Chapter 41, "The Wife Sings, the Husband Follows."
As soon as Pei Shang'er stepped out of the banquet and breathed in the fresh air, her dizziness and stomachache disappeared. Yang Chengxiu chuckled to himself upon seeing this.
"You, you can tell the atmosphere inside is weird and you know to use it as an excuse to slack off."
Pei Shang'er pinched him: "You're no different."
"The wife leads, the husband follows."
"Glib-tongued".
"How about we go to Shengguang Temple to see the Crown Princess?" Yang Chengxiu raised an eyebrow.
Pei Shang'er asked in confusion, "Why would you go to see the Crown Princess for no reason? She's not really sick."
"After all, she saved my life. The Crown Prince's current coldness towards her is the best time to ease the tension between us."
"Okay, whatever you say."
Pei Shang'er pouted, blinked, and smiled at Yang Chengxiu.
When she turned her head again, Yang Chengxiu's gaze instantly became deep and reluctant, as if she were preoccupied with her own thoughts, but she still subconsciously reached out and took Pei Shang'er's hand.
He knew why Pei Xuanlin had suddenly sent Xue Yingyue to hide at Shengguang Temple, and he also guessed the purpose of His Majesty allowing the Yang family to enter the capital. The Yang family was about to be finished, and he himself was not far from death. The only person he was worried about was Pei Shang'er.
If he dies, and the emperor and empress pass away, Pei Chang'er will be left all alone, facing numerous wolves and tigers in the court, and with Pei Xuanlin watching her like a hawk. How will she survive...?
Having more friends means having more options. Yang Chengxiu knew that Pei Xuanlin was deeply in love with Xue Yingyue. If Pei Chang'er could become friends with her, it might one day give Pei Chang'er a way out.
*
Ling Zhenli only regained her breath when the last wisp of sandalwood incense in front of the Buddha statue in the sleeping quarters twisted and rose towards the caisson ceiling.
She knelt amidst a pile of disheveled clothes. Xie Daojian, still panting, had his fingertips lingering on the beads of sweat on Ling Zhenli's nape. The droplet slid slowly down the indentation of her spine and disappeared into the depths of her loose collar.
Just fifteen minutes ago, Ling Zhenli was still crying, but Xie Daojian always managed to coax her back to health.
He couldn't let Ling Zhenli keep thinking about Xiao Chongheng; what he needed to do was kick Xiao Chongheng out of her mind.
The bedchamber was filled with the warm scent of sandalwood and desire. Xie Daojian was about to spend more time with Ling Zhenli when suddenly hurried footsteps sounded outside the room.
The two froze simultaneously, and Xie Daojian's hand instantly pressed down on the sword placed beside him.
Although it is against regulations to bring weapons when meeting the Crown Princess, this time it was with the personal permission of Crown Prince Pei Xuanlin, and Xie Daojian could be considered to be there to protect the Crown Princess, so he was allowed to bring weapons.
At that moment, a guard outside the door announced:
"Your Highness, Princess Jin'an and her husband have come to visit you. Their palanquin has arrived at the mountain gate, and I have come to inform you of this."
"Very well, I understand. Princess Jin'an and her husband, please wait in the main hall. I will then go with Lord Xie."
After Ling Zhenli finished speaking, she gently pushed Xie Daojian away. Her pale face was completely drained of color. She looked down and saw that her apricot-colored inner garment was wide open, and her collarbone to her heart was covered with red marks. It was really indecent. How could she face anyone?
"You're still laughing? Hurry up and get dressed."
Seeing Xie Daojian still looking unhurried, Ling Zhenli felt both ashamed and annoyed. She bit her lip lightly, and her lips blushed with a bright red like dew on a begonia.
“Princess Jin’an is my cousin. If we delay for a moment, she won’t come and eat us.”
"I'm afraid she'll find out..."
“Pei Shang’er is very close to me, she won’t tell Pei Xuanlin. At most, she’ll secretly laugh at Pei Xuanlin behind his back… Okay, get dressed.”
As Xie Daojian spoke, he noticed that Ling Zhenli was already somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, and he knew that she still cared about Pei Xuanlin's reputation.
Sigh, there's nothing I can do.
After all, Pei Xuanlin was her rightful husband.
Her hair was half-undone, a hairpin was stuck in her hair at an angle, about to fall off, and there was a dark red hickey on the side of her neck. The worst part was her lips, which were swollen and painful.
Oh no, we're definitely going to be found out...
*
The palace maids who accompanied the Crown Princess to the temple set out teacups for Pei Chang'er and Yang Chengxiu, and added the finest Mengding stone flower tea.
Shengguang Temple was originally a royal temple. In the past, when the emperor prayed for the people, he would bring the empress to live in Shengguang Temple. Therefore, the palace where the crown princess lived was comparable to the royal palace.
