Chapter 127 Nothing good can be squeezed out of him.
Xiao Yunzhan rested his fingertips on the table, a look of shame on his face, his tone tinged with lingering fear: "If Xie Ji hadn't reminded me this time, I would have really been careless."
Upon hearing this, Pei Zhiwei turned to look at Xie Ji in surprise.
She had always known that Xie Ji was impulsive, but this time it was he who was the first to sense the danger, which was really beyond her expectations.
Xie Ji felt his cheeks flush slightly as she stared at him so intently. He scratched his head awkwardly, his tone tinged with a hint of embarrassed pride: "It's not complicated at all."
I was just thinking that if it were me, and I had just gotten a big advantage from my opponent, I would consider myself to have the victory in my grasp.
They'll definitely think that their opponent is either still reeling from their defeat or has already changed their strategy, and will never again take this path that seems destined to lead to defeat.
As he spoke, seeing Pei Zhiwei's bright eyes and her attentive listening, he couldn't help but continue.
"On the other hand, if we launch a counterattack from this route now, wouldn't that catch them off guard and increase our chances of winning?"
"Besides, our current situation is quite similar to what we encountered in Xinluo Ward. The Ministry of Justice's prison is not a place that ordinary people can enter and leave at will, and the Imperial Guards are also guarding Lord Pei alone."
"If we can all do the first day of the month, why can't others do the fifteenth?"
Moreover, most people subconsciously believe that once this tactic is used, it won't be used again, so they naturally won't develop a specific countermeasure, thus increasing the chances of success.
Xie Ji spoke more and more fluently, and the unease on his face gradually faded, replaced by a more confident expression. "Besides, we don't have many chances left for them. If they don't make a move soon, they will lose everything."
If it were me, I would definitely go all out and gamble everything in this situation.
So if we can catch a few of them now, they'll definitely be their key figures.
He scratched his head and added, "I just tried my luck and secretly infiltrated the Imperial Guard. I didn't expect that I would actually guess right."
Not only did they rescue Lord Pei in time, but they also arrested or killed those people, preventing them from immediately returning to report the news and effectively ending their hopes.
Pei Zhiwei felt a surge of warmth in her heart upon hearing this. She recalled the panic she felt when she received the urgent report from the guard that night, and then thought of her father being safe and sound at this moment. Her eyes welled up with tears.
She stood up and bowed solemnly to Xie Ji and Xiao Yunzhan, her voice slightly choked but unusually firm: "Pei Zhiwei thanks Prince Xie and Prince Rui for saving my father's life."
Seeing this, Xie Ji quickly stepped forward to help her up, shouting, "What are you doing!"
This was something we had already discussed. Lord Pei is leading the charge, so naturally we have to protect him.
We cannot accept such a gesture of courtesy!
Xiao Yunzhan nodded in agreement, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable sincerity: "Xie Ji is right, your formality is too much."
We've been investigating this case together for so long, we're practically comrades-in-arms. Protecting Lord Pei is protecting ourselves, and more importantly, protecting the truth of this case.
Supported by the two men on either side, Pei Zhiwei could no longer hold back the tears welling up in her eyes, which slid down her cheeks.
She sniffed, smiled, raised her hand to rub her eyes, and said with a slightly nasal tone, "Thank goodness you're all here."
God knows how panicked I was last night when the guards reported that the Ministry of Justice prison was on fire.
Xiao Yunzhan looked at her reddened eyes, filled with reluctance: "Don't worry."
After this incident, they will never lay a hand on Lord Pei again.
The previous two attempts to frame them both failed, and this arson attempt to silence them also fell through. If they were to act again, it would appear as deliberate targeting, which would only confirm their false accusations and be utterly pointless.
Upon hearing this, Pei Zhiwei instinctively reached for the strap of the brocade bag at her waist.
But when she reached for her waist, she found nothing. She then realized that she had been in such a hurry when she left that she had only had time to put on her outer garment and hadn't bothered to carry the brocade bag containing the surveying tools.
She withdrew her hand, her brows furrowing slightly: "But in that case, Lord Cui's side will probably have to fight a desperate battle."
Having been forced into this situation, the Wang family and other powerful families, unable to harm their father, will inevitably turn their attention to Lord Cui and will certainly stop him at all costs.
Xie Ji picked up a pastry from the table, casually popped a piece into his mouth, and mumbled as he chewed, "That's what I thought at first too, and I even asked my father."
But my dad said that my uncle is not someone they can mess with casually.
"Not to mention they might not be able to find my uncle's whereabouts, the elite soldiers around him are all veterans who have crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood; they are not like the ragtag assassins raised by ordinary noble families who can be easily provoked."
He swallowed the pastry in his mouth, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and then said, "So let's just wait patiently. Besides, even if we wanted to help, we couldn't reach out to them."
His whereabouts are already secretive; we don't even know whether he traveled by land or water. Even if we wanted to send someone to help, we wouldn't be able to find the place.
As long as we focus on protecting ourselves and the evidence we have, that's more important than anything else.
Xiao Yunzhan nodded in agreement: "His Majesty also hinted at the same thing to me."
He said that Cui Yanwu had been guarding the border for many years and was very experienced in dealing with such ambushes. He also said that he had already prepared a backup plan, so we didn't need to worry too much. We just needed to focus on defenses in the capital and wait for Cui Yanwu to arrive.
