Chapter 60
Lingjiao helped Qiyu leave the palace in a hurry.
There were too many unexpected events today. For example, the fire did not start and distract Wu Shiyan. For example, their men did not need to throw tea at the Consort, as she went to a nearby palace on her own. For example, the Consort did not fall into a coma, but instead cooperated with their actions.
The more Lingjiao thought about it, the more complicated her feelings became.
Pei Jin was already waiting by a secluded pond.
Lingjiao had told Qi Yu beforehand to pretend to be asleep.
Because Lingjiao was Zhao Wanyi's person, and out of trust for the female lead, Qi Yu obediently complied.
The moment the two met, Pei Jin's gaze was fixed on Qi Yu.
He was certain that this was Qi Yu, and he couldn't possibly be mistaken.
Lingjiao said, "My lord, the lady is too drunk to hold her liquor."
This is obviously just an excuse.
Pei Jin took Qi Yu and carried her horizontally in his arms. Qi Yu put one hand on his shoulder and said, "I understand. I will take care of Madam myself."
Although leaving at this point was a bit early, it wasn't abrupt.
Lingjiao went to summon the palace servants who were leading the way, and they were taken out of the palace.
On the palace road, Pei Jin's robes billowed, his back view exuding confidence and spirit. Even with someone in his arms, his pace did not slow down in the slightest.
As they approached the palace gates, their pace even quickened.
Water chestnut had to jog to keep up.
The carriage from the Pei residence was already waiting. Pei Jin carried the person into the carriage, not even glancing in the direction of the palace: "Back to the Pei residence."
Lingjiao boarded the carriage and her gaze fell on Qi Yu.
She was assigned by Zhao Wanyi to be by Qi Yu's side, so naturally she only needed to follow Qi Yu's orders. As for Lord Pei's orders, she could ignore them.
Once inside the carriage, Qi Yu leaned back against the soft pillows.
Unexpectedly, Pei Jin, rather restless, pulled her into his arms.
Pei Jin's gaze slowly shifted from Qi Yu's face to the slender wrist of her arm that was exposed as she draped her arm over his shoulder, his expression becoming increasingly gentle.
With Qi Yu by his side, he naturally possessed the same good manners he had with His Majesty. He was neither jealous nor resentful, and he didn't need to scheme and plot just to see Qi Yu once.
Your Majesty thinks he is a villain, but little does Your Majesty know that Your Majesty is about to become that villain.
Hearing Pei Jin's pounding heartbeat, Qi Yu had no choice but to "wake up".
Qi Yu propped her head up from Pei Jin's embrace, and Pei Jin asked without hesitation, "Madam is awake. Does your head still hurt?"
She wasn't actually unconscious, so she naturally heard Lingjiao say that she was drunk.
But there wasn't a trace of alcohol on her, which Pei Jin couldn't possibly miss. Yet he still went along with this utterly flimsy excuse, which left only one possibility.
Tonight's events are part of a plan conspired by Pei Jin and Zhao Wanyi.
Pei Jin is not innocent either.
Qi Yu's eyes showed confusion when she saw Pei Jin. She slowly said, following Pei Jin's words, "My head doesn't hurt, but..."
Pei Jin stroked Qi Yu's thin back and emphasized, "My wife, I made mistakes in the past. Let's start over and be as loving as before."
Qi Yu immediately realized that Pei Jin had not lost his memory.
You bastard.
The fact that Pei Jinming knew she was Qi Yu, yet still said those words, made it seem rather meaningful.
The only thing Pei Jin did wrong was that one thing.
Even more surprisingly, Pei Jin, having regained his memories, figured out that it was she who was actually at the Pei residence during the Qixi Festival.
Qi Yu ignored Pei Jin and looked at Lingjiao.
Lingjiao said considerately, "Is Madam still feeling unwell? How about I massage your forehead?"
Qi Yu hummed in agreement, struggled out of Pei Jin's arms, and lay down on Lingjiao's lap.
Lingjiao then gently massaged Qi Yu's forehead.
Pei Jin pursed his lips, his eyes filled with disappointment.
Qi Yu may be adaptable, but she may not necessarily reciprocate his previous attitude.
It was late at night, and there weren't many carriages still traveling in the capital. The carriage returned smoothly to the Pei residence.
After getting off the carriage, Qi Yu felt much more relaxed and enlightened.
On the other hand, when Tian Wenshan received the news, he knew that the fire in the palace was not an accident. After all, His Majesty would send him or Li Chang to deal with the matter.