Pei Shang'er glanced around at the opulent decorations, then slowly brought the teacup to her lips and took a sip.
“If Pei Zhen really wanted to punish him, there was no need to let him live so comfortably. But then again, Buddhist holy sites are meant for quiet cultivation, and it was only because our predecessors built such luxurious palaces here that Xue Yingyue could stay here without worry.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Ling Zhenli entered the main hall surrounded by palace maids. She wore a high-waisted crimson skirt, paired with a short blouse and a green silk shawl, which made her look noble and proud.
Xie Daojian followed behind her, dressed in a brocade robe; the two looked quite well-matched.
"So my cousin came here to slack off. It's been so hard for me to find him."
Ling Zhenli noticed that Pei Shang'er's smiling gaze towards Xie Daojian was now devoid of its usual sharpness, replaced entirely by gentleness.
"I came to visit the Crown Princess on behalf of the Crown Prince, but I didn't expect you to come here to slack off with your husband as well." Xie Daojian smiled at her.
“Cousin, don’t talk nonsense. We’re here to visit the Crown Princess. We haven’t properly thanked her for saving the Prince Consort that day. If the Crown Princess is missing anything at the Holy Light Temple that she can’t tell anyone, she can come to me and Chengxiu. We’ll definitely take care of it for her.”
Pei Shang'er's gaze softened as she looked at Ling Zhenli. It was the first time Ling Zhenli had seen Pei Shang'er's harmless appearance, and she was quite cute. No wonder Yang Chengxiu liked her. She was a beautiful woman who looked like a little fox. If she acted coquettishly, who wouldn't genuinely love her?
"Thank you, Princess. I am doing well here."
"It is a temple after all, not as comfortable as the Eastern Palace or the Prime Minister's residence. Although I don't know what conflict you had with the Crown Prince, with your father and brother there, the Crown Prince won't let you stay in Shengguang Temple forever."
Pei Chang'er said this to comfort Ling Zhenli, but judging from Ling Zhenli's appearance, she didn't seem to want to return to the East Palace.
“Who cares about him?” Ling Zhenli smiled, seemingly unwilling to mention Pei Xuanlin.
Yang Chengxiu was immediately puzzled. Ling Zhenli shouldn't have said such a thing. Wasn't her public image always that of a gentle and virtuous young lady and an elegant and dignified Crown Princess?
Why aren't they performing today?
Looking further back, Xie Daojian was looking down at the Crown Princess with a doting expression. From the moment he entered until now, his eyes seemed to be glued to the Crown Princess, never looking away.
Ling Zhenli had just realized that her collar had loosened by an inch, and the red marks below her collarbone were faintly visible. She quickly pretended to be nonchalant and tightened it up.
Pei Shang'er naturally didn't notice Ling Zhenli's little actions, but they didn't escape Yang Chengxiu's eyes.
So this Crown Princess, whom the Prime Minister found to substitute for him, not only dared to speak rudely in front of so many people, but also dared to cheat on him! ?!
That's incredibly bold!
It seems the Prime Minister really dislikes Pei Xuanlin and has tried every means to torment him. He even sent him such a good wife, so this woman must have given Pei Xuanlin plenty of trouble in the Eastern Palace.
"Crown Princess, you..." Yang Chengxiu smiled quite contentedly, his gaze towards Ling Zhenli becoming expectant.
Ling Zhenli noticed Yang Chengxiu acting strangely. She knew this man was very intelligent and insightful, and she became somewhat nervous.
"Does the Prince Consort have something to say to me?" Ling Zhenli was sweating slightly, whether from the heat or nervousness, she couldn't tell.
"Yes, Your Highness, would you mind stepping outside the palace? It will only take a moment." Yang Chengxiu bowed politely.
“Then come with me,” Ling Zhenli said calmly.
Not knowing what Yang Chengxiu was going to say, she didn't dare let him say it in front of so many people. Taking him out to talk was the best option.
Once outside the palace, Ling Zhenli felt the night breeze and her mind gradually calmed down.
"Does the Prince Consort have anything to say?" Ling Zhenli asked, maintaining a haughty demeanor.
“It’s just the two of us, no need to act anymore. I saw the hickey on your collarbone. You’re really bold, Your Highness. You actually had an affair with Young Master Xie. He’s the Emperor’s nephew, the future head of the Three Departments and Six Ministries. How dare you?”
Yang Chengxiu couldn't help but laugh as he spoke. He was shocked that the woman in front of him was so bold as to dare to cuckold the crown prince and future emperor.
"You can't talk nonsense, it was the Crown Prince's carelessness..." Ling Zhenli was both angry and anxious, afraid that Yang Chengxiu would tell others, so she hurriedly tried to explain.
"You've got to be serious. The Crown Prince hasn't seen you for days, and you two haven't even exchanged a single word. How can you share a bed? Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret for you. I haven't even told my precious Chang'er about your identity." Yang Chengxiu winked at her.
