Chapter 042 Jin丨Exclusive publication by Jiang Wenxue

Pei Rui didn’t know how the King of Taiping replied to the original body, so he stayed there for a while and then came out.

The spies in Pingyang Prefecture still need to be investigated strictly. The King of Taiping hired Lu Xiaofeng to help with this matter, and he was very busy every day.

Pei Rui only had these two acquaintances, and they were both busy with their own affairs. He didn’t have to bother dealing with people, so he focused on the original body.

The Yushitai and the Ministry of Justice jointly investigated the case for more than half a month, and Luo Junqing’s case has already had a result.

All officials involved in the case were suspended from their posts for investigation, and the main offender Luo Junqing was sentenced to death for multiple crimes and imprisoned. It was just in time for the execution after the autumn, which would happen in a few days.

The rest of the officials were also imprisoned or exiled according to their crimes.

Xue Chen and his brother were commended by the emperor. Although they did not receive any titles, they received a huge amount of gold, silver, and rare treasures. The emperor knew that Xue Chen was in poor health, so he specially assigned a royal doctor to treat him and said that he wanted to see the excellent twins at the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet.

For a time, Xue Chen and Xue Lian became popular figures among the powerful and wealthy, and more people came to visit them.

Prince Taiping and Gong Jiu were not at home, and Xue Chen had a hard time dealing with them alone. He simply claimed to be sick and thanked the guests, and no one disappeared.

During this time, he received a reply from King Taiping. He read it calmly without any reaction, which was far from the joy King Taiping had imagined.

The main reason was that Pei Rui was himself. He knew everything from beginning to end. Everything was expected, so it was difficult for him to have any emotional fluctuations.

System: [Are you not going to maintain your character anymore?]

Xue Chen: [My current reaction is the most correct character.]

System: [I don't understand.]

Xue Chen: [How can there be any feelings between people who have never met each other? Even if they are brothers, their feelings come from getting along with each other.]

System: [That makes sense. It seems that King Taiping is really naive.]

Xue Chen: [Is he naive? I think he understands very well, otherwise he wouldn't have so many concerns when replying to me. 】

System:【Then why does he still have such an attitude? 】

Xue Chen:【Of course it's for Xiao Mian. In ancient times, it was very normal to adopt an adopted son. The adopted son was not even a biological son, and the treatment he received depended entirely on the attitude of the father. It's worth it that I saved him so many times. My father is really a grateful person. 】

Xue Chen put away the writing materials on the table, put away the letter from King Taiping, and came out of the study.

He called a few servants: "My father has a new adopted son, who will return to the mansion with him in a few days. You go and clean up Wutong Garden, and leave it for the third young master to live in in the future."

"Yes."

Xue Chen transferred a few more people over to be responsible for daily hygiene, and did not arrange any maids or servants to serve Pei Rui personally for the time being.

The festival was approaching, and Prince Taiping dealt with the matters at hand and hurried back with Pei Rui.

Gong Jiu also left the nameless island and returned to the palace to prepare to reunite with his brother.

Gong Jiu arrived before Prince Taiping.

He seemed to have heard about Prince Taiping's adoption of an adopted son outside. When he got off the carriage, his face was colder than usual and he looked particularly unkind. After

seeing Xue Chen, Gong Jiu calmed down a little: "Brother, have you been sick again these days? Are you feeling better now?"

Xue Chen: "I was impatient to deal with those people outside, so I found an excuse to close the door and refuse visitors. I'm not really sick, so I made you worry."

Gong Jiu: "That's good."

The two brothers returned to the palace together. They lived next to each other and walked together. Even though they hadn't seen each other for a long time, they still looked intimate.

Gong Jiu was far away on the nameless island, so even if the King of Taiping wrote to him, it would take many rounds of communication before it could reach him.

Logically, Gong Jiu should not know that the King of Taiping had a new adopted son, but he was very concerned about his father's every move, and any news from the King of Taiping would be delivered to him as quickly as possible.