Once they leave His Majesty's side, it will be much easier for anyone to pass on messages to them.
But Tian Wenshan still didn't understand what it meant that Madam Pei and the Imperial Concubine were sisters born of the same mother.
But this did not prevent Tian Wenshan from rushing back to His Majesty's side as quickly as possible.
After Qi Yu left, Zhao Wanyi woke up a palace servant and asked him to summon His Majesty on the grounds that she was unwell.
Everyone knows the Consort's position in His Majesty's heart, especially since he had just unexpectedly fallen asleep. It was already fortunate that the Consort did not take her anger out on him. Now that he heard the order, he naturally went to invite His Majesty over without delay.
So much so that even some unusual places were overlooked by the palace staff.
For example, if His Majesty is invited over on ordinary days, it is always Miss Pei Jiu who gives the order. For instance, if the Empress is not feeling well, she will only send someone to summon the imperial physician first, and will not disturb His Majesty.
Zhao Wanyi touched the dagger in her sleeve and adjusted her expression in front of the bronze mirror to be exactly the same as Qi Yu's.
Qi Yu is so easy to understand; her simplicity and straightforwardness make people feel sorry for her.
Tian Wenshan arrived as quickly as possible, but by the time he arrived, what was bound to happen had already happened. His Majesty had been stabbed in the heart, yet he still had the strength to grip the woman's neck tightly, and it was clear that he was about to go berserk and strangle her to death.
He muttered resentfully, "You conspired with Pei Jin, you deserve to die!"
Wu Shiyan no longer cared what grudge Zhao Wanyi had against him; he only hated that Zhao Wanyi had cooperated with Pei Jin to take Qi Yu out of the palace.
Qi Yu is currently pregnant, and the carriage ride to the Pei residence is extremely bumpy. How could Qi Yu possibly endure it?
He knew Pei Jin wouldn't be so well-behaved, but Pei Jin's audacity still exceeded his expectations.
He wanted to kill Zhao Wanyi first, and then Pei Jin.
In a flash, Tian Wenshan looked at the woman who looked exactly like the Imperial Concubine and seemed to finally understand something. No wonder Madam Pei had been so close to the Empress Dowager.
Her true purpose was to assassinate His Majesty!
Tian Wenshan knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, please have mercy! Consort Zhao Wanyi and the Imperial Concubine are sisters!"
He wasn't sure if saying this would be of any use, after all, Zhao Wanyi had committed regicide, and being killed by the Emperor with a single blow was considered a light punishment.
Upon hearing this, Wu Shiyan's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly released his grip. He finally understood why Pei Jin had schemed against Zhao Wanyi.
Zhao Wanyi was already suspended in mid-air, and when she let go, she was caught off guard and fell to the ground, coughing up blood.
She should have bitten her tongue and committed suicide at that moment, leaving Wu Shiyan with nowhere to vent his anger.
After planning for so long, Zhao Wanyi did not expect that Wu Shiyan, who had been stabbed, still had the strength to kill.
She heard Tian Wenshan's words, and she was in a daze, even having the thought of clinging to life.
Qi Yu is her younger sister.
No wonder there are two people in the world who look so alike.
As for how Tian Wenshan obtained this information, Zhao Wanyi understood after a moment's thought.
It's Pei Jin.
Pei Jinxu guessed it when she mentioned the birthmark on her younger sister's body; Pei Jinxu was already Qi Yu's lover.
If she had known beforehand, she would never have involved Qi Yu!
What Zhao Wanyi could think of, Wu Shiyan could certainly have foreseen.
Only Pei Jin could have planned this far.
Wu Shiyan clenched his fist. Pei Jin's move made it impossible for him to kill Zhao Wanyi even if he wanted to.
When Pei Jin plotted against the remnants of the rebel king, Wu Shiyan only felt that he had done a good job. But now that this method of keeping a secret from being used on him is not so pleasant.
Wu Shiyan ordered in a deep voice, "Give Zhao Wanyi some bone-softening powder, so that she can't even kill herself."
Wu Shiyan wanted to rush to the Pei residence immediately, at least to bring Qi Yu back to his side. She was his imperial concubine, his empress, and the birth mother of his future crown prince.
Seeing His Majesty's actions, Tian Wenshan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you are injured and must not leave the palace! This servant will go and summon Meng She immediately!"
The imperial physicians were naturally out of options.