"Phew..." Ling Zhenli breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good."
Yang Chengxiu's eyes darted around, and he thought of a way to protect Pei Shang'er. He wanted to exchange keeping the Crown Princess's secret for her protection of Pei Shang'er and Pei Cong after his death. He just didn't know... whether this woman would go back on her word.
"Your Highness, I need your help with something."
"What? Tell me."
Ling Zhenli instantly guessed that Yang Chengxiu was going to use the secret to threaten her into doing things for him. As long as it was within her power, she would do it for Yang Chengxiu in order to protect the secret.
She did it not for any other reason than to protect her current status and position. If she were to be exposed now and the Prime Minister's Mansion abandoned her, she would be finished.
She absolutely cannot reveal anything now. She has no child to rely on, and Pei Xuanlin is currently treating her coldly. If he really doesn't like her anymore, he could use these rumors to quietly kill her.
Yang Chengxiu lowered her eyes, a half-smile on her face: "The Yang family's entry into the capital is a conspiracy. Although I don't know if you know about it, the Yang family can't escape it this time. Pei Xuanlin doesn't really have a grudge against you. He loves you very much. I think the reason he put you here is to protect your safety. You don't need to worry about your status. On the contrary, I have to worry about my wife and children."
Ling Zhenli remained wary of Yang Chengxiu, saying, "Are you worried about Princess Jin'an and the Duke of Pei? Princess Jin'an is the only daughter of the Emperor and Empress, and the Duke of Pei is her only son with you. The safety of the mother and son is guaranteed by the Imperial Guards."
“No.” Yang Chengxiu raised his head and looked at Ling Zhenli seriously. “Their safety needs your protection.”
“Me?” Ling Zhenli frowned, clearly not understanding what he meant.
“Yes, Your Highness, Your Highness.” Yang Chengxiu said earnestly, “I know that Chang’er has repeatedly tried to become the Crown Princess, which has displeased the Crown Prince. I also know that Chang’er has no ability to govern the country. She is still like a child, ignorant and naive. She only knows the benefits that come with honor and status, but not the responsibilities that come with it. The Yang family is about to be destroyed. I know that I will be punished along with her. At worst, I will die. I am not afraid. I am only afraid that my Chang’er’s life will be in danger. If I am gone, I am afraid that Pei Xuanlin will secretly harm her…”
“Pei Xuanlin would not harm her,” Ling Zhenli said coldly, her eyes fixed firmly on Yang Chengxiu, leaving no room for doubt.
These words sounded like they were praising Pei Xuanlin, or like they were making a guarantee for him.
"I want Pei Shang'er and our child to live well. As long as they live well, I'm not threatening you, I'm begging you. I beg you to take care of them after I die, and comfort Shang'er. She will be heartbroken. You must tell her to think more about the child. Our child is still young, and she absolutely cannot commit suicide. If Pei Xuanlin wants to kill her, please dissuade him. I beg you."
Ling Zhenli felt a little anxious and pressured as she listened to Yang Chengxiu's words. Her relationship with Pei Shang'er was not good, and she didn't care whether Pei Shang'er lived or died.
But if she didn't do as Yang Chengxiu said, she was afraid he would reveal her secret, and then she would die along with him.
Ling Zhenli pursed her lips slightly, her expression a mixture of reproach and resentment. Her jade fingers twisted her handkerchief as she awkwardly said, "You are the imperial consort of the current dynasty. Pei Chang'er loves you so much. She is the lifeblood of the emperor and empress. You are her lifeblood. Who in this world dares to take your life?"
Yang Chengxiu smiled bitterly, yet had no choice but to tell her the cruel truth: "Your husband, Pei Xuanlin."
After listening, Ling Zhenli frowned slightly, her eyes filled with anger: "You said that my husband wanted to kill you and even wanted to kill Princess Jin'an and Duke Pei. This is just baseless speculation. I, the Prince Consort, dare not speak such nonsense."
"Now that things have come to this, stop pretending to be stupid with me. You have the interests of the Xue family behind you, not the Crown Prince. You're defending Pei Xuanlin and deliberately saying these things to me. Do you think I'm stupid because I can't see the situation clearly?" Yang Chengxiu was getting impatient when she saw that she was reluctant to agree.
As Ling Zhenli listened to Yang Chengxiu's accusations, she lowered her eyes. In the shadow of her drooping eyelashes, there was a half-inch of unmelted frost. She was still hesitating.
After a long silence, Ling Zhenli relented: "If Pei Xuanlin wants to kill Pei Shang'er, I can try to stop him, but I won't risk my life to protect her and your two sons."
Thank you.
Yang Chengxiu felt somewhat relieved after receiving Ling Zhenli's assurance.
"Why are you asking me for help?" Ling Zhenli said coldly. "You know I can only make verbal promises. If you really die, wouldn't it be easy for me to go back on my word after you're gone?"
