Chapter 907 Good or bad, it's all a matter of fate.
The two jailers were taken aback, then glanced behind him, and could only manage two awkward chuckles.
Pei Xingyuan smiled too.
Of course, there was no need to worry about him running away, because following the carriage was a squad of guards, all of them strong and sturdy, with curved swords at their waists and solemn expressions. They were all ordered to escort him, and their eyes sharpened after hearing his words. They were afraid that if he made a single wrong move, these people would pounce on him immediately.
In a way, the emperor gave him—or rather, his old friend Pei Xu—a great deal of face. Although Pei Xingyuan was involved in the assassin's case, he was never tortured, and the Pei family was not greatly implicated. Even when he was summoned for questioning, a horse-drawn carriage was used instead of a prison cart.
In this situation, it would be extremely inappropriate for him to continue running.
Not only should it not be done, but doing so would be an admission of guilt, confirming the crime directly. He has escaped, but I'm afraid the Pei family will truly be doomed.
Seeing the guards' tense expressions, Pei Xingyuan laughed and said, "I was just joking with you."
The two jailers also smiled obsequiously and said, "We know that Lord Pei likes to joke. We'll come back to hear your jokes when you return."
Pei Xingyuan smiled and said, "How do you know I can come back?"
These words startled the two men, and even the guards frowned, feeling that this person was being far too presumptuous. Saying such things repeatedly didn't seem like disrespect to the emperor, but rather like a provocation.
But the two jailers were also understanding and immediately came to their senses, smiling obsequiously, "Yes, I'm afraid that Lord Pei will be able to clear his name and be reinstated this time."
The guards' expressions softened.
Pei Xingyuan neither confirmed nor denied it, but simply smiled and patted them on the shoulder, saying, "You've had a hard time these past few days."
After saying that, he turned and got into the carriage. The jailers checked the list with the escorting guards and signed it. Soon, the carriage left the gate of this deserted, cold prison that made one's bones tremble. The two jailers watched the swaying shadow of the carriage disappear from sight before they breathed a sigh of relief. They walked in while talking in hushed tones.
One of them asked, "Do you think he can come back?"
Another said, "It doesn't matter whether they come back or not. If they do, and there are still people to take care of them, we'll serve them well and make as much money as we can; if they don't come back—"
"What if we can't come back?"
"Whether it's good or bad, that's a person's fate."
The man sighed deeply.
If Pei Xingyuan is lucky, perhaps this trip will truly clear his name, restore him to his original position, and make him the same successful and powerful young man he once was, naturally without having to return to the Ministry of Justice prison. If he is unlucky, this trip may very well be his final journey to the underworld.
The two men sighed and shook their heads as they slowly closed the iron gates of the prison.
At this moment, the sunlight was even brighter than before.
But it was winter after all. Even with sunshine, even with warm sunshine, the chill still permeated the streets and alleys. The entire city of Chang'an was like a potted plant covered with snowflakes, bustling with people who were chasing fame and fortune. They were like ants crawling unconsciously among the flowers and plants, struggling, yet insignificant.
Shang Ruyi looked at the pedestrians on the street with that kind of gaze.
Early in the morning, Yuwen Ye kept his promise from yesterday and took her out of the palace. Since there was no curfew last night, they saw many places with lanterns still lit along the way. There were also lantern riddles that no one had guessed all night hanging under the lanterns, swaying back and forth, with people still gathered around, shaking their heads and thinking about them. There were also some people who had been drinking all night and were still not sober when they got up in the morning, walking unsteadily while supporting each other. Compared to Chang'an in the past, this seemed to be a completely different scene.
Then, they arrived at a restaurant on Zhuque Avenue.
This place was also used to entertain guests who had been drinking all night. The lobby hadn't even been cleaned up yet, and the cool air was filled with the aroma of wine and the stench of drunken men. As soon as Shang Ruyi walked in, she couldn't help but cover her nose and frowned, saying, "It stinks."
The waiter, his eyes red, lazily smiled and said, "Please bear with us, esteemed guest."
Shang Ruyi just thought it smelled bad, but she didn't really want him to do anything. After all, it wasn't common for them to come to this restaurant so early. Yuwen Ye glanced around and said, "Take us to the second floor, find a clean room, and bring up your restaurant's best wine and dishes. Be quick, and you'll be handsomely rewarded."
The waiter had been busy all night because of the Lantern Festival festivities and was so tired that he almost fell asleep standing up. But when he saw the two distinguished guests dressed well and speaking with such confidence, and when he heard the word "reward," he immediately perked up and said with a beaming smile, "Please, please, gentlemen!"
As he spoke, he led the two upstairs to the second floor.
The guards who followed them out of the palace were left at the entrance of the restaurant. Fortunately, there weren't many pedestrians on the street at the time, and no one paid any attention to them.
The two went up to the second floor, and the waiter led them to a private room, which was cleaner and quieter than the surrounding rooms. Because Shang Ruyi disliked the smell, the waiter served her tea and lit incense for her before leaving. A little while later, he could be heard loudly calling for the kitchen to prepare wine and dishes.
Yuwen Ye, who remained in the private room, sat down and took a sip of tea.
Shang Ruyi walked to the window and pushed it open.
A gust of cold wind rushed in with a "whoosh," instantly dissipating the smoke rising from the incense burner on the table. She stood by the window, gazing at the long street, and then looking into the distance along its length.
Yuwen Ye said, "It's still early."
Shang Ruyi turned to look at him and said, "Didn't you say that the Ministry of Justice would send the person to the palace first thing in the morning?"
Yuwen Ye said, "He's been in prison for so long. Although we've asked someone to take care of him, he certainly won't be the same as usual. But he can't be sloppy when he meets the Emperor. He has to wash up and change his clothes. Plus, we need to verify his identity and have him sign the document. It'll take a while for him to come over from the prison."
"oh."
"Alright, it's cold by the window. Let's sit down and have some hot tea first."
Shang Ruyi nodded, but because she was afraid of missing out, she didn't close the window. Just as she was about to turn around and walk back, she saw several restaurants across the street. The waiters came out and extinguished the lanterns that had been hanging at the entrance all night. They bowed and scraped to the swaying customers who came out. The second floor was much quieter. Several private rooms had their windows open and were empty, obviously to let the smell of alcohol dissipate. However, the windows of a few other rooms were still ajar, and it seemed that people inside could still be seen drinking together, their shadows moving like in a shadow play.
One of the room windows was slightly pushed open, revealing a somewhat familiar figure standing behind it.
Shang Ruyi: "Hmm?"
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