He didn't want his brother to know that he was so scheming, and hesitated about how to bring it up.

Xue Chen: "The palace banquet will be held in a few days, and the emperor wants you and me to attend together."

Gong Jiu: "Yes."

Xue Chen smiled and said, "You should be wearing official uniform then, right?"

Gong Jiu: "Yes. Big brother, do you care about what I wear?"

Xue Chen: "After all, you and I look the same. If we dress similarly, it will cause a lot of trouble to others. It's good this way. You can wear the prince's clothes, and I will wear casual clothes to distinguish me from you."

These details have always been the responsibility of the original owner. Xue Chen has his memory and knows how troublesome these seemingly insignificant things are in reality.

Gong Jiu: "Brother, Dad hasn't come back yet?"

"Soon, he'll be here in a day or two at most." Xue Chen came back to his senses and said jokingly: "Why, does Lian'er miss Dad?"

System: [Why do I feel that the Dad in this sentence refers to you.]

Xue Chen: [No, it's all your illusion.]

Gong Jiu's face turned cold: "No."

If Xue Chen's dissatisfaction with King Taiping was a joke to the system, then Gong Jiu's words were all true.

Ever since he witnessed his father killing his mother when he was young, Gong Jiu hated this ruthless man. Everything he did was to overthrow his father, and in the end he paid with his own life.

Xue Chen knew everything about his brother, and even though he looked like he was saying one thing and thinking another, Xue Chen didn't follow his words and joke with him.

"I think that when Dad was at the front, he was not as relaxed as he told us in the letter." Xue Chen said meaningfully, "Lin'er, please be more understanding. I think Dad didn't mean to be late, but he had more important things to do than his love affair."

System: [You are too cryptic. If I didn't know the plot, I wouldn't have heard it.]

Xue Chen: [I can't help it. Who made my character a pure and flawless white lotus? I can only teach him to this extent. If I continue, I will have to confront this little pervert.]

System: [??? Are you sure your character is this?]

Xue Chen ignored it.

Gong Jiu has lived with hatred for many years, and the energy he has used on this is far beyond others' imagination. He has never thought of other possibilities.

Hearing his brother say this, Gong Jiu only thought that his elder brother was deceived by the man's fatherly appearance and still had deep feelings for him.

He looked at Xue Chen with a bit of pity.

Xue Chen: [This annoying thing, how come I have to deal with such a younger brother. ]

System: [You can destroy the character setting and tell him the truth immediately. ]

Xue Chen: [Then what? It has come to this point, do you think he can stop? If my brother really doesn't want to do it, Wu Ming will be the first to kill him without anyone else's help. Before killing him, I have to suffer a wave of mental pollution... It's better to keep the status quo and look for an opportunity. ]

Anyway, bodyguards have been arranged for King Taiping. As long as there is no major natural disaster, Xue Chen is very confident that he can use Pei Rui's vest to rescue people.

Walking from the front yard, Gong Jiu saw servants coming and going, delivering things to the side yard.

He finally found an opportunity and asked, "Is there anyone living there?"

Xue Chen followed his brother's gaze and looked over there: "Dad has a new adopted son, who is said to have saved his life on the battlefield. That man is an orphan and has no home to return to during the reunion. Dad is going to bring him back to celebrate the festival together. I ordered people to vacate Wutong Garden, and it will be given to our brother who has never met before to live there."

System: [You really have no resentment towards King Taiping?]

Xue Chen: [Yes.]

System: [... Pei Rui is also you.]

Xue Chen: [It has nothing to do with Pei Rui. It's mainly because my father took it for granted and thought that I would welcome the arrival of a new brother. If Pei Rui hadn't been my vest, I would have turned against him by now. 】

System:【You haven't turned hostile yet?】

Xue Chen:【No, I'm just a little rebellious.】

The system felt that he was looking for trouble, but it didn't dare to say it out loud.

Gong Jiu heard his brother's tone, which was neither salty nor indifferent, and knew that his brother didn't take that person to heart, and his mood improved a little.