“It’s just a small favor for you. You’re not afraid of offending Pei Xuanlin at all, and this won’t make you offend Pei Xuanlin either,” Yang Chengxiu said calmly.
"How do you know that I am not afraid of offending the Crown Prince? Although he is my husband, he is also the heir apparent. There is still a distinction between ruler and subject between us."
Ling Zhenli stared intently at Yang Chengxiu, wanting to hear what other tricks he had up his sleeve.
Yang Chengxiu scoffed, "I already told you there's no need to pretend with me. You're the daughter of the Prime Minister now, backed by a powerful family. Besides, you have the imperial edicts of Emperor Gaozong and Emperor Shizong protecting you. Whoever marries you will become emperor. What do you have to be afraid of?"
"That's true, but unfortunately, a new emperor brings a new court. Things are different now. If Pei Xuanlin wants to depose me after he ascends the throne, I'm afraid he won't be able to stop me. I have to take care of myself first."
Ling Zhenli raised the corners of her eyes slightly, her gaze cold and stubborn. She knew in her heart that relying on a man's favor would only lead to her downfall; nothing was as useful as having power in her own hands.
"You're quite clever. It's not entirely useless for you to get along well with Chang'er. His Majesty and the Empress dote on Chang'er, so they'll definitely leave her plenty in the future."
"I've already agreed."
Ling Zhenli smiled. She knew perfectly well that Yang Chengxiu was about to die, so it was not unreasonable to grant his last wish now.
***
Not long after Cui Haoxu and Lu Xin returned to the banquet, things began to change. The atmosphere in the room became strange, and the Yang family also noticed something was amiss.
A sharp whistle pierced the night sky.
Immediately following was a sharp shout: "Assassins! Protect His Majesty!"
In an instant, more than ten men in black rushed in from outside the hall and headed straight for Pei Xuanlin.
Chaos erupted inside the hall as the women screamed and scattered in all directions.
Pei Xuanlin's guards quickly formed a circle around him, protecting him in the center. Pei Xuanlin was prepared and remained calmly seated.
Strangely, those men in black, despite their fierce appearance, did not actually harm anyone; they merely created chaos within the hall.
"Take them down," Pei Xuanlin said calmly, without even lifting his eyelids.
The guards rushed forward and quickly subdued the man in black.
One of the men in black suddenly shouted, "Lord Yang, save us! We are acting on your orders!"
The hall fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes turned to the Yang family.
Yang Xiande's expression changed drastically: "Nonsense! I don't know you at all!"
Pei Xuanlin sneered, stood up, walked down from the platform, waved his hand, and signaled the guards to search him. Soon, they found a token on a man in black.
"Is this your Yang family's token?"
Pei Lian, seated on the throne, glared angrily and said, "The evidence is overwhelming, yet you still dare to argue."
Yang Xiande gasped.
The token was indeed from the Yang family, but it was definitely not used to mobilize assassins; it was just an ordinary pass for going out.
This is clearly a frame-up!
"Your Majesty, please see the truth! Your Highness, please see the truth!" Yang Xiande knelt on the ground. "This must be a frame-up! This old minister is loyal to Your Majesty and has never had any disloyal intentions!"
Pei Xuanlin sneered, ignoring him completely, and turned to the other ministers: "As you all have seen, the Yang family colluded with assassins, intending to assassinate Your Majesty and me. Their crime of treason is irrefutable!"
"Nonsense!" Yang Jiming stood protectively in front of his father. "This is clearly a frame-up! My Yang family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, how could we possibly rebel?"
Yang Huiqiao quickly rushed over, afraid that Pei Xuanlin would dislike her: "Your Highness, please investigate thoroughly. There must be some misunderstanding."
A cruel glint of pleasure flashed in Pei Xuanlin's eyes: "Men, seize the Yang family members! If they resist, kill them without mercy!"
Before he finished speaking, the palace doors suddenly closed, and hundreds of fully armed imperial guards poured out from all directions, surrounding the palace.
Yang Xiande then realized that all of this was arranged by the Crown Prince, and those "assassins" were actually Pei Xuanlin's men!
The next second, Yang Xiande burst into tears: "Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, please see the truth! This old minister is willing to stake his life on the Yang family's innocence!"
Pei Xuanlin sneered, completely ignoring his pleas.
Back then, his mother was even more humble than him, begging them to return her poor son to her. But the Yang family continued to humiliate her, mocking her for being a prisoner and a military prostitute, saying she was unworthy to give birth to a prince and unworthy to be the prince's mother. In the end, they even killed her.
If he pities Yang Xiande, who will pity his deceased mother?
Emperor Pei Lian had long known of Pei Xuanlin's scheme. The Yang family had always been a thorn in the side of the Pei family, and he wished he could get rid of them as soon as possible. So even though he knew that Pei Xuanlin was settling a personal score, he did not get involved.
