Chapter 155 Forbidden Love Affair
"His current name is Zhang Hongfei. He is a poor student from Qingzhou who came to study at Qingya Academy because of his outstanding academic performance."
He excels academically and is well-liked by his classmates and teachers.
Upon learning that his parents had died and that he was from a poor family, the academy teacher introduced him to a job teaching young children.
He often taught children, living a simple but happy life.
Ye Jing listened to his words, remained silent for a long time, and then lowered his head:
"Half of his troubled days were my fault; I've let him down."
Pei Yanchi looked up at Ye Jing, whose eyes were slightly red, as if tears were welling up.
"No matter what, he can never become the heir apparent of your Marquis of Guangping's household. If you want to be with him, unless..."
Ye Jing raised his hand and wiped his eyes, asking:
"Unless what?"
"Unless you give up everything in the Guangping Marquis's mansion and live a carefree life with him."
Upon hearing this, Ye Jing's eyes lit up with hope, and he suddenly looked at Pei Yanchi.
Pei Yanchi sighed upon seeing him like this:
"Sigh...it seems you really can't live without him in this life?"
Ye Jing remained silent.
Pei Yanchi raised his cup and clinked it against Ye Jing's:
May all lovers be united in marriage.
Ye Jing silently drank the tea in his hand.
After a long pause, he finally spoke, asking, "You came here in the dead of night just to tell me this?"
Pei Yanchi laughed and said, "Of course not, I'm using this to coerce a debt of gratitude into repayment."
"I want to exchange your plans with the Crown Prince."
Ye Jing rolled her eyes: "I knew you wouldn't come here unless you had something to ask."
“The Crown Prince’s people have been contacting me recently, telling me that the matter involving Chen Jiatao was done by the Prince of Shou’an and the Crown Prince.”
Pei Yanchi scoffed softly, "My brother, the Crown Prince, has no time to concern himself with your petty love affairs."
That's what I think too.
When I first heard the news of Jia Tao's death, I sent people back to the capital to investigate. It turned out to be the work of Xie's third daughter and the Prince of Shou'an.
There was no trace of the crown prince among them.
Pei Yanchi was startled: "Huh?! You sent people to investigate? Are you planning to retaliate against them?"
“I want to get revenge on them, but the biggest culprits are the Chen family. I plan to deal with the Chen family first, and then settle accounts with them.”
After hearing this, Pei Yanchi scratched his head and belatedly realized:
"I was wondering why the Chen family has been so unlucky since last year. So it was you who did it?"
Then he quickly asked Ye Jing, "Are you still seeking revenge on my cousin and his wife?"
"Hmph, I'll talk to you when I see Jia Tao," Ye Jing replied coldly.
"Alright, you can figure it out yourself. Anyway, he's still alive."
"So, what is the Crown Prince's purpose?" Pei Yanchi asked.
"The eldest prince wanted me to cooperate with him, but I did not agree."
Ye Jing reached out and refilled Pei Yanchi's teacup.
"Why couldn't we reach an agreement on the benefits?"
After putting down the teapot, Ye Jing said, "After hearing the news of Jia Tao's death, I lost the will to live for a time."
But I was determined to avenge him, so I struggled bitterly in this military camp.
For the past year, they have been plotting against the Chen family.
The eldest prince somehow learned that I intended to deal with the Prince of Shou'an, so he came to me to cooperate.
But when he immediately brought up the matter and implicated the Crown Prince, I just didn't believe him.
As you said, the Crown Prince won't meddle in such matters.
I know the eldest prince's character well; he's ambitious and wants to ascend to the throne. I'm afraid he's deceiving me.
So they've been dragging their feet and haven't agreed yet.
Pei Yanchi quickly grasped the key point: "Doesn't that mean you have the First Prince's spies around you?"
Ye Jing nodded: "But I already know who that person is."
“His Majesty sent me to find you, so you should know why I’ve come,” Pei Yanchi said.
"Well, you've come all this way to be here, do you think I'm stupid enough not to know?"
Ye Jing said irritably.
