Chapter 71 The imposter has such good mental fortitude…
The following night, Shen Lingyue had another nightmare.
"My husband, my husband..."
She whispered in Pei Jinghuai's ear, and when he opened his eyes, he was startled by her disheveled appearance and almost jumped up.
Shen Lingyue sat beside him, staring intently at him. "Husband, Lü Lin's vengeful spirit has come to haunt me again."
Pei Jinghuai was completely stunned, and asked in a trembling voice, "Why...why does he keep bothering you?"
Shen Lingyue shook her head in confusion, "I don't know, he just kept pursuing me like this..."
She stretched out her hand, curled it into a chicken claw shape, and gesticulated wildly at Pei Jinghuai.
"He said he died unjustly, his identity stolen by this imposter who took his wife's place, while his own body was left nowhere to be found, wandering in the wilderness..."
Pei Jinghuai quickly covered her mouth, looking her up and down warily. "I think you're delirious with sleep. How could such a thing be?"
It took Shen Lingyue a lot of effort to pry open his iron-like hands, and she stared wide-eyed, emphasizing, "Why is it impossible? I really dreamed about it."
"...If Lü Lin is really gone, why would he appear in your dream? Are you two very close?"
Pei Jinghuai felt increasingly uneasy. "Why didn't he appear in his parents' dreams, or in Lü Chong's dreams? If all else fails, he could at least appear in my dreams."
Shen Lingyue was speechless for a moment, and forced a defense: "Because...because you men have strong yang energy, and ghosts can't get close to you."
She feigned fear and shrank into Pei Jinghuai's arms. "What should we do? If we don't seek justice for Lü Lin, will his ghost haunt me every night?"
Pei Jinghuai hugged her tightly and patted her twice, fighting off his sleepiness, "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"Of course, it's to expose the imposter and let the Lü family see his true colors!"
"Alright, I'll go find Lü Chong tomorrow..."
Shen Lingyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Her hard work in the middle of the night was worth it... Sigh?
She heard soft snoring above her head. She looked up and found that Pei Jinghuai had already closed his eyes and fallen asleep instantly.
Shen Lingyue pushed him twice more, but he remained unmoved and even rolled over, putting one leg over her.
...So heavy.
Shen Lingyue was so angry that she pinched his face hard until she finally exhausted herself. She tilted her head and leaned against the pillow, falling into a deep sleep.
When Pei Jinghuai woke up the next day, he denied saying anything.
“Stop joking around. Lu Chong’s older brother finally returned to the capital, and he’s been so happy these past few days. If I went to him and told him, ‘Your older brother died a long time ago, this is fake,’ he would definitely cut ties with me.”
Pei Jinghuai cupped her face, which was as red as a pufferfish, and kissed it. "Be good, he's just a brat. We'll just make sure Weibo doesn't run into him in the future."
Shen Lingyue glared at him, "Pei, Jing, Huai! You don't care about me at all. What if I get chased by ghosts again tonight?"
Pei Jinghuai said confidently, "Don't worry, I have a way to make sure you can sleep soundly until dawn."
Shen Lingyue was skeptical and scoffed, "Are you going to hire a Taoist priest to exorcise the evil spirits?"
Pei Jinghuai only said it would be kept secret for the time being, acting all mysterious.
Shen Lingyue waited suspiciously for a whole day, but he didn't take any exorcism measures. Until she went to sleep in the evening, Pei Jinghuai poured her a glass of warm water as usual.
She instinctively took the drink and took a big gulp, then suddenly realized the taste was a bit strange.
"What's this?"
Smack your lips, it seems to have a slightly sweet taste?
Pei Jinghuai smiled triumphantly, "It's nothing, I just asked my mother for some calming powder."
Shen Lingyue was stunned. It was too late to try to choke him. She angrily threw the empty cup at him.
"You dare to drug me?!"
Pei Jinghuai easily caught it, and said confidently, "My mother said this medicine is very effective, it will ensure you have no dreams all night long."
Shen Lingyue bared her teeth and claws, ready to beat him up, but after only a few swings of her arms, she felt an uncontrollable drowsiness wash over her. She pointed at Pei Jinghuai and cursed a few times before slowly collapsing onto the bed.
Pei Jinghuai breathed a sigh of relief, tucked her into the blankets, and lay down himself, wrapping them both up tightly before closing his eyes in peace.
Forget whether it's true or not, I can finally get a good night's sleep tonight...
"Pei Jinghuai!"
The next morning, a roar came from inside the room.
Qingchan stood at the doorway, holding a washbasin, and hesitantly asked Shuangxu, "Shall we go in now?"