Just then, Yang Huiqiao suddenly knelt on the ground, crying with tears streaming down her face: "Your Highness, I beg you, the Yang family is loyal and willing to follow your lead, please investigate this matter thoroughly."
That's interesting. What's the point of a thorough investigation? If they did, they'd end up investigating him himself.
"Release the arrows."
At Pei Xuanlin's command, arrows rained down.
The main hall instantly turned into a battlefield.
Yang Xiande was hacked to death, and his son and daughter died from dozens of arrow wounds.
All of the dozen or so members of the Yang family who accompanied them perished; their blood stained the entire floor of the main hall.
Pei Xuanlin stood in the pool of blood, his face cold: "The Yang family has committed treason, and the evidence is conclusive. Issue my order: immediately dispatch troops to surround the Yang residence and execute the entire family! Anyone in the palace who has any connection with the Yang family shall be put to death!"
That night, the Yang family mansion in the capital was besieged, and all three hundred members, regardless of age, were killed.
Blood flowed from the mansion, staining the entire street red.
All of this was merely the beginning of a power struggle.
*
Upon hearing of the sudden upheaval in the palace, with Crown Prince Pei Xuanlin intending to kill the entire Yang family, Pei Shang'er, who was far away at Shengguang Temple, panicked and, disregarding everything else, took Yang Chengxiu and headed back to the Princess's residence.
Yang Chengxiu watched her anxious and flustered appearance with tenderness and affection. In the carriage, he gently comforted Pei Shang'er.
"Shang'er, what's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry? Look at you, you're all sweaty. It's easy to catch a cold in autumn. Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
Pei Shang'er looked worried and anxious for him: "Why aren't you worried? Do you know what happened? Pei Xuanlin killed the eunuch! He also ordered the killing of everyone with the surname Yang. Aren't you afraid?!"
Yang Chengxiu continued to smile, as if nothing had anything to do with him: "Shang'er, alright, alright, calm down. This is too exaggerated. There are so many people with the surname Yang in the world. He couldn't kill them all. You're too tense. Relax."
"He's going to kill you! Pei Xuanlin is going to kill you!"
Pei Shang'er was so panicked that she lost her composure. Her face turned deathly pale, and her eyes, as clear as autumn water, darted around in a flustered manner. Her hands trembled uncontrollably with tension.
"No one can take you away from me, no one can... Coachman! Hurry! Faster! Get the horses moving, get back to the manor quickly! Be fast!"
Even though the driver sped up after the order was given, Pei Chang'er's heart was still pounding wildly, and her hands were twisting the silk handkerchief so tightly that her knuckles turned blue.
Yang Chengxiu couldn't bear to see her so upset, and tried her best to hold back her tears and emotions: "Shang'er, don't be afraid, your father and mother are here. Don't be like this, look how your hands are shaking."
The hairpin in her hair swayed gently with Pei Shang'er's rapid breathing, and a few stray strands of her black hair clung to her forehead, which was beaded with sweat.
"Phew... Yes, and Father and Mother too." Pei Chang'er forced herself to calm down; she couldn't afford to be careless at this crucial moment.
Pei Shang'er lifted the carriage curtain and shouted outside, "To the palace! Hurry up, we're going to the palace!"
Shengguang Temple was not far from the palace and the princess's residence, and they arrived at the palace quickly. Pei Shang'er was afraid that the guards would arrest Yang Chengxiu as soon as they saw him, so she made Yang Chengxiu stay in the carriage and not allow him to get off.
When Pei Shang'er arrived at the palace gate, she found it tightly closed. Even though the guards at the gate saw that the person in question was Princess Jin'an, they refused to let her through.
"How dare you! Don't you all recognize me? How dare you refuse to open the palace gates for this princess?"
Pei Shang'er was extremely anxious. She desperately needed to see her father and mother, because only they could save Yang Chengxiu's life from Pei Xuanlin's clutches.
Despite Pei Shang'er's urgent words, the guards remained unmoved.
"Your Highness, please don't make things difficult for us. We are just following orders."
Pei Shang'er retorted angrily, "Whose orders are you acting on? Pei Xuanlin's orders? Don't forget that this empire belongs to my father, the Emperor!"
“Your Highness, it is His Majesty’s order that the palace gates must not be opened tonight, no matter who knocks.” The guard’s words were firm and left no room for argument.
Immediately, Pei Shang'er staggered backward, her embroidered shoes accidentally stepping on the hem of her skirt, almost causing her to fall. However, she still tried to remain calm and turned her face away, but her slightly trembling lips had already betrayed the panic in her heart.
It was the Emperor's order...
It's over, it's Father's order...
The Emperor knew that Yang Chengxiu also shared the surname Yang, knew that something would happen to Yang Chengxiu tonight, and knew that she would definitely knock on the palace gates at night, yet he still issued an edict forbidding the opening of the palace gates for her.