Since His Majesty did not kill Zhao Wanyi on the spot, it means that he did not want to make a big fuss about this matter. If the court and the public knew about it, Zhao Wanyi would have no choice but to die.
Wu Shiyan wiped the blood off his body, knowing that he could not see Qi Yu with his injuries no matter what.
Qi Yu was pregnant, and if he saw him frightened, he would be filled with remorse.
Wu Shiyan had no choice but to leave first, leaving Tian Wenshan and Xiao Cong to investigate the matter thoroughly.
When the emperor was enraged, martial law was declared throughout the palace, and an atmosphere of fear and trepidation spread.
Pei Jiu was trapped in Zhaoyang Palace for no apparent reason. When she woke up, the Imperial Concubine was nowhere to be seen. She asked the people in the palace, and they only said that someone had tried to assassinate the Imperial Concubine, so the Imperial Concubine was currently with His Majesty.
His Majesty does not want anyone to get close to the Imperial Concubine.
Even though Pei Jiu found it strange, there was nothing she could do.
She was woken up by a knock on her window in the early hours of the morning. When she opened the window and saw Lin Qi, she immediately told him everything she knew.
Pei Jiu was extremely worried: "Lin Qi, will Her Majesty be alright?"
Lin Qi said calmly, "It will be alright."
Thinking back to how the Imperial Concubine had been giving her money lately, and hearing from Lin Er that the Imperial Concubine had a small gathering with Madam Pei last night, and considering the attitude in the palace, she roughly knew where the Empress was.
Pei Residence.
After entering the mansion, Qi Yu naturally went to Hengwu Courtyard.
Okra had been waiting for a long time, and when she saw people come in, she quickly stepped forward to serve tea.
The okra and water chestnut nodded in greeting.
It was already late at night. Qi Yu walked towards the bed and saw Pei Jin following her. She said, "My lord, you should sleep on the bed tonight, just like before, in separate beds."
Pei Jin was just putting on an act; she didn't want to indulge him.
Going back to the way things were would be great, of course. Don't think she didn't know he and Zhao Wanyi were a fake couple.
However, she did not know why Zhao Wanyi wanted to enter the palace.
Pei Jin looked pitiful. Tonight he was the biggest winner in life, but he couldn't show any power in front of Qi Yu.
“Madam, the bed is cold in winter, and it has already been made up.”
Qi Yu had already felt the warmth of Hengwu Courtyard, which was different from other places, and knew that it was because of the floor heating.
She laughed and said, "Then let's go sleep in another room."
Pei Jin then said, "I think the bed is also quite nice."
At least he could share a room with Qi Yu on the couch.
Qi Yu was exhausted after all that fuss, and she took a bath and fell asleep under the care of Qiu Kui and Ling Jiao.
Pei Jin dismissed the servants and turned off the lamps. He then obediently remained on the couch, not overstepping his bounds.
He knew that sleeping on the couch might win Qi Yu's pity, but shamelessly clinging to her would only anger her.
That night, the Pei residence was peaceful and quiet.
In the early morning, seeing Pei Jin still inseparable from her, Qi Yu asked in confusion, "Isn't Your Excellency going to work?"
Pei Jin: "Today is a day off, and I've already taken five days off in a row."
Five days later it was another day off, so he could spend a full seven days with Qi Yu.
Meanwhile, Qi Yu was figuring out how to convincingly die of illness at the Pei residence.
The water chestnuts that Zhao Wanyi left for her were crucial.
After having breakfast, Qi Yu used the excuse of wanting to eat pastries from Su Xiang Ji to send Pei Jin away. Then she asked Ling Jiao, "Is there any medicine that can make someone look sickly?"
Lingjiao asked, "Does Madam wish to leave?"
If that's really the case, no wonder a noble concubine would be willing to exchange herself for a courtier's wife.
In reality, the Imperial Concubine might not even have the intention of staying in the Pei residence; she might want to leave the capital.
Qi Yu nodded, "That makes sense."
Lingjiao: "This medicine does exist, but with the master here, who can take you away, Madam?"
Qi Yu was also very distressed. Just then, she heard the sound of tiles being stepped on.
Her eyes lit up: "As long as you can send me the medicine, I'll have a way to leave."
Lingjiao replied, "This servant needs two days."
Qi Yu nodded emphatically.
After Lingjiao left, Qi Yu, seeing that no one was around, smiled and opened the window.