Maybe we should wait a bit.
...
Shen Lingyue is angry, and you can't coax her into it.
During breakfast, Pei Jinghuai diligently served her food, piling it up on her plate like a small mountain, but she didn't even glance at it, sulking as she only drank her porridge, spooning it into her mouth one spoonful at a time.
Pei Jinghuai coughed twice, making conversation, "Look, you slept well last night, didn't you? I think you've been too busy helping your mother and sister-in-law manage the household lately, you should get more rest..."
"Shut your mouth, you little mouth," Shen Lingyue said fiercely.
Ugh, why is it so hard to do good deeds?!
She picked up the bowl, drank the millet porridge in a few gulps, wiped her mouth, stood up, and walked out.
Pei Jinghuai called out from behind, "Where are you going?"
"Going back to my parents' home!"
...
Shen Lingyue's words weren't entirely out of spite; she really was going back to the Shen family today.
Meng Wanyin prepared New Year's gifts for both Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi to send back to their parents' homes. Shen Lingyue will go back by herself today and accompany Yan Yi to the Zhou family tomorrow.
Zhao Lan had gotten used to her daughter's frequent trips home. After all, her youngest daughter was lucky to have such a good-natured mother-in-law who didn't care about anything.
Shen Lingyue held the gift list and rattled off a list, then pointed to one page and emphasized, "These are top-quality astragalus and codonopsis brought from the Northwest by my sister-in-law's maternal grandparents. I heard that you suffer from lower back and knee pain every winter, so I brought them here to nourish your body."
Zhao Lan smiled and said, "You two are getting better and better now that you're married. Please thank her for me when you get back."
Upon learning that Yan Yi's maternal family was none other than the renowned Bai family of merchants in the north, he raised an eyebrow: "I haven't heard much about General Zhou's first wife before. By the way, the Zhou family is holding a 100-day celebration tomorrow, are you two going?"
Zhao Lan also received an invitation from the Zhou family, after all, the two families are now related by marriage in a roundabout way.
Previously, Lin Qiyu was stimulated by the news of Zhou Yanling running away from home and went into premature labor, giving birth to a son. To be on the safe side, she did not hold a full-month celebration. She herself also completed the full two-month postpartum period. As an older mother, if she does not take good care of herself, she may have endless problems in the future.
She and Zhou Chuan discussed it and decided to hold a 100-day celebration for their youngest son before the New Year to make it more festive.
"Of course I'm going. My husband, my elder brother, and my sister-in-law are going together." Shen Lingyue nodded seriously. "I have to accompany her, otherwise her heartless stepmother will definitely do something bad."
Zhao Lan couldn't help but chuckle, seeing that she herself still looked like a child, yet she was already standing up for others.
Zhao Lan's gaze lingered on Shen Lingyue's stomach before she coughed lightly twice: "We've been married for half a year now, shouldn't you give me some good news by now?"
Shen Lingyue pretended to be clueless and looked up at the sky, "Your precious daughter is eating and sleeping well, isn't that the best news?"
Zhao Lan pretended to pat her, and Shen Lingyue took off running.
"...I'm going to pay my respects to my father!"
Zhao Lan sighed and rubbed her forehead, then complained to Mother Qi, "It's like the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is."
Madam Qi suppressed a laugh, "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. Anyway, the Pei family isn't in a hurry, so Madam, don't worry about it."
Zhao Lan commented on the Hou family's gift list to her, "My mother-in-law is a kind person. This New Year's gift is thoughtful and complete. It is obvious that she prepared it herself."
Shen Lingyue went to the front yard.
With the year-end approaching, all government departments are waiting to seal their seals and go on holiday, and even the most important matters will be discussed after the new year.
Shen Hang, the second-in-command of the Ministry of Rites, was habitually late and left early, going to the government office to show up for the day and then sneaking home to slack off.
Shen Lingyue successfully cornered him in the study and cut to the chase: "What is your relationship with former Minister of Justice, Lord Lü?"
Shen Hang nearly choked on his tea, coughing several times before glaring at her helplessly: "Why are you asking this? Has your son-in-law gotten into trouble?"
Shen Lingyue snorted, "Can't you wish me well for once? I'm fine, your son-in-law is fine, we're doing great."
Shen Hang sighed softly, "You two are so sweet together, have you ever thought about how your second sister is still unmarried..."
"stop."
Shen Lingyue crossed her arms. "Say it a thousand times, it's no use. I will not arrange a marriage for Shen Songyi. If that's all you have to say to me, then I'm leaving."
