Chapter 43 "Sanlang, I don't like him."...
Before it was fully light, Pei Xuanlin carried Ling Zhenli's beloved cat onto the carriage, hoping she would forgive him this time for the sake of the furry little creature.
Wait a minute? He didn't do anything wrong, so why is he begging for her forgiveness?
Forget it, Xue Yingyue is the kind of person who will never bow her head and apologize.
In this family, whether something is right or wrong, someone always has to back down first; life has to go on.
And so, Pei Xuanlin kept coaxing himself along the way, and finally managed to calm himself down.
Upon entering the Buddhist hall of Shengguang Temple, Pei Xuanlin saw his wife chatting and laughing with Xie Daojian, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel who had been sent to visit her. The two seemed to have a harmonious and intimate relationship.
Xue Yingyue, who had been chatting and laughing with others, turned her head and saw Pei Xuanlin arrive. Her face immediately turned cold, and she put her hands together, pretending that she had something to do.
Pei Xuanlin sighed inwardly, thinking, "What a temper."
Seeing that she was all smiles and chatting one second and then completely changed the next, Xie Daojian couldn't help but feel puzzled.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Ling Zhenli said expressionlessly, "Pei Xuanlin is here."
"You don't want to see him?"
Ling Zhenli closed her eyes briefly: "It's not that, it's just..."
Before he could finish speaking, Pei Xuanlin's voice came from behind him.
"Ah Li, I've come to take you home."
His voice, like silk soaked in moonlight, gently brushed past my ear, causing ripples in the air.
After several days apart, Pei Xuanlin seemed to have forgotten the real reason why she had hurriedly left the East Palace to enter the Holy Light Temple. Otherwise, why would he have come back to personally pick her up?
It's better to forget. Why live life so clearly? Wouldn't it be better to live it in a daze?
"Saburo."
Ling Zhenli still felt a little awkward. She knew she was the one in the wrong, but her nature was such that she wouldn't reflect on her own actions and would only blame others. Even so, Pei Xuanlin still chose to compromise and indulge her. So what about her...?
Pei Xuanlin approached, revealing the cat he was holding in his arms: "Have you missed me? How are you doing here? I heard from the palace maids that you have a good appetite."
"There aren't many rules at Shengguang Temple, so I can adapt. The food is good and the accommodations are decent. And... I miss you very much."
"Then let's go back to the East Palace. I've asked someone to prepare your favorite lychee and pork heart congee for breakfast. Things are almost settled, and we'll never be apart again."
After Pei Xuanlin finished speaking, he gave Ling Zhenli a weak smile. He loved her, so he compromised, giving in to her with a mixture of pampering and helplessness.
He knew that doing this would only spoil her, but as long as she was happy...
A strange sense of grievance welled up in Ling Zhenli's heart, and her nose tingled and her eyes began to sting. Pei Xuanlin knew that she liked this cat the most, so he must have specially brought it to comfort her. It was clearly her fault, but Pei Xuanlin still took the initiative to give her a way out.
She really felt so sorry for Pei Xuanlin.
"Alright, Sanlang, let's go back to the East Palace."
*
Everything in the East Palace remained the same. Pei Xuanlin held Ling Zhenli's hand as they strolled in the backyard, neither of them speaking first.
From the moment he boarded the carriage until now, he hasn't said anything except for a couple of necessary sentences.
The silence was suffocating, and Ling Zhenli couldn't bear the indifference, but she didn't know how to start a conversation.
She believed that God had sensed her predicament, and Pei Xuanlin had taken the initiative to speak up.
Are you still angry with me because of what happened a few days ago?
As soon as he finished speaking, the two of them stopped in their tracks.
Ling Zhenli froze abruptly, her lips parted slightly but she couldn't utter a single word, staring at Pei Xuanlin in astonishment.
Upon seeing this, Pei Xuanlin's brows furrowed, and he chuckled softly, "Ah Li, next time you dream of me, it has to be me, only me, okay?"
“Sanlang…I…”
Ling Zhenli was about to say something to Pei Xuanlin, telling him not to underestimate himself, when Pei Xuanlin pressed his lips against hers.
"Shh, just promise me. I know Xiao Chongheng is handsome and has a beautiful appearance. You are a woman, so it's normal for you to be attracted to his looks. But I hope my wife can be confused for a moment, and that her heart will always be with me."
"Sanlang, I don't like him."
Ling Zhenli looked up at Pei Xuanlin, her eyes clear as melting snow, her eyelashes trembling slightly, as if revealing a sincere heart without reservation.
Seeing Ling Zhenli's sincerity, Pei Xuanlin could no longer bear to blame her.
"Alright, let's drop this matter and not mention it again. So please don't see Xiao Chongheng alone anymore, okay? I'm not trying to restrict your freedom. If you don't want me to see any woman alone, I can agree to that..."
"good."