The cold wind whipped at her face, but Qi Yu cared more about Lin Qi standing in front of her.
Fortunately, there was a narrow passageway outside the window, and not many people passed by.
Qi Yu was extremely surprised: "Lin Qi, what brings you here?"
Lin Qi breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I guessed that Your Highness was here, and my duty is to protect Your Highness's safety."
"Has something happened in the palace?"
Lin Qi pondered for a moment and said, "There is a rumor circulating in the palace that Your Majesty and Zhao Wanyi are sisters."
In fact, this news seems to have been deliberately leaked.
It was probably His Majesty's doing.
Qi Yu couldn't help but feel puzzled.
How did she get involved with the female lead? She's clearly a tool. Wait... According to the original plot, she could so easily escape death and stay away from the turmoil in the capital. Having another identity like this would make more sense.
After all, knowing so much about the royal family's secrets, how could someone like Wu Shiyan not silence him, but instead gamble on someone who lives a carefree life abroad keeping quiet?
After much thought, only Zhao Wanyi, as the female lead, could shield her from everything.
The female supporting character had it way too easy in the original storyline.
But last night, Zhao Wanyi met her and didn't seem like someone who knew about this.
After confirming with Lin Qi that she was safe, Qi Yu returned to her chair.
Okra, who had been sent away, came in and brought the sweet porridge that Qi Yu wanted to drink.
But her favorite food was now making her lose her appetite.
Yesterday's banquet was the same; she clearly liked the drinks, but after taking one sip, she lost her appetite.
She had thought it was just because she was nervous last night that she had no appetite, but it turns out her tastes have changed?
Qi Yu put down her spoon and let Qiu Kui take the porridge away.
Shortly after, Pei Jin returned carrying pastries.
He hurried along, fearing that Qi Yu had sent him away to see His Majesty; if that were the case, he would feel incredibly wronged.
But Qi Yu rarely asked him to do anything; she only asked him to buy things himself. How could he refuse?
Fortunately, there was nothing unusual inside the mansion.
"Madam, I'm back!" Pei Jin took out the pastries, some sour, some sweet, and some salty.
Qi Yu asked Pei Jin to buy pastries, which was just an excuse, but when the pastries were placed on the table, she suddenly felt hungry.
Pei Jin laughed upon seeing this.
"If Madam wishes to eat this, I will personally go and buy it tomorrow."
Qi Yu glanced at Pei Jin. Even so, Pei Jin would still be sleeping on the bed tonight.
Because she was determined to leave, she didn't harbor deep resentment towards Pei Jin for lying to her.
After Lingjiao reappeared, Qi Yu specifically asked her if the rumor that she and Zhao Wanyi were biological sisters was true.
Upon hearing this, Lingjiao's face fell: "We didn't know about this."
If she had known that Zhao Wanyi had met Qi Yu last night, she would have said more than a few words.
Qi Yu was unaware of the consequences of this matter, so she remained relatively calm.
On the other hand, Wu Shiyan, who could only lie on the dragon bed, was not doing so well.
He was stabbed in the chest, but fortunately he reacted in time and narrowly avoided the blade, otherwise it's questionable whether he could have stood up last night.
This was the first time Wu Shiyan had suffered a near-fatal injury; previously, no one had been able to get close to him with a sharp blade.
He heard last night that Qi Yu was unwell, and the palace servants' words were vague. In addition, Qi Yu was pregnant, so he became a little anxious. In his carelessness, he only saw that uncanny profile, and his heart was stabbed.
The knife was actually coated with poison, but Meng She later said that he had been poisoned by cold before, and by chance, the poison on the knife was delayed in taking effect.
Meng She cured him of the poison, but he still had to stay in bed and rest.
But if Wu Shiyan were so obedient, he wouldn't be himself. Seeing that his wound had been bandaged, he lifted the brocade quilt and prepared to leave, but after taking a few steps, he collapsed to the ground.
Meng She hadn't left at all; he knew His Majesty would react this way. Upon hearing the sound, he sighed and hurriedly entered.
Thus, Wu Shiyan was confined to his palace and could only begin investigating the events of the previous day.
He didn't want the Imperial Guards to surround the Pei residence, because that would require a legitimate reason, and he didn't want Qi Yu's reputation to be damaged.
Moreover, all indications suggest that Qi Yu voluntarily switched places with Zhao Wanyi last night, returning to the Pei residence in Zhao Wanyi's place.
Although Qi Yu was carried away by Pei Jin when she left the palace.