"Hey, wait a minute, why is your temper getting worse after you got married?"
Shen Hang stopped him in an annoyed manner, then ordered a maid to bring tea and snacks. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "Every time you come back, all you do is spend time with your mother. You've completely forgotten about your father."
Shen Lingyue sat down opposite him, taking a bite of pastry and a sip of tea, allowing Shen Hang to look her over with an open and generous manner.
Shen Hang steered the conversation back on track, "You just asked me about Minister Lü, what happened to him?"
"Just curious, just asking." Shen Lingyue spoke casually. "I heard that his eldest son was implicated in the political strife back then. A high-ranking official's son was assigned to a low-ranking county in the Northwest?"
Shen Hang recalled for a long time and nodded, "There was such a thing, but that was ten years ago. At that time, I had not yet been promoted to Left Vice Minister, but Minister Lü was at the height of his power. He was the most upright and incorruptible person. He treated all lawbreakers the same, whether they were high-ranking officials or ordinary people. I don't know how many people he offended..."
Shen Lingyue blinked. "Then who do you think is most likely to scheme against Young Master Lü and send him to the Northwest?"
"Wow, there are so many!" Shen Hang waved his hand. "There's Consort Gao's brother, Prince Yu's brother-in-law, the former Governor-General of the Northwest, now the Earl of Weiyuan, Wang Hong..."
"The Governor-General of the Northwest?" Shen Lingyue finally found someone related to the Northwest, and immediately poured Shen Hang a cup of tea, offering it respectfully. "Please clear your throat and tell me more about it?"
...
"Found it, Wang Hong's name is here too."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were analyzing the military report that Pei Jingyi had copied from the Ministry of War.
Ten years ago, when Lü Lin arrived in Xichuan County to take up his post, he spent half a year figuring out the details of the bandits. He then applied to Wang Hong, the highest-ranking official in charge of military and political affairs in the four northwestern provinces and the governor of the three border regions, for permission to send troops to suppress the bandits.
Shen Lingyue stroked her chin and analyzed: "My father said that back then, Wang Hong's younger brother forcibly seized farmland in his hometown and oppressed the people. The aggrieved party sued him in the capital. Minister Lü was impartial and incorruptible. He ignored Wang Hong's letter of pleas for leniency and sentenced his brother to be executed in the autumn."
"Do you think Wang Hong held a grudge and deliberately transferred Lü Lin to his own jurisdiction, and then killed him during the chaos of the bandit suppression campaign?"
Yan Yi followed her train of thought, frowning slightly, "But this still doesn't explain why there's someone in the bandits' lair who looks exactly like Lü Lin. Isn't that a bit too much of a coincidence?"
"That is... Wang Hong found a substitute beforehand and deliberately used him to replace Lü Lin in order to avenge Minister Lü's killing of his brother!"
After saying that, Shen Lingyue shook her head again, "No, no, we could have just killed Lü Lin in the chaos. Why go through all this trouble?"
The two sighed in unison as they looked at the military report. They seemed to have found many clues, but it was still a tangled mess.
Seeing her worried expression, Yan Yi comforted her, "Don't worry, I've already sent a message to my uncle through the Bai family business, asking him to inquire about the situation in Xichuan ten years ago, as well as the conduct of 'Lu Lin' as an official in the area over the years. However, we probably won't get a reply until after the New Year."
Shen Lingyue rested her chin on her hand: "Yes, it's almost the New Year, so we should put everything else on hold."
Seeing that it was almost time for Pei Jingyi to finish his shift, Shen Lingyue decided not to be a third wheel and took her leave.
As he left, he joked with Yan Yi, "My dad has started slacking off and skipping work, but my older brother goes to work every single day without fail."
No wonder he and Yan Yan can get along so well; the academic genius and the academic star are a match made in heaven!
Back at Danyue Pavilion, she saw Pei Jinghuai waiting for her obediently inside, having not gone anywhere that day.
Shen Lingyue snorted and turned to leave, but Pei Jinghuai rushed forward and hugged her tightly from behind.
"I was wrong, I'll never give you medicine again, please don't be angry."
Shen Lingyue had her back to him, trying hard to keep her lips tightly closed, and said in a cold voice, "Didn't you complain that my nightmares would disturb you? Then let's sleep in separate rooms tonight."
Pei Jinghuai hugged her tighter and shook his head repeatedly, "No, no, I promise I'll stay by your side tonight and make sure no demons or monsters dare to come near!"
Shen Lingyue turned around in his arms, "I don't need you to watch over me, I just want you to do one thing for me..."
Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she leaned close to Pei Jinghuai's ear and whispered something.