That proves that all of this was not solely Pei Xuanlin's doing; the Emperor's tacit approval was also involved.
It's over, it's all over.
Her dearest, most respected, and most longed-for father actually wanted her beloved man dead.
Pei Shang'er's world collapsed. She felt dizzy and overwhelmed by the shock, but she had to hold back. She couldn't faint, otherwise when she woke up again, Yang Chengxiu would no longer exist.
Why treat the man she loves most like this? Why?!
Damn it, damn it.
They all deserve to die.
Seeing that knocking on the door was fruitless, Pei Shang'er could only quickly return to the carriage and order them to return to the manor.
Her heart had never been so flustered, never.
Inside the carriage, Yang Chengxiu held Pei Shang'er's hand tightly, his eyes filled with infatuation and reluctance. Every glance he took at Pei Shang'er now was a precious moment, and on the road to the underworld, he only hoped that he would not forget her face.
Pei Shang'er had never been so panicked when Yang Mingkong ordered her to be executed. She had only panicked when Pei Cong was on the verge of death, fearing that she would never see Yang Chengxiu again after she died.
But Pei Shang'er would rather be the one to die than Yang Chengxiu. She would rather die in his place.
Upon arriving at the princess's residence, Pei Chang'er's eyes were vacant as she walked straight ahead. When she reached the main hall, she pushed open the door and Yang Chengxiu followed her inside, leaving the door wide open without paying any attention to her.
"Shang'er".
His gentle and clear voice was unique to Yang Chengxiu, and he always soothed Pei Shang'er's heart like a spring breeze, allowing her to calm down.
"I know, I know, don't be too nervous. Hey, hey, don't cry. Hmm... My Chang'er is so beautiful even when she cries, but she's even more beautiful when she smiles. But since she's beautiful anyway, feel free to cry if you want to. Remember to smile more in the future. When you've cried enough, remember to smile at me, okay? I want to remember your smile the last thing I'll ever see."
The way she smiled...
Pei Shang'er's mind went blank for a moment. She leaned quietly against the main seat, her face as pale as snow. Her eyes, which used to be full of life, now stared blankly into the distance, as if looking through the autumn colors of the garden at some unreachable other shore.
The faint voices of guards drifted from afar, making her appear like a jade statue that had lost its soul, her breath so light that it seemed she might dissipate in the passing wind at any moment.
Yang Chengxiu calmly faced everything that was about to happen. Fate was so unpredictable; his happiness was about to end.
"Go and bring Cong'er over here," Yang Chengxiu said to the maid with a smile.
"Yes... the prince consort."
The maids were also worried about the prince consort. Everyone in the princess's residence knew that the prince consort was a good person, and there was no man in the world as good as him. When they learned about the incident in the palace, they were all worried for the prince consort.
Pei Shang'er stopped talking and gradually regained her composure. She just looked at Yang Chengxiu, hoping to see him one more time, just one more time. She couldn't forget his face.
When Pei Cong was brought over, he was awake. He looked just like Yang Chengxiu—well-behaved, sensible, obedient, and never caused trouble. He stared at his father and mother with his big, round eyes.
Yang Chengxiu gently pulled Pei Cong into her arms, carefully cradling the child's tender head with her large hand.
Looking at the child in his arms, who resembled both himself and his beloved woman, Yang Chengxiu grew more and more fond of him. He lowered his head and gently rubbed the child's rosy cheeks, his brows filled with tenderness.
The baby curled up against his broad chest, his little fists clenching his father's clothes. Listening to his father's steady heartbeat and looking at his mother's gentle face, he smiled happily.
"Look how adorable Cong'er is, how can you bear to leave him?" Pei Shang'er slowly leaned against Yang Chengxiu's shoulder, hoping to persuade him not to give up on her so easily.
Unfortunately, Yang Chengxiu knew that he could only hide for a day, not the next. As long as he lived, Pei Xuanlin would find a way to kill him. Moreover, it was obvious that this was authorized by His Majesty. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for Pei Xuanlin to arrange this whole scheme so perfectly and smoothly by himself. He had been the Crown Prince himself and knew that it was impossible for the Crown Prince to pull such a big trick at the palace banquet with his power alone.
Besides, if His Majesty does not wish to exterminate the Yang family, he can simply clear their name.
From the moment he saw that the Emperor's knocking on the palace gates at night had gone unanswered and that even Pei Chang'er was nowhere to be found, Yang Chengxiu knew that the Emperor did not want him to continue living.
That's fine, that's fine too.
There are plenty of good men in the world. Pei Shang'er can marry someone else after losing him. Maybe that man will also love Pei Shang'er dearly and treat Pei Cong as his own son, just like Princess Wuyang's husband, Xiao Huanzheng, who is virtuous, generous, and without jealousy or envy.
