it not tasty? Or... too sweet?"
Luo Zhaohan shook his head lightly, the corners of his lips slightly curved into a very faint arc: "Pei Ji."
"Here!" Pei Ji immediately sat up straight, like a student waiting to be lectured.
"You..." Luo Zhaohan paused, as if weighing his words, "You sent people to follow me because you were afraid I would be in danger, right?"
Pei Ji nodded quickly and added: "Yes! But I know this idea is stupid! I shouldn't..."
Luo Zhaohan interrupted him: "I know you are worried about me."
Looking at Pei Ji's eyes that lit up instantly, he continued, "But do you know what I'm really angry about?"
Pei Ji immediately sat up straight and listened attentively: "You speak! I'm listening!"
"I'm angry because you don't believe I can take care of myself and you don't believe I have the ability to judge right from wrong."
"I'm not a delicate flower, nor am I a naive little girl. I went to Jingci Temple to pray and relax. I know what I'm doing and I know how to avoid risks. Your sending someone made me feel like a burden requiring your constant supervision, rather than a fiancée who can stand shoulder to shoulder with you and is worthy of your trust."
These words hit Pei Ji's heart like a hammer.
He finally understood. What Zhao Han wanted was respect and trust.
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