However, when Qi Yu left the palace with Zhao Wanyi's maid, she was fully conscious.
Lin Er said that since Madam Pei and her servants left safely, she naturally assumed that the Imperial Concubine was staying safely in the palace, which is why she was not alert.
Furthermore, the unbreakable blood relationship between Qi Yu and Zhao Wanyi led Wu Shiyan to a guess.
Qi Yu unexpectedly recognizes Zhao Wanyi and learns of the feud between their families and him. However, Qi Yu cannot bring herself to do it and does not want to seek revenge on him, so she lets Zhao Wanyi take her place.
From Zhao Wanyi's past actions, it can be seen that although she was lying low in the Pei family, she never wavered in her desire to assassinate the emperor.
As for Qi Yu, Wu Shiyan did not believe that she had no feelings for him.
A series of unforeseen circumstances led to the situation we see today.
Zhao Wanyi was willing to risk her life for Qi Yu, keeping Qi Yu out of this scheme and allowing her to live on under the name of Madam Pei. If he surrounded the Pei residence, wouldn't that cut off Qi Yu's last chance of survival?
There was indeed a deep-seated feud between him and Qi Yu.
Wu Shiyan opened the booklet about the Gu family in the capital. The Gu family, which was prosperous at that time, was indeed copied by him.
The Emperor did not want to establish a crown prince early. Even though the eldest prince was the eldest and quite virtuous, and many people were willing to serve him, the Emperor only granted the eldest prince the title of Prince Ning.
When Wu Shiyan was a teenager, Prince Ning, though his elder brother, was already over thirty. However, he was under the control of an emperor whose mind was still clear.
No matter how much Prince Ning schemes, as long as the emperor lives, he cannot use his methods effectively; in the end, he is just a prince.
But by then, the Emperor could no longer tolerate the growing power of Prince Ning and was preparing to teach him a lesson.
So after much deliberation, the Gu family, who were among the most prominent aristocratic families and part of the Prince of Ning's faction, were the first to be targeted, and various accusations were leveled against them like snowflakes in the imperial court.
In the struggle for succession, even if the head of the Gu family was upright and disciplined, the branches of a powerful family were deeply intertwined, and not all members of the Gu family were without fault for cheating men and women, embezzling and breaking the law. Thus, the Gu family fell as a matter of course.
The final outcome was partly due to Wu Shiyan's efforts.
His father taught him the methods, and he gained experience in dealing with Prince Ning for his father.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to govern such a devastated country so well after ascending the throne. Even the smartest prince needs someone to guide him.
What happened next is well-known: the seventh prince, who was deeply favored by the emperor, was forced out of the capital by all sorts of means, which is not entirely unjust.
The head of the Gu family had many children, among whom he was particularly fond of the twin daughters born to his principal wife.
The older one was named Gu Luan, and the younger one was named Gu Yu.
Gu Luan, a solitary phoenix, a lone bird, indirectly confirms her solitary and steadfast first half of life. The "Yu" in Gu Yu certainly implies intelligence and wit, and Qi Yu was indeed such a person, but it is also the "Yu" in Jieyu, which to some extent foreshadows her fate as an imperial concubine.
Wu Shiyan also learned why Gu Yu used the alias Qi Yu: Qi Yu's mother's surname was Qi, and her origins were unknown.
The Gu family had prior knowledge of the situation and secretly sent their two daughters away.
Zhao Wanyi left with her aunt and uncle, while Qi Yu fled to Hedong County with her nanny and has been missing ever since.
Wu Shiyan was acutely aware that he was the one who caused Qi Yu's family to be destroyed. Given this, how could he possibly have the face to appear before Qi Yu and bring her back to the palace under the guise of doing what was best for her?
At this moment, what Qi Yu least wanted was to see him and stay with him.
As for Pei Jin, he had been acquainted with the Gu sisters since he was young. Wu Shiyan had investigated very thoroughly this time, so he naturally found out that Zhao Wanyi and Pei Jin were from the same school. Therefore, Pei Jin had the opportunity to meet Qi Yu at that time.
Pei Jin had known Qi Yu for much longer than he had.
If Pei Jin uses the excuse of being childhood sweethearts, Qi Yu will become much closer to him even if she doesn't remember anything.
Wu Shiyan fell silent, his lips deathly pale.
Wu Shiyan couldn't imagine that Qi Yu would look at him with hatred and resolutely leave his side.
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