Chapter 128: There is a grievance to appeal

After Ruan Qingzhou's health improved, Ruan Qinghuan followed He'an back to the prime minister's residence to rest. After all, he was busy with his duties, so it was more convenient for him to go back home.

On the way back in the carriage, He An held her cloak tightly and held her in his arms lovingly: "Misfortunes bring blessings. After these disasters are over, there will be sunshine after the clouds have cleared."

I hope so!

"My husband, how do you plan to handle this?" Ruan Qinghuan was exhausted physically and mentally during this period. She was still afraid in her heart. If He'an hadn't planted spies in the Pei family and Senior Xu hadn't helped, what would the result be?

If anything happened to Qingchi, the first person to fall would definitely be my grandmother.

He An didn't want to hide it from her: "It's not just Qing Chi's matter, maybe Qing Zhou's matter is also related to Pei Chong."

Ruan Qinghuan sat up in shock: "You mean..."

She knew that He'an was always very cautious in his actions and would never say such a thing without any evidence.

What's more, this is also the case in the original book. Pei Chong did everything he could to take over the Ruan family's wealth and institutions, but in the end the Ruan family fell into ruin, and everyone in the mansion suffered a miserable end.

She originally thought that since her relationship with He An was different, everything else would change as well.

But it didn't.

Since Ruan Xiaoyue and Pei Chong are already married, will the Ruan family still be implicated?

"Madam, rest assured. Fortunately, the two families have separated before, which gives me some room to maneuver. I will definitely handle this matter thoroughly."

In less than half a month, she lost a lot of weight, all thanks to Pei Chong.

He'an didn't take him seriously at first, but after this incident, he could no longer keep this pawn of King Chen.

"But this must be related to Prince Chen. When we came back from Lucheng, the emperor didn't even investigate the private soldiers, let alone such a small matter."

He An said meaningfully: "Sometimes, things that seem like small things may not be the case in reality."

**

After returning to the prime minister's residence, He An did not return to the study until he had coaxed her to sleep. It was almost midnight.

Jiang Qi presented the secret letter: "Sir, the Chen Palace has been very quiet recently, but Concubine Qi, who has never interfered in government affairs, has made some moves."

Originally, Concubine Qi did not want Prince Chen to participate in the power struggle. In recent years, she had also intended to persuade the emperor to grant Prince Chen a fiefdom and allow him to leave the capital, but the emperor was slow to do so.

This idea is not difficult to guess. Prince Chen is extremely ambitious. Without being sure that he has no ulterior motives, giving him a fiefdom may only lead to greater disasters.

The emperor is old, and he thinks about the relationship between father and son, but he doesn't know if Prince Chen thinks the same way.

After reading the contents of the letter, He An was thoughtful.

It seems that Prince Chen has really reached out to Jiangnan: "Arrange people to go to Jiangnan to protect the Zhou family."

"yes."

**

The next day, when the court officials heard about the Pei family's secret passage, they were shocked.

The emperor was furious when he heard this: "How dare the Pei family dig secret passages privately? Can we find out where they lead to?"

The prefect wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "The Pei family's secret passage is divided into three directions, leading to the outside of the city, Prince Chen's Mansion, and an unfinished secret passage."

"Not dug through?" The emperor closed his eyes and asked, "What about the direction? Where does it lead to?"

The prefect said: "Your Majesty, judging from the direction, it should lead to the imperial palace."

The emperor was furious: "How dare the Pei family to plot under my nose. Arrest them immediately for questioning and find out all the people who are related to them."

Finally, the emperor ordered the prince to supervise the matter.

After leaving the palace, Ji Lingchuan and He An rode together: "You said, the emperor really doesn't know that the person behind Pei Chong is Prince Chen?"

He An: "What if I know, what if I don't know?"

"If he knew and handed the matter over to the prince, it would become a hot potato."

What the emperor hates to see most is suspicion between fathers and sons, and quarrels between brothers. What a pity, being born in an imperial family, how can one stay away from disputes?

He An frowned: "The Emperor is not only a father, but also the ruler of a country. Between family affection and national power, he values ​​the latter more."

Ji Lingchuan pursed his lips.

The imperial family is the most ruthless. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is probably in trouble.

"The second branch of the Ruan family is related to the Pei family by marriage, so this matter may be related to them." Ji Lingchuan was worried: "What are you going to do?"

The current situation is uncertain, Qingzhou must set off as soon as possible: "Lingchuan, Qingzhou's journey will definitely not be peaceful, and it may not be enough for only Senior Xu and his daughter to protect him."

Although both men were highly skilled in martial arts, two fists are no match for four hands.

Ji Lingchuan immediately understood what he meant: "It just so happens that the emperor has secretly transferred 20,000 troops to the Jiangnan garrison, and they can go with him."

Troops mobilized?

It seems that the emperor already has a plan in mind.

**

The moment Mrs. Pei learned that the Pei family was doomed, she almost collapsed.

But now that things have come to this, she knows that digging a secret passage privately is a serious crime, and she is afraid she can no longer stay in the capital.

But if they all left, it would certainly arouse suspicion, so she had someone escort the pregnant concubine and Pei Wen away, and before leaving, she reminded her daughter: "The baby in your sister-in-law's belly is our Pei family's heir, you must take good care of her."

"Mom, I don't want to go. I don't want to leave the capital." Pei Wen just cried. She didn't understand why the Pei family suddenly turned into traitors. That was a serious crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of the family.

"Nonsense! You don't want to live at this critical moment?"

Pei Wen: “…”

As soon as they left, the front door of Pei's house was broken open, and dozens of officials from the Ministry of Justice rushed into the yard.

Mrs. Pei knew that she could not escape this disaster. Rather than being caught and tortured in prison, it would be better to die.

But she was unwilling to accept that the Pei family, which she had worked so hard to build, had become like this today.

As a guard, Jiang Jie detained all the people in Pei Mansion and handed them over to the police to verify their identities one by one.

Just when Mrs. Pei was about to commit suicide, she heard a name that made her tremble with fear: "Pei Zhan."

How is that possible?

He died three years ago, how could he appear in the Pei family?

He swayed his body and looked sideways, and saw a lame man walking out of the crowd. He was skinny, unkempt, and his features were hard to discern for a moment.

The man walked a few steps towards her and then stopped. The corners of his dry lips twitched, and his eyes were filled with hatred: "Aunt, I never thought that we would meet again in this life."

The word "Aunt" hit Pei's heart like a heavy hammer. She pointed at him with a trembling hand: "You, you, you...are you a human or a ghost?"

"To my aunt, Pei Zhan is a ghost. Have you ever heard of an evil ghost claiming your life?"

Pei Zhan has been waiting for this day for three years. If it weren't for the belief in revenge that supported him, he would not have been able to hold on until today.

"Puff" a mouthful of blood spurted out, and Mrs. Pei, with eyes as sharp as bronze bells, lay straight down.

Before Jiang Jie came, he received a message from Ji Lingchuan, saying that there was a great gift waiting for him in the Pei Mansion. It seemed that he was referring to this person.

Mrs. Pei is dead, probably because she was frightened to death. The hatred that Pei Zhan had suppressed in his heart was finally released at this moment. However, this is far from enough. Pei Chong, Pei Wen, and everyone in the second branch of the Pei family also deserved to die.

Even if they all died, it would not be enough to atone for their sins.

It was already early spring and snowflakes were falling at this moment. Pei Zhan knelt on the ground and kowtowed towards the main house.

Father, Zhan'er will avenge you.

After bowing, Jiang Jie turned around and kowtowed three more times: "Your Excellency is wise, I am Pei Zhan, and I have a grievance to appeal."