But what if? What if her new man treats her badly? What if he secretly bullies Pei Cong while she's away? His poor little son has only been born for such a short time, and he'll have to be separated from his father by death. His precious Pei Shang'er has only just come of age and married him, and she'll soon be a widow...
It's late autumn, and winter is just around the corner. How will his poor lover get through this?
“Chengxiu.” Pei Chang’er lowered her eyes and smiled gently, her eyes rippling like spring water. “Let’s give our Cong’er a courtesy name.”
"Let's call Yangliu Pei."
Yang is Yang Chengxiu's surname. The saying "a willow planted unintentionally will grow into a shady tree" means that Yang Chengxiu hoped that this child could be like the willow tree in the saying, able to survive and grow into an adult even if no one cares about or protects him in the future.
"Great! It's a good word. I like it. Our little willow will surely grow up safely and happily."
The family of three was enjoying their last moments of tenderness when, unfortunately, fate intervened. Although the guards did not want to disturb them, they still had to report the incident.
"Your Highness, Princess Wuyang is outside the gate with a troop of imperial guards, saying they're here to arrest the prince consort... Princess, what do you think..."
Upon hearing this, Pei Shang'er's originally gentle features instantly turned sharp, her eyes widened, and even the beauty mark at the corner of her eye trembled.
The original warmth and happiness were destroyed in an instant, vanished in the blink of an eye. Pei Shang'er's anger surged, her chest heaved violently, and even the collar of her pale yellow dress trembled slightly.
"Shang'er, Shang'er, don't be angry."
Seeing Pei Shang'er angry, Yang Chengxiu felt sorry for her and quickly handed the baby in his arms to the maid, asking her to take the child away first, as things might get tense and he was afraid of scaring the child.
"What is Wu Yang? Pass down the word: give every soldier in the palace a weapon, and give every servant and maid in the princess's residence a sword. I don't believe Wu Yang will bring the Imperial Guards? I'll make sure she doesn't leave alive."
Pei Shang'er's eyes flashed with a cold light. She clenched her fists, her knuckles turned white, and her nails dug deeply into her palms.
Soon, another soldier entered, this time in a hurry, without even having time to perform the proper greetings.
"Report! Report! General Fang has ordered that if the traitor is not handed over within an hour, he will attack the mansion!"
I'd like to see him dare!
Pei Shang'er suddenly stood up, her sleeves fluttering, grabbed the long sword on the table, her eyes burning with anger, and stormed out.
Seeing that things were going badly, Yang Chengxiu quickly chased after him to stop him.
"Shang'er, Shang'er, what are you doing? Put down the sword, listen to me, be obedient..."
Pei Shang'er violently flung his hand away, losing her temper and continuing to walk out: "No! No one can take you away from me, not even the Jade Emperor. This mere Wu Yang, I think she's courting death!"
The next moment, Pei Shang'er drew her sword, accompanied by a piercing dragon's roar, the sword's edge casting a cold, eerie light on her face in the candlelight.
At this moment, she exuded a murderous aura, and even the bluestone slabs that her skirt brushed against seemed to be covered with a thin layer of frost.
Yang Chengxiu still did not give up on stopping Pei Shang'er.
"Shang'er! Calm down. From the moment Father Emperor disappeared from our sight tonight, I knew in my heart that I was doomed. You can't save me."
Pei Shang'er couldn't listen to anything at all; she was filled with rage, which Yang Chengxiu couldn't control at all.
"Light all the torches! Go tell that guy surnamed Fang that attacking the princess's residence is tantamount to treason. If he doesn't want to live, then let him come at me. Let them use whatever tricks they want. I'll take them all to their graves today!"
Yang Chengxiu grabbed Pei Shang'er's sword-wielding hand tightly and shook his head desperately.
"Shang'er, you can't do anything foolish. You are a princess of the dynasty. You can't let a man cloud your judgment. Do you understand?"
"No!"
Seeing Yang Chengxiu's appearance, Pei Shang'er couldn't help but bite her lip and turn her head away, her eyes reddening and tears trembling on her eyelashes, refusing to fall.
"You're always so understanding and considerate, always putting the bigger picture first. Have you ever thought about what I'll do without you? I can't live without you, Seung-soo!"
Pei Shang'er screamed the last sentence, her voice filled with intense anger and grievance. At this moment, all her pent-up resentment and unwillingness were released.
"Why...why did you choose to die...Wouldn't it be better to stay by my side? Everyone with the surname Yang is being killed...Why don't you change your surname to Wei, like your mother? Or take my surname, Pei, and I'll take the surname Yang...We'll still be husband and wife...We'll always be husband and wife, forever together..."
Overwhelmed with grief and agitation, Pei Shang'er was somewhat delirious. Holding her sword, she was incoherent and her words were incoherent. But even though her words were unclear, Yang Chengxiu could still understand that every word was a plea for him to live and stay with her.