Pei Jinghuai's eyes widened slowly, his face showing difficulty. "Is this really how it has to be?"
Shen Lingyue threatened: "We'll have separate rooms."
Pei Jinghuai: "...I promise you!"
...
A dark and windy night.
In a small, two-courtyard house in the east of the city lived Lü Lin and his family of three.
This house was part of the dowry of Lü Lin's wife, Fan Qingxi. Although it had been empty for ten years, the Fan family had always arranged for servants to look after it and clean it regularly.
When Lü Lin and his family returned to the capital, they said that their household was too large, and living together would be too crowded and prone to conflict. Moreover, they had brought a lot of luggage back to the capital, which was difficult to dispose of immediately. So they decided to move out and wait until the transfer documents came through after the New Year. If they were able to stay in the capital smoothly, they would then consider whether to buy property.
In the stillness of the night, Lü Lin and Fan Qingxi slept in each other's arms in the main courtyard. Half asleep, they vaguely heard the sound of pebbles hitting the ground outside.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Rolling around...
Lu Lin opened his eyes and found that the window opposite had been blown open a crack by the wind, and gusts of cold wind were blowing in.
He got up from the bed, walked to the window, and was about to close it when he suddenly saw a white figure swiftly passing through the corridor.
Could it be that a thief broke into the house?
Lu Lin's expression hardened. He glanced back at his sleeping wife, then quietly pushed open the door and chased after her.
In the pitch-black night, when you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, Lü Lin hurried along the corridor, a faint sigh reaching his ears.
Who is it?
He turned around abruptly and saw a white figure standing at the corner, with disheveled hair and an obscured face.
"Playing tricks." Lü Lin clenched his fists and chased after them without thinking.
Just as he reached out and could grab the other person's clothes, the white figure swiftly flipped onto the roof beam.
Lu Lin strode into the courtyard and looked up in the dim moonlight.
A white shadow was clinging to the eaves. The person slowly raised their head, brushed aside their long hair, and revealed a pale face with blood flowing from all seven orifices.
Lu Lin frowned and said in a deep voice, "Who are you, and why are you sneaking around trying to scare people?"
"You ask me who I am?" Bai Ying said in a high-pitched voice, "You imposter, you still have the nerve to ask me who I am? You killed me, stole my identity, and took my wife... Give me your life!"
Lu Lin's eyebrows twitched violently, but he quickly calmed down after a moment of surprise, a disdainful sneer appearing on his lips.
"Nonsense, I have no idea what you're talking about."
The white figure seemed furious, baring its teeth and claws as it lunged at him, shouting, "A fake is a fake! You can fool outsiders, but you can't fool my own family!"
Lu Lin showed no fear, even a hint of eagerness, and grabbed the white figure's sleeve, "I want to see what kind of monster you are—"
With a ripping sound, a piece of fabric was torn from the white robe.
The white figure took several steps back, quickly scrambled onto the roof, and fled in a disheveled state.
Lu Lin opened his palm, and the soft white fabric revealed its delicate texture under the moonlight.
"What a wealthy ghost, he can even afford to wear brocade."
Lu Lin scoffed lightly, casually stuffed the cloth into his sleeve, and returned to his room.
Fan Qingxi woke up to the noise and saw Lü Lin sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her.
She was a little confused. "Husband, you went out just now?"
"Hmm, it's probably because the house hasn't been lived in for too long, and even the rats dare to come out." Lu Lin turned around and smiled reassuringly at her. "It's alright, Madam, go to sleep."
...
Pei Jinghuai ran along the rooftops for two blocks before finally spotting his own carriage, and immediately climbed inside.
The charcoal brazier inside the car was burning brightly, and the sudden temperature change caused him to sneeze several times.
After waiting for a while, Shen Lingyue immediately handed over the hot towel. "Well, did that imposter admit it?"
Pei Jinghuai quickly wiped off the thick layer of white powder and red paint from his face, waving his hand: "Don't mention it. I told you that your ghost dream was completely unreliable! It's Lü Lin himself, and he has no qualms about it."
"How is that possible?"
Shen Lingyue was stunned. This fake guy had such a good mentality! Wasn't he afraid that Lu Lin's ghost would really come to claim his life?
She stared at Pei Jinghuai suspiciously: "Was your acting so bad that he noticed?"
"...Achoo!"
Pei Jinghuai sniffed, his gaze resentful: "I accompanied you out in the middle of the night to play the ghost, and you still doubt me? Is there no justice in this world?"