Before Pei Xuanlin could finish speaking, Ling Zhenli readily agreed.
In her heart, Xiao Chongheng was far inferior to Pei Xuanlin.
“You’ve been at Shengguang Temple these past few days, and there are many things you don’t know. Last night, the Imperial Son-in-Law was arrested by Wu Yang and the Ministry of Justice. Jin An was furious and publicly exposed Wu Yang’s past affair with a monk. Wu Yang will definitely not let this go. The Empress took Jin An to see His Majesty, but His Majesty refused to see Jin An… Also, this morning, the matter of the Duke of Yan and Princess Roujia’s divorce went to court.”
All Ling Zhenli knew was that something happened in the palace last night, and Princess Jin'an hurriedly left with her husband. Ling Zhenli was unaware that her husband had been captured by Princess Wuyang.
There's also Xiao Chongheng.
He actually wants to divorce Pei Chanlian?
"The prince consort is a member of the Yang family, but he's also the son-in-law of the imperial family. Will he... will he die?"
Ling Zhenli asked the question with some nervousness, even trembling with anticipation. For both public and private reasons, she hoped that Yang Chengxiu would disappear from this world with her secret.
"He will surely die," Pei Xuanlin replied calmly.
Hearing the affirmative answer, Ling Zhenli finally breathed a sigh of relief. That's good. As long as Yang Chengxiu, the most uncontrollable person, is dead, not only will her secret not be exposed, but Pei Xuanlin's position will also be free of a powerful threat. The position of Empress will be hers for the taking.
Pei Xuanlin looked at her relaxed expression and couldn't help but wonder why Xue Yingyue was so happy to hear about Yang Chengxiu's death. Yang Chengxiu was her former fiancé, and her father, Xue Wenmian, had even served as Yang Chengxiu's tutor, sharing a teacher-student relationship with him. Besides, Yang Chengxiu was a good person who cared for the people and set an example by his own conduct. Based on his abilities, it wouldn't be an exaggeration for him to become emperor. For both public and private reasons, Xue Yingyue shouldn't be so happy, right?
"Why are you so happy to hear that the prince consort is doomed? Do you hate him?" Pei Xuanlin asked directly.
"ah……"
Ling Zhenli was taken aback by his question and was momentarily speechless, but she quickly realized what he meant.
"I'm happy for you, Sanlang. I know he has always been a threat to your throne. Plus, Princess Jin'an wants to become empress. With the consort gone, there are fewer threats to you. As long as things develop in your favor, I'm happy."
Upon hearing Ling Zhenli's answer and looking at her innocent yet cruel face, Pei Xuanlin shook his head and smiled helplessly: "Then don't you think I'm a heartless and ungrateful person?"
Ling Zhenli asked in confusion, "Heartless and ungrateful? What do you mean by that?"
"After my father died, when Emperor Xuan first ascended the throne, the government was entirely in the hands of Empress Dowager Yang Mingkong. I also faced the darkest moment of my life. I lost my protection and was imprisoned in the palace like a stray dog, someone anyone could kick. It was Yang Chengxiu who specifically found me and asked me to write down my experiences. He then handed them over to my father's trusted former subordinates, thus securing a way out for me... Now, despite the heartache, I will still stop at nothing to make him die."
A shadow fell over Pei Xuanlin's eyes, as if he had returned to his miserable childhood, when he was locked in a cold palace where not a ray of light could penetrate, and he could not even distinguish between day and night. It was Yang Chengxiu's arrival that brought light back to his world, and it was Yang Chengxiu who allowed him to see the light of day again.
Today, however, he repays kindness with enmity.
How could he possibly repay Yang Chengxiu for being so good to him in the past?
After hearing this, Ling Zhenli did not think that Pei Xuanlin had done anything wrong, and even thought that Pei Xuanlin did not need to blame himself so much.
"My Sanlang."
Ling Zhenli gently placed her soft hands on Pei Xuanlin's hands, tender yet strong, staring with innocent eyes as she spoke cruel words.
"Every man for himself, or the world will destroy him. When one is in a position of power, one cannot help but seek one's own benefit. Back then, his position as the crown prince was secure, and you alone were not enough to shake it. He saved you as if you were an ant, and you would be grateful for his kindness. If the world turned upside down in the future, you could spare his life out of old feelings, right? Just like now, didn't you feel pity? And what about you now? Is your position as secure as his back then? My poor silly Sanlang, he is using you. Don't let his small act of charity blind you, hmm?"
Ling Zhenli's seductive words lingered in his ears, and as Pei Xuanlin listened, his eyes gradually became hazy.
The woman in front of him seemed to make sense, but something felt off. She was the person he trusted most, the one he shared his bed with. How could she say such cruel things? Yet she looked so innocent and naive. Perhaps she didn't even realize how cruel her thoughts were.
Isn't that what makes her so adorable?