"I beg you, I beg you, don't give up, I beg you, Chengxiu, live on. I can't live without you, the child can't live without a father. You saw how miserable I grew up, you don't want our Cong'er to be like me. He's so young, he can't live without a father..."
Yang Chengxiu watched as his beloved woman's tears fell like broken pearls, large drops landing on her clothes. She sobbed, and a few strands of her hair clung to her tear-streaked face. His heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
If he insists on not dying, he will be tortured to the point of wishing he were dead.
But what could be more important than seeing Pei Shang'er's smiling face?
It's nothing more than endurance, simple.
"Shang'er, I will do my best. I will wait for you to save me."
Yang Chengxiu stopped trying to dissuade Pei Shang'er from accepting her impending death. Instead, he promised her that he would try his best to see if he could pull through.
Pei Shang'er was moved to tears. She hurriedly wiped away her tears and cried with joy: "Really, really, that's wonderful, Chengxiu, you won't die. I will definitely keep you alive. You have to believe me."
"Of course, how could I not believe you?"
Yang Chengxiu tilted his head and saw Pei Shang'er's smiling face. His anxiety could be put down for the time being.
At that very moment, a rammed car burst through the gates of the princess's residence, forcing the two people who were tightly embracing each other to once again interrupt their tender moment.
Pei Shen'ai, who was in charge, looked at the scene, sneered, and gave the order: "Take down the traitor Yang Chengxiu."
Pei Shang'er suddenly raised her eyes, her gaze sharp and cold.
Soon, the Imperial Guards surrounded her. Pei Chang'er pushed Yang Chengxiu behind her, and the guards immediately stepped forward to surround her to prevent the Imperial Guards from harming her.
"How dare you! Wu Yang, you dare to trespass on my residence! You're courting death!" Pei Chang'er drew her sword, pointing it at Pei Shen'ai.
Four or five imperial guards immediately surrounded Pei Shen'ai to protect her, but Pei Shen'ai waved her hand, telling them to step back.
When Pei Shang'er arrested Yang Chongzheng, she didn't give her any face at all. Now, it's Pei Shen'ai's turn to take revenge.
"The Yang family has raised an army in rebellion, and they are rebelling against your father's throne. Jin'an, you are protecting Yang Chengxiu, but be careful you don't choose the wrong path!" Pei Shen'ai warned angrily, with a hint of sarcasm in her eyes.
Pei Chang'er bit her lip tightly, her pearly teeth grinding together as she tried to suppress her anger. She held the sword in both hands, knelt down and bowed: "In the name of the current princess, I request that Imperial Aunt Wuyang pardon the consort Yang Chengxiu."
Pei Shen'ai looked coldly at Pei Shang'er, who seemed to be begging for mercy, her face devoid of any pity: "Pardon? Jin'an, you think too highly of me. This is not an order I gave. It was your father who ordered the arrest of Yang Chengxiu. If you have the ability, go to the palace and beg your father to pardon the prince consort."
After saying that, Pei Shen'ai didn't forget to sneer, "What are you standing there for? Take him away!"
The imperial guards stepped forward.
"Let's see who dares!"
Just as the Imperial Guards were closing in, Pei Chang'er suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with a terrifying cold light.
"Whoosh!"
Her skirt billowed like waves of blood, and Pei Shang'er suddenly sprang up, her long sword transforming into a streak of silver light.
The dull thud of the sword tip piercing flesh was drowned out by the sound of bones shattering. Before the man could even show a look of astonishment, he was killed by her sword.
The moment the sword pierced her chest, scalding blood splattered onto her body, instantly staining her pale yellow dress with crimson.
Pei Shen'ai's face turned deathly pale instantly, she was shocked. She never expected that Pei Shang'er, who usually looked thin and weak and only knew how to dress up in a flamboyant way, would actually dare to kill someone, and actually be able to kill someone.
Pei Shang'er's swordsmanship was as fierce as a sudden rainstorm and a swift wind. At the beginning, it seemed as delicate as a willow swaying in the wind, but in an instant, it turned into a deadly cold light.
She had to admit that she had underestimated Pei Shang'er.
"You...you..."
Pei Shen'ai was both angry and afraid. She wanted to step forward and accuse Pei Shang'er of daring to kill a member of the Imperial Guard in public, but she was also afraid that Pei Shang'er would kill her with a single sword stroke in her anger.
"Let's see who dares to take the prince consort away now!"
Pei Shang'er narrowed her phoenix eyes, a sharp arc curving at the corners, staring intently at Pei Shen'ai, her murderous intent impossible to conceal.
Just as Pei Shen'ai was at a loss and the situation reached a stalemate, the imperial guards at the gate began to kneel down.
The crowd remained deadlocked until they noticed a commotion at the door. The eunuch had already run in ahead of everyone to announce their arrival.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