He asked: "Dad plans to take him to the palace banquet?"

Xue Chen: "Maybe."

-In

the evening, the carriage of King Taiping drove back to the mansion.

Xue Chen and Gong Jiu went to the door to greet him. They saw their father get off the car first, then turned around, stretched out his hand behind him, and said gently: "Come on, be careful."

The fierce black-clothed boy came out of the carriage, and did not focus his eyes on the noble King Taiping, as if he was the center of the world and no one else mattered.

The boy took the hand of King Taiping and jumped off the carriage.

Gong Jiu's eyes dimmed, and he whispered to Xue Chen, "This young man's martial arts is extremely high."

Xue Chen felt a little strange.

Gong Jiu and Pei Rui were actually very far apart, otherwise the King of Taiping would definitely greet his two sons first.

The younger brother's voice was very low, but for Pei Rui, who had full hearing and internal strength, he still heard it very clearly.

Ma Jia's five senses were Xue Chen's five senses. The two sets of senses seemed to overlap at this time, making him a little confused.

He dodged uncomfortably for a moment, met Gong Jiu's puzzled eyes, and said in a lower voice: "He heard it."

Gong Jiu focused his attention on Pei Rui: "It turns out that he is a blind man..."

Prince Taiping led Pei Rui to the palace. He met the gazes of his two sons with a calm gait and a steady expression. He did not show any guilt when replying to the letter.

Xue Chen spoke first: "Dad."

Gong Jiu was quite reluctant: "Dad."

"Lian'er is back too." Prince Taiping was very happy and pulled Pei Rui forward, "This is Pei Rui, my new adopted son. Rui'er is invincible on the battlefield and has saved my life several times. He is brave, resourceful, loyal and kind. He is a rare good boy. You will be brothers in the future. Come and say hello."

System: [You have to call yourself brother. 】

Xue Chen:【To be honest, I can't say it out loud.】

The system is very pleased:【You are not thick-skinned enough.】

Pei Rui: "Big brother, second brother."

System:【……】

Who said it just now that I can't say it out loud!

Are you hallucinating? !

Gong Jiu frowned and nodded very proudly.

Xue Chen's rebellion was due to his dissatisfaction with King Taiping, not with himself. Of course, he would not embarrass Pei Rui at this time.

He said in a gentle manner: "Dad mentioned you in the letter. I thought you were a powerful general. Now I see with my own eyes that you are indeed sharp and powerful. You are younger than I thought."

Xue Chen:【Xiao Mian looks really good. People who are good-looking will look good even if they have scars on their faces. This scar is too beautiful.】

System:【Indeed. 】

Xue Chen: [I have traveled through time, why do I still look the same as before? This body is too thin, and the face is always pale. It can't be tanned even if it is exposed to the sun. Xiaomian is better, and it looks healthy at a glance. 】

System: [Maybe it's because Gong Jiu has this setting? You and he are twins, and you also use this setting? 】

Xue Chen: [I'm so stupid! 】

He was chatting with the system so enthusiastically that he forgot to control Pei Rui to reply. Seeing the boy so arrogant, Gong Jiu's face became even colder.

He said to Xue Chen, "Brother, you have been outside in the wind for so long, be careful not to catch a cold, and go back quickly."

After hearing what his younger son said, the King of Taiping took off his outer robe and put it on Xue Chen, and touched his hand: "It is a bit cold, let's go back to the mansion."

Xue Chen's eyes lingered on Pei Rui for a while, and it was difficult to retract them. He said to the King of Taiping, "Rui'er's residence has been tidied up, and it is close to his father. If there is anything missing, just tell me and I will send someone to take care of it."

The King of Taiping said: "You have always been careful, and I believe you have already prepared everything."

Pei Rui followed them silently.

Gong Jiu turned his head and gave him a cold look.

Pei Rui raised his eyes and looked straight at him, with his right hand on the hilt of the knife, his body tense, and it seemed that he would draw the knife and chop it off in the next moment.