Chapter 223: Poisoning Duan Jiu into a Mute
Pei Jing stood up straight upon hearing this, the smile on his lips deepening. He walked towards her, his voice wrapped in the falling snow, warm: "I'm coming."
He didn't walk fast, but it seemed as if he had gathered all the wind and snow behind him. When his eyes fell on her, they were warmer than a charcoal stove in winter.
The snow fell for two days, and the plum branches in the yard were bent down.
The news reached Jiang Fei before lighting the lamp.
She was sitting beside a small table in the warm room, and a skillful maid from the palace was teaching her how to knit.
The crimson wool thread twisted around and around between her fingers. She was a little clumsy in learning it, and her fingers and the ball of thread were always out of control.
Wen Zhu reported, "Jiang Linyuan went to the Jiang residence and came back. He went into the young lady's boudoir. After he left, the secret guards went to check, and the bottle of Thousand Machine Snow was gone."
Jiang Fei paused for a moment, then continued fiddling with the tangled threads. "What about Jiang Linyuan?"
"I've returned to the palace."
"knew."
Wen Zhu squatted down and straightened out Jiang Fei's tangled threads. "When Wei Ciying had someone put the poison in, why didn't you let us take it away directly? That way, Jiang Linyuan would find out there was nothing there and would start to suspect Wei Ciying."
Jiang Fei hooked the line and pulled it tight, saying, "Wei Ciying wants to cause trouble. We stopped her this time, but there will be a next time. She's inexhaustible. Why not change the trap and set a trap for her instead?"
Wen Zhu was about to ask how to change it when the door of the warm room was pushed open.
Pei Jing walked in with a cold air, his eyes first fell on Jiang Fei, and then looked at the necklace between her fingers.
“What’s the point of learning this?”
Jiang Fei pinched the messy thing, and was too embarrassed to tell him that she wanted to make something for him, so she could only say, "Just to kill time."
Pei Jing looked at the tangled thread in her hand and smiled, "It really helps kill time. The thread is so tangled that it will probably take half an hour just to untangle it."
Jiang Fei raised her fist and hit Pei Jing on the leg. Pei Jing took the opportunity to grab her wrist, smiled and waved his hand to let the maid step aside. He sat down next to Jiang Fei and picked up a ball of wool.
"Let me see."
The maid demonstrated it to him. Pei Jing only took a few glances and then flexibly wound the thread with a flick of his fingertips.
He learned very quickly. In just a few moments, he had formed a silk thread with neat patterns, which was not much worse than the ones made by the maid.
Jiang Fei was speechless.
This guy did such a good job right from the start. Looking at the crooked ball of yarn in my hand, which looked like it had been chewed by a dog, it was simply unbearable to look at.
"It's mine now."
Jiang Fei picked up the one he had just made and tied it around her waist. Turning around, she saw that Pei Jing was even faster and had already tied the messy ball of thread around her waist.
"No, don't hang up!" Jiang Fei hurriedly pulled.
"Why not?" Pei Jing held her down with one hand, lowered his head to look at the pendant around his waist, and said seriously, "I think it looks good."
"You'll be laughed at."
Pei Jing's tone darkened. "Who dares? If anyone dares to say it's not pretty, I will poison them to silence."
As they were talking, Duan Jiu knocked on the door and asked for instructions from outside: "Your Majesty."
"Come in." Pei Jing straightened the ball of yarn around his waist and asked the maids to leave.
Duan Jiu walked past the maid into the room and said with a bow, "News from the palace..."
Just after he said a few words, Pei Jing glanced at him. Duan Jiu immediately fell silent, realizing that the prince didn't want the young lady to hear the mess in the palace.
Seeing that the young lady was still looking at the necklace around her waist, Duan Jiu breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the young lady was not paying attention.
His eyes turned and fell on Pei Jing, and he caught a glimpse of a piece of thread sticking out from the edge of the belt around his waist, which was pressed down by his sleeves. It seemed that the maid who was taking care of the clothes was not careful enough.
Duan Jiu subconsciously reached out to pull it, but before he could touch it, Pei Jing slapped him away.
"What are you doing?" Pei Jing frowned.
Duan Jiu stood still with his hands hanging down, pointed at that spot and said, "Your Highness, let me help you pull out this thread."
Pei Jing was stunned and looked down at his waist.
As the sleeve moved away, the area that was originally pressed by the sleeve was exposed, and it turned out to be a large and tangled ball of thread.
Duan Jiu couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, such a big ball of thread, how come the maid who was taking care of the prince's clothes didn't notice it?"
As he was about to turn around, he said, "Let me get the scissors and clean it up for you."
Jiang Fei curled her lips and looked at Pei Jing, her face full of accusations. Didn’t she agree not to be laughed at?
Pei Jing quickly coaxed him, "It's beautiful. Have you forgotten that Duan Jiu has always had terrible taste? If I think something is beautiful, I'll poison Duan Jiu and make him mute."
Wen Zhu was delighted to hear this and smirked secretly at the side.
Duan Jiu still didn't understand what was going on, but he didn't dare take the scissors, for fear that the prince would cut his mouth with them first.
After two cups of tea, Pei Jing and Duan Jiu moved to the study.
Only then did Duan Jiu dare to report what had happened in the palace.
"Today, news came from the palace that the Emperor was furious. He summoned the eldest prince, had a tirade against him, and fined him two years' salary. When the Empress heard about this, she rushed to plead for mercy, but was stopped outside the palace and didn't even get to see the Emperor."
He paused, then added, "Not only that, the emperor also issued an edict to demote several officials. Judging from this, he is serious about this."
Pei Jing's eyes darkened. "The Emperor is most afraid of princes privately interfering with military power and secretly hoarding military equipment. Pei Yi is courting his own death."
Duan Jiu asked tentatively, "Then would Your Majesty like to come to the palace? After all, this matter is quite a big deal."
"No need." Pei Jing leaned on the armrest, his tone indifferent, "If you get close now, it will seem like you're eager for quick success. Just watch from the sidelines. If you get involved, you'll only get yourself into trouble."
Duan Jiu replied "yes", but did not leave immediately. After hesitating for a moment, he could not help but look up at Pei Jing and asked cautiously: "Your Highness, I have something to say, but I am not sure if I should say it or not."
Pei Jing raised his eyes and said, "Speak."
"In the past, Your Highness always disdained to get involved in these court battles, saying that fighting was less interesting than killing people." Duan Jiu carefully considered his words. "But this time, Your Highness personally arranged the operation. I'm a little confused. What made you change your mind?"
After he finished speaking, the study was silent for a moment.
Pei Jing stroked the soft thread around his waist, and his heart softened. "Pei Yi is narrow-minded and vindictive. I'm blocking his way. If he comes to power one day, I will die without a burial place. I'm fine myself, but I have people to protect behind me."
Duan Jiu's heart trembled, and he immediately understood.
"What's more," Pei Jing's voice turned a little colder, "some people owe debts, and it's time to repay them."
Duan Jiu lowered his head and replied in a deep voice, "I understand."
The study was quiet for a long time. Duan Jiu saw that the prince had stopped talking and was about to leave when he heard something.
"Duan Jiu, do you think... people have an afterlife?"
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