Pei Yanchi chuckled.
"What? Are you planning to cooperate with me?"
Ye Jing said irritably, "I just want to avenge Jia Tao. I'm not trying to rebel. What do you mean by cooperating with you?"
I am acting in accordance with His Majesty's orders.
Pei Yanchi thought for a moment and then said, "The eldest prince is not a man of martial virtue. We can't let him know about Chen Jiatao's matter."
Be careful, he might use Chen Jiatao to threaten you.
Ye Jing nodded: "I know that. Tell me, what is His Majesty's decree?"
Pei Yanchi glanced at the people behind him. The captain of the Hundred Cavalry Division took out an imperial edict from his pocket and handed it to him.
After Ye Jing took it and read it, he cupped his hands in the direction of the capital:
"My lord, I obey the order."
Pei Yanchi then pulled out another letter from his robes:
"This was given to you by the Marquis of Guangping and his wife before they came."
Since hearing the news of Chen Jiatao's death, Ye Jing has never taken the initiative to contact the Guangping Marquis's residence for more than a year.
He did not look at any of the items and letters sent from the Marquis's residence, but instead had them put away and left unattended.
They never reply to letters or contact each other.
Because he clearly remembered pleading with his father in his family's ancestral hall to spare Chen Jiatao's life.
But Chen Jiatao still died.
He knew it was the Chen family's fault, but he still couldn't suppress his resentment towards his father.
If... if I had still been in the capital back then, would he not have died...?
This indescribable thought lingered in his mind, drawing a chasm between him and the Marquis's mansion.
But when he heard that Chen Jiatao was still alive, his hope for life was rekindled.
The resentment he felt towards his parents gradually dissipated.
As long as Chen Jiatao is alive, he can forgive everyone in this world.
Looking at the letter in front of him, he remained silent for a moment before reaching out to take it.
The letter also mentioned that Lady Guangping Hou said Chen Jiatao was still alive and at Qingya Academy, and that she had even sent someone to visit him.
He said he was doing very well.
The Marquis of Guangping also instructed him not to listen to the slander of the eldest prince, lest he implicate the entire family of the Marquis of Guangping.
It was a very thick letter, containing a great deal of information.
Lady Hou was always worried about his health, and Marquis Guangping kept talking about the situation in the court, telling him to recognize the situation and not to panic.
Ye Jing closed the letter and asked, "Before you left, did His Majesty summon my father?"
"His Majesty did not issue a decree; it was the Crown Prince who sent me to pay a visit and inquire if there was anything he wished to bring you."
I came in a hurry, carrying only a letter with me and some things sent from home that are on their way and will arrive in three to five days.
Ye Jing nodded: "I will follow His Majesty's orders and feign allegiance to the Crown Prince."
But how will this message be delivered?
Pei Yanchi glanced at the captain of the Hundred Cavalry Division, then replied:
"One of the people who will be delivering things to you in a couple of days is a servant of your household named Ye Jiu, who is from the Hundred Cavalry Division. Just give him the message."
Ye Jing nodded.
The two sat for a while longer, chatting idly for a bit, before Pei Yanchi finally spoke:
"Let's fight, and you can kick me out."
Upon hearing this, Ye Jing got up and started fighting without saying a word.
After three moves, Pei Yanchi, seeing that his opponent was showing no mercy, whispered anxiously:
"Are you serious?"
Ye Jing replied in a low voice, "To avenge the time you tricked me back then."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yanchi quickly fled, knowing he was no match for Ye Jing.
However, Ye Jing relentlessly pursued and beat him, and the two fought from inside the house to outside, until Pei Yanchi finally fled in a sorry state.
Ye Jing's guards heard the commotion and came out to prepare to take action.
Ye Jing stopped them, pointing his sword at Pei Yanchi and saying:
"You surnamed Pei, I never want to see you again."
Pei Yanchi, who had just had his ear chopped off, looked rather disheveled and jumped up and down, shouting at Ye Jing:
"You think I want to see you! You're crazy."
Ye Jing grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth:
"Then take your men and get out of here."
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