Chapter 122: Ultimately, there was nothing that could be done.
Gongsun Li and Mei Xun found the plan even more ingenious. Once the troops from Yanzhou appeared in Langya, even if Empress Dowager Song remained outwardly calm, she would still have doubts.
The concern was that Ding Wei might collude with Yanzhou from within, and even if Ding Wei were to surrender to the court one day, this thorn would surely remain in the heart of Empress Dowager Song.
This person is ultimately not someone to be trusted with important responsibilities.
As for Ding Wei, he was never willing to be subordinate to anyone. He repeatedly tested the court's bottom line, and with Empress Dowager Song's vigilance, how could someone like him tolerate it?
Mei Xun couldn't help but chuckle, clasped his hands in a salute, and eagerly packed his belongings, preparing to head to Langya that very night.
After seeing General Mei leave, Gongsun Li couldn't help but laugh. This move of cutting off the fuel supply from under the cauldron was brilliant.
He subconsciously looked up and saw that his lord had no smile on his face, but rather a hint of coldness between his brows. He couldn't help but wonder: Could something big have happened?
But thinking about it carefully, it doesn't make sense. The lord had been searching for Lady Ji day and night for the past few days, but it is said that he found her the day before yesterday. Why would he look unhappy?
He winked at Lu Changming, who shook his head helplessly and said silently, "It's been like this since we arrived at the military camp this morning."
"It's probably because Lady Ji has upset the lord again!"
Gongsun Li: "..."
The two men were exchanging cryptic messages in the tent when Pei Yanzhi suddenly looked up from the map and saw them staring at each other. He narrowed his eyes.
He began, "Is there anything else, strategist?"
Gongsun Li was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "It's alright, it's alright."
"My lord, I shall take my leave now."
After Gongsun Li left, Pei Yanzhi glanced at Lu Changming: "Is there anything else?"
Lu Changming stepped forward: "My lord, a letter has arrived from Chongzhou!"
He then handed him a letter from Chongzhou from his sleeve. Pei Yanzhi opened it without saying a word, his brows twitching slightly.
The letter stated that the Crown Prince already knew that Ji Shu had been taken back to Yanzhou by him, and that he had ridden a fast horse all the way from Chongzhou last night.
He chuckled lightly. The son dared to meddle in his father's private affairs? He really was…
Lu Changming carefully observed the lord's expression. He didn't seem angry; his face only showed a chilling gloom.
He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Has the young master lost his mind?"
He quickly finished reading and said, "Alright, after this matter is over, don't keep an eye on him anymore. Let him do whatever he wants."
"There's something I need you to investigate right now."
Lu Changming composed himself and respectfully replied, "Yes."
As Pei Yanzhi looked at the mountain of official documents, the scar he had seen last night reappeared before his eyes, and the intense killing intent he had been suppressing surged up again.
The thought that her body, tainted with his scent, had been secretly coveted by others, and the restraint he had shown before finding her, which had only been for her safety, now transformed into a raging inferno.
However, he overestimated his own magnanimity and underestimated Ji Shu's importance in his heart.
He couldn't help but sneer. Well, Wei Ziming really is something else, he's just stabbed a knife into my heart.
It was such a pity that we only took his legs and tongue that day.
As Ji Shu had predicted, Pei Yanzhi did not appear in the following days. With only three days left until the wedding on the eighth day of the month, the servants in the mansion were busy coming and going.
Everything was proceeding smoothly, as if nothing could stop the wedding that was about to take place.
Every day, there are many trivial matters to attend to, including trying on wedding dresses, choosing jewelry, and taking inventory of dowry items.
At first, Chunzhi and Lian'er already knew that the young lady only wanted to go through the motions, but who knew that the lord would take it so seriously? So the two of them had to cheer up and do their best to manage the wedding, keeping busy every day, for fear that something might go wrong.
Several days passed in this way, and Ji Shu gradually gave up the idea of explaining.
After nightfall, inside the Wenxin Pavilion of the Pei residence.
Pei Yanzhi lay on the empty bed, feeling endless loneliness. Even though she had found that person and he was right in front of her, it was as if he could never enter her heart.
He could only tell himself over and over that he was too greedy.
That evening, Lu Changming reported on the entire investigation, including the arrest of the maid who had delivered meals over the past few days. These few words were enough to ignite his fury.
After a long while, he slumped into a chair and chuckled self-deprecatingly, a laugh directed at both himself and Ji Shu.
Even though nothing had happened, and she was even willing to harm herself to stop Wei Ziming, she never dared to utter a single word to him.
He was the one who took her to Yanzhou, and he was the one who forced her to marry him. He knew she was unwilling, but he never took it to heart.
At this moment, she has experienced such a major event, yet she never thought to tell me. If I hadn't discovered it, would she have planned to keep it a secret forever?
How much does she distrust herself, how little does she believe he will stand up for her, or protect her?
Unable to control himself, he got up, put on his clothes, and rode straight to Yongning Lane. It was already curfew, and the streets outside were deserted.
He rode swiftly without alerting anyone, and quietly slipped into the backyard.
She gently opened the window and tiptoed inside. Chunzhi was fast asleep on the small couch outside the screen. Ever since he left, Ji Shu had to have Chunzhi stay with her every night.
A small lamp outside the main room cast a warm glow, illuminating the bedroom, which was neither too big nor too small. Pei Yanzhi had been here several times and could find his way around even with his eyes closed.
He lifted the curtain and went inside. Inside the green gauze curtain, the reclining figure was the one he had been thinking of day and night.
He walked silently to the bedside, sat down on the edge of the bed, and looked at her pearly, radiant face in the moonlight, her pink lips slightly pouting.
As if enticing him to accept, Pei Yanzhi couldn't help but reach down and kiss the unconscious little mouth, his tongue sweeping around inside.
Only after appreciating the rich fragrance did he feel slightly satisfied, and the person beneath him began to have difficulty breathing before he finally released her.
Then he pushed her a little further in, and as soon as he lay down and covered her with the blanket, the little girl next to him wrapped her arms around him.
She felt as if she had no bones, resting her head on his arm. Her anger gradually dissipated in this dependence, and she sighed inwardly.
I don't know if it's helplessness towards myself, or the inability to do anything about the people around me.
...
"drive!"
"Your Highness, let's rest here tonight!" Lu Changfeng looked around. It was common for soldiers to sleep outdoors during military campaigns.
Pei Xingjian nodded absentmindedly.
Half an hour later, Lu Changfeng handed the dried rations that had been roasting over the fire to the prince.
Seeing the young and handsome prince staring intently at the fire, his eyes filled with a ferocious and terrifying hatred, Lu Changfeng couldn't help but feel a chill.
Although he had learned from his elder brother that Lady Ji had gone to Yanzhou, his brother did not say much, so he was unaware of the situation. However, when he heard about these changes in Chongzhou, he felt that the Marquis was too cruel to the heir.
They tricked the young master into going to Chongzhou step by step, and during those days in the mansion, they managed to prevent the young master and Lady Ji from ever meeting.
Lu Changfeng shifted his gaze from the Crown Prince to the direction of Yanzhou, secretly worried: With the Crown Prince in such a state, I wonder how he will fare upon returning.
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