Seeing his red nose and the comical mess on his face, Shen Lingyue felt a little guilty. She quickly draped a thick cloak over him and patted his shoulders in a comforting manner, "It was my fault. My husband has worked hard tonight. I will never be angry with you again."
Pei Jinghuai leaned back, and only after the chill on his body had dissipated did he sit down next to Shen Lingyue, take her hand and say seriously, "I didn't lie to you, Lü Lin remained very calm from beginning to end."
More than just calm, Pei Jinghuai could even see speechlessness on his face, as if he were the clown.
This is so embarrassing! This absolutely must not be known to a third person!
...
The next day, on the carriage to the Zhou family's house.
A rare look of confusion crossed Yan Yi's face. "You mean, you had Pei Jinghuai pretend to be a ghost to scare 'Lü Lin' last night?"
Shen Lingyue yawned and nodded listlessly, "Yeah, it was completely useless..."
Yan Yi lowered her head silently, thinking through all the saddest things from both her lives, and she could barely suppress the tears welling up in her eyes.
"You two, really..." She shook her head, her face full of helplessness, "How could you come up with such a method?"
Shen Lingyue also found it unreasonable, "How can a murderer like him not feel guilty at all? How does he manage to sleep every night?"
She muttered under her breath, "I think Pei Jinghuai's acting as a ghost wasn't good enough. He's also petty and won't let me say anything..."
Yan Yi was both amused and exasperated. "If you had used this method ten years ago, it might have worked, but he has been Lu Lin for ten years, and even his wife has been completely unaware, and even had a son with him. Do you think he would still be afraid of so-called vengeful spirits seeking revenge?"
Shen Lingyue huffed, "Why don't we just write anonymous letters to Minister Lü and Lü Chong, saying that the Goddess Xuan Nu has issued a divine decree—"
The carriage suddenly stopped, and the coachman reminded from outside the door, "Young Madam, we have arrived at the Zhou family residence."
The two put the topic aside for the time being and got out of the car one after the other.
Zhou Chuan was greeting guests at the main entrance. When he saw Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue coming together, he first frowned, then forced a smile and stepped forward.
Shen Lingyue took the initiative, greeting him with a smile: "Congratulations, Uncle Zhou, on having a son late in life! You'll have someone to rely on in your old age!"
Zhou Chuan: ...I don't think I'm that old?
He cleared his throat, looked behind the two of them, and asked with concern, "Why didn't your son-in-law come with you?"
Yan Yi said calmly, "My husband is on duty today and said he'll come over at noon."
"Hehe, that's good." Zhou Chuan was relieved and his warm smile returned. "Go to the backyard to see your mother and your little brother. The little guy is quite strong now."
Yan Yi responded and pulled Shen Lingyue to the backyard to check in.
Shen Lingyue glanced back and saw Zhou Chuan still cheerfully greeting guests. She couldn't help but mutter to herself, "Has he forgotten that he has a daughter who ran away from home?"
The two tacitly kept Zhou Yanling's whereabouts a secret—if she wanted to send a message home, she would have had the Bai family deliver it long ago, but clearly she hadn't.
Yan Yi said, "I heard that the Zhou family is now giving the same story: Yanling is staying at her maternal grandparents' house for a while and will come back next year..."
*Smack*
A clump of mud flew out of nowhere and landed on Yan Yi's skirt, instantly spreading into a dark stain.
Shen Lingyue looked around, frowned, and shouted, "Who did this?"
A teenager swaggered out from behind the tree, his nostrils flared and his face full of disdain.
"I did it, so what?"
He is Yan Yi's half-brother and Lin Qiyu's eldest son, Zhou Wenmo.
He glared at Yan Yi with disgust: "This family doesn't welcome you. Who let you back?"
Yan Yi's gaze remained calm. "Even if you hate me, I am still the eldest daughter of the Zhou family, a distinguished guest invited back by your father."
Zhou Wenmo spat and pointed at her angrily, shouting, "It's all your fault for stirring things up, causing my sister and my mother to drift apart. She ran away from home, and my mother was bedridden for two months. It's all your fault! How dare you come back? Get out of here right now!"
-----------------------
Author's Note: [doge][doge] Today is still the usual day of the top lane couple.
And there will be an extra chapter tonight! Here's the thing, I think I've fallen into a trap... If I can't finish writing the extra chapter before 7 PM, why not just post a separate chapter tonight? [crying emoji] It's just too hot, my brain isn't working properly, lol.
I'm starting to try out this new update schedule today~ The extra update time tonight is uncertain, so don't worry about waiting specifically. You can check back before bed, or tomorrow morning! [Applause][Applause]
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