Chapter 144 Thoughts of Leaving
Gongsun Li gently waved her feather fan and pondered, "The Crown Prince's concerns are not without merit. My lord, why don't we use the pretext of purging the court of corrupt officials and rectifying the government to issue a proclamation first and see how everyone reacts?"
Pei Yanzhi said calmly, "Make the false appear real, and the real appear false."
"Within two days, the whole world will be watching Yanzhou closely, wanting to see how we will act."
His voice suddenly turned deep: "What I want is never the reputation of a traitor, but the people's will, to ascend to that position with dignity and honor."
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
"Even if Empress Dowager Song wants to regain control of the court, it won't be that easy. I want to tell her that she has no choice but to give up this empire."
His eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Starting tomorrow, spread rumors that Empress Dowager Song poisoned the emperor and plotted to usurp the throne!"
"What I want is to purge the court of corrupt officials and eliminate the villains."
After the staff and generals dispersed, the hall fell silent. Pei Yanzhi saw that Pei Xingjian was still standing in the same spot.
He said calmly, "Is there anything else?"
Pei Xingjian barely slept a wink yesterday; every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was her and her father in her grandmother's courtyard...
He recalled how his father had coaxed and flattered him, and just thinking about it made his blood boil and his heart ache.
He did try to convince himself that his father was just a woman back then, so how could he not let go? As time passed, he would eventually forget.
But that thorn is stuck in his heart, and it still aches from time to time. How could he not care or mind it?
He knelt heavily on the ground with a thud, his voice filled with an almost desperate plea: "Father, I have only ever truly loved one woman in my life. Can you please return her to me?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Yanzhi narrowed his eyes and looked down at him, scrutinizing him from above. After a long while, he scoffed, "I thought you had improved these days, but it turns out you're nothing special."
"You want me to return her to you? How can I do that? She is now the mistress of Yanzhou, or do you think she knows your feelings and won't be driven to suicide by these rumors?"
Pei Xingjian looked up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief: "This... how is this possible?"
After saying this, he felt more and more that this was his father's excuse to prevent him from being with Shu'er, and said urgently, "I can take Shu'er and run away, and never appear in front of you again in this life. My only request is that you let her go!"
Upon hearing the words "fly away," Pei Yanzhi's suppressed anger finally surged, and he threw the long sword in his hand in front of him.
His voice was chillingly cold: "Let me tell you, if one day you dare to run away with her, this knife will be her fate!"
"Father!"
After saying this, he closed his eyes wearily and said, "If you two are truly in love, do you think I would need to break you up?"
"Have you ever considered that she never had a single romantic feeling for you from beginning to end?"
"And another thing," he said coldly, "I don't want to hear from others that you've been following her on your own, or even going to see her. That's better for both of you."
Pei Xingjian looked dejected, like a trapped beast.
He knew his father was right; perhaps he had been deceiving himself all along. Scenes from his time in Chongzhou gradually surfaced in his mind.
Perhaps Shu'er never liked him from beginning to end; it was all wishful thinking on his part. He was clinging to her in a self-righteous way, thinking that she could never reject him, and thus he missed many details.
But when did her father develop feelings for her?
He voiced his question.
Pei Yanzhi's eyes were fixed on the desk. He couldn't say when he started to care, but when he saw her, he couldn't help but move closer to her.
Until that night at Furong Pavilion.
"Do you think I would have always indulged you like this if you weren't my son? Have you ever thought about what you think every time you talk about her in front of me?"
Pei Yanzhi's voice was low and deep: "I was clearly reluctant to let her go, but I still had to remove her from my heart. At that time, I really thought you were in love and wanted to make your relationship work out for me."
"But—Xingjian, it's because you don't know how to cherish it."
A few words said it all. Pei Yanzhi's mind was buzzing and blank. He understood everything.
He kowtowed deeply and staggered away as if he were drunk.
...
When Ji Shu left, she had already heard Wu Yang say that the emperor had passed away.
She was horrified. The book clearly stated that it would be three years later, so how could it be so far in advance?
The book's ending naturally sees Pei Yanzhi ascend to that position, which can even be said to be perfectly legitimate, with the world unified and peace restored.
She didn't know what caused the change, but the thought that if the world were in chaos, the three rules she and he agreed to might be null and void, and ten months would be to hell with it. She didn't want to play along with him anymore.
Back in Xiyuan, Ji Shu thought about everything, especially the fact that he had suddenly asked her to have a child earlier that day, which made her feel terrified.
How could this be? Who is he? I don't belong here, and I can't get used to living a life revolving around him all the time.
Even though she has developed some feelings for him now, it cannot stop this immense unease.
She just wanted to live a peaceful life and didn't want to get involved in this tumultuous situation.
Sure enough, Pei Yanzhi did not return to the West Garden that night.
It is said that countless people came and went in the study that night, without rest. Ji Shu knew that the great chaos in the world had finally begun ahead of schedule.
In the following days, Ji Shu did not see anyone else, but she learned from Wu Yang that he would be extremely busy recently and that she should not worry.
What does she have to worry about? If things really get chaotic, that will be her chance to escape. The world is so big, there's always a place where she can find refuge.
With no shortage of money, she had the freedom to do whatever she wanted.
She kept these words to herself, not knowing how to tell Chunzhi and Lian'er if she left. Lian'er was intelligent, and Ji Shu had been observing her for a long time.
She noticed that she always went to Nanshun Street, and Chang Wu often came over as well. She could see the affection between the two of them. If she were to marry her off to Chang Wu, it would be a good match.
Only Zhi'er was truly a difficult situation for her.
She had even planned that when she was about to leave, she would hand over all of Qiuyinong's shares to Madam Rui, and if Madam Rui was capable of acquiring them, she would transfer them all to her.
Once it's handed over to her, it will certainly not disgrace the name "Autumn's Deepening".
She only wanted to explore the vast and beautiful land, and when she got tired, she would find a place to settle down and rest before setting off again.
Ultimately, this world didn't hold her for very long.
Chunzhi's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door: "Madam, the Second Madam has arrived!"
"Song Yunshu?" What is she doing here?
She acted so hypocritically back then, and I didn't even bother to cause her any trouble, but she took the initiative to come to me.
"Please invite them to the front hall for tea."
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