After a long while, Pei Xuanlin chuckled.
"Yes, my darling Ahri is right. I shouldn't have overthought it. Since I did it, it was the right thing to do."
***
The musty smell mixed with the stench of blood condensed into a thick fog deep within the prison, and the further Pei Chang'er went, the colder her heart became.
The jailer led the way, his torch flickering, illuminating her pale, paper-like face.
As her bamboo-green skirt, embroidered with lotus patterns, swept across the dark brown stains on the stone steps, Pei Chang'er's eyes became a stagnant pool. She slowed her pace and gestured for the maid to bring over the wine; she wanted to take another look.
"Your Highness," the palace maid said meekly, presenting the wine.
Pei Shang'er lowered her eyes to look at the wine pot, which was decorated with her favorite peony flower, just like herself, elegant and beautiful.
However, the wine inside was poisoned wine intended for emergencies; just one cup could kill a person in an instant.
"Alright, keep it straight."
Pei Shang'er looked back again and saw the palace maid holding the baby who was fast asleep in her dream. Her gaze finally softened a little.
Fine dust particles floated in the dim yellow light of the lantern.
"Your Highness, we've arrived." The jailer stopped, his voice low and hoarse.
As she drew closer, Pei Chang'er finally saw Yang Chengxiu.
He was a bloody mess, bound to a wooden frame, his bones pierced by iron hooks, his limbs locked in heavy shackles, and the filthy blood beneath him had congealed into a dark red patch.
Pei Chang'er's breathing suddenly froze.
Her lover, Yang Chengxiu, the once-famous grandson of the emperor, is now like a piece of jade that has been crushed, broken and shattered.
“Chengxiu…”
Pei Shang'er called out to him in a trembling voice, as if afraid of shattering this dream.
Yang Chengxiu stirred slightly and slowly raised her head.
His face was no longer recognizable as handsome; his left eye was swollen and bruised, and a bloody gash ran along the corner of his lip. But those eyes, those eyes that once gazed at her with a smile, were still as bright as stars.
"Shang'er..." His voice was hoarse beyond recognition, yet it still carried a hint of gentle laughter, "You've come... It's so embarrassing for you to see me like this... Will you despise me?"
Pei Shang'er stumbled and rushed to him, her fingers trembling as she wanted to touch him, yet dared not.
I tried to hold his hand, but his wrists were covered with deep marks left by torture instruments, his knuckles were twisted and deformed, and his fingernails had all been peeled off, revealing his bare white bones.
"How dare...how dare you torture you like this..." Pei Chang'er choked back tears, which rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the damp cell floor. "Wu Yang is really asking for trouble. She actually dared to abuse you with torture, even though...even though the Ministry of Justice said they hadn't even started the interrogation yet..."
Yang Chengxiu coughed softly, blood oozing from the corner of his lips. He moved his body with difficulty, the iron chains rattling like a dying dragon struggling.
"Shang'er, don't cry, I can't wipe your tears."
Yang Chengxiu gasped for breath, trying to raise his hand to wipe away her tears, but the chains bound him, and he could only manage a weak smile, his lips stained with blood, "I love you, Chang'er."
Pei Shang'er almost burst out laughing, but before she could finish, it turned into a sob: "What kind of time is this? You're still talking about love? Once I get you out of here, I'll listen to you say as many things as you want. Guards! Help the prince consort down! You still dare to tie him up!"
"Yes, Princess."
The jailer dared not offend Princess Jin'an, so he quickly untied Yang Chengxiu and gently helped her down.
If the princess gets angry, she really will kill someone. The emperor won't really punish the princess. They'll only be the ones who suffer. They only have a small monthly allowance. Who would really risk their life?
After being put down, Yang Chengxiu gazed at her quietly, his eyes gentle, as if he were not in hell at that moment.
"Shang'er, I'm not going to live," he whispered.
"No, I beg you, don't say such things, Seung-soo. You know I can't live without you."
Pei Chang'er trembled with fear, shaking her head violently, tears streaming down her face. "I'll go beg Father Emperor again! I'll go beg Mother Empress! You're innocent! The Yang family's rebellion has nothing to do with you, so why should you bear the blame for their mistakes!"
Yang Chengxiu gave a bitter smile and shook his head, saying, "Shang'er, you know that the crime of treason is punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. My surname is Yang, so no matter what... I cannot escape it."
“But you are my husband!” Pei Chang’er almost screamed. “You are the husband of the current princess, the imperial son-in-law, and a member of the imperial family. You are not a traitor, you are a member of the royal family. Believe me, I can save you. There is definitely hope.”
"Precisely because I am the prince consort, I am even less able to live."
Yang Chengxiu interrupted her, her voice calm to the point of cruelty, "His Majesty will not allow the son of a traitor to continue being the princess's husband and family member."
Pei Shang'er froze, her fingertips digging deeply into her palm.