Pei Zhiwei felt a little relieved after hearing what the two of them said.
She knew Cui Yanwu's abilities and trusted His Majesty's arrangements, but she still couldn't help but worry.
Hearing them say that, I tried to relax and thought to myself that I shouldn't let myself fall into unnecessary anxiety, lest everyone else be fine while I get sick from worry and cause trouble for everyone else.
The sky gradually brightened, and the east began to show the pale light of dawn.
Xiao Yunzhan and Xie Ji dared not delay. After washing up, they changed into their court robes and hurriedly went to the palace to attend court.
Pei Zhiwei also went home along the way. She had barely slept all night, and now that her mind was a little calmer, she was overcome with fatigue and fell into a deep sleep soon after lying down on the bed.
She was sound asleep when she was awakened by the noise outside. She rubbed her eyes and got up. As soon as she opened the door, the butler came over with a smile to report.
It was said that His Majesty had issued an oral decree that Pei Lin had been framed and the evidence was conclusive, and he had been released without charge. He was to rest at home for a day and attend court as usual the next day.
Upon hearing this, Pei Zhiwei felt a huge weight lifted from her shoulders, and a relieved smile appeared on her face.
She didn't even have time to wash up before rushing to the main hall, where she found Pei Lin had returned safely. Although he looked a little tired, he was in good spirits, and Yan Jinghong was by his side, asking him how he was doing.
Upon seeing her father, Pei Zhiwei's eyes welled up with tears. She quickly stepped forward and took her father's hand, saying, "Father, I'm so glad you're alright."
Pei Lin patted the back of her hand, his eyes full of relief: "I'm sorry to have worried you and your mother. This time, thanks to the Prince and Xie Ji, otherwise I'm afraid I would have really fallen victim to those people's evil deeds."
Yan Jinghong smiled and said, "It's good that you're back safe and sound. Don't think about anything else, just rest well. I've had someone make your favorite light dishes, let's have a nice meal together as a family."
As Xiao Yunzhan had predicted, the next few days passed peacefully.
On the surface, the capital city remained prosperous, with bustling streets and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, as if the previous turmoil had never happened.
Pei Zhiwei also received no news about Cui Yanwu. She didn't know when he set off, when he arrived in the capital, whether he traveled by land or water, or where he was now. It was as if he had sunk into the sea without a trace.
However, this was within everyone's expectations. It's actually a good thing that no news has come out, as it means he is most likely safe.
The matter of the fire in the Ministry of Justice prison was also resolved quickly.
His Majesty was furious and ordered a thorough investigation. No one in the Ministry of Justice, from top to bottom, escaped accountability.
Demotion, dismissal, salary deduction, and imprisonment were all assigned according to the severity of each person's responsibility; no one was spared.
Wang Yongnian, the Minister of Justice, was demoted three ranks and fined three years' salary as the principal official. He was then directly exiled to a harsh and cold region.
The court and the public were immediately shaken.
Just a few days later, Luo Yao, who had previously reported the case, suddenly confessed in prison.
She claimed that she first drugged Pei Lin, brought him to the scene of the crime, and then murdered Zhang Qifeng and his son, who had been lured there beforehand, deliberately framing Pei Lin for the crime.
As for his motive, he claimed that he was instructed by someone who promised him a large sum of money to make him run away afterward, but he could not say what that person looked like or who he was.
This result, while unexpected, was also reasonable.
Although Luo Yao's confession was somewhat ambiguous, it ultimately brought a temporary close to Pei Lin's case.
As for the person who was truly instigating him, everyone knew the answer, but without concrete evidence, they could only hold off for now and wait for the crucial evidence that Cui Yanwu would bring later, so that they could settle accounts with him all at once.
The days passed uneventfully for more than half a month.
Pei Lin had long since resumed attending court and handling official business daily. Occasionally, he would discuss the case with Pei Zhiwei at home, analyzing the doubts that had not yet been clarified.
Xiao Yunzhan frequently sent people to deliver messages, informing them of the movements in the court, to ensure they could keep abreast of the latest developments.
Only Xie Ji became increasingly restless.
He wasn't a patient person to begin with, and the peace of the past two weeks made him uneasy. He would go to the Pei residence or the Prince Rui's residence every few days.
He muttered, "Something's not right, something's really not right. They must be brewing something big. They haven't made a move in so long, they definitely can't be coming up with anything good."
Every time he said that, Pei Zhiwei would gently advise him to calm down.
In fact, she agreed with Xie Ji's judgment. Those powerful families and royal families had been building their businesses for many years and would never give up so easily.
The calm of the past two weeks is more like the calm before the storm; they must be secretly plotting something bigger, wanting to make a final stand.
Pei Zhiwei knew that it was precisely at times like these that she needed to remain calm. If she made even the slightest mistake at this crucial moment, all her efforts could be in vain.
On this day, Pei Zhiwei was in the mansion organizing her notes from previous investigations, wanting to go through all the clues again to see if she could find any overlooked key points.
Suddenly, the steward rushed in, looking somewhat flustered: "Madam, someone from Prince Rui's residence has come to report that there is important news, and they want you and the master to go there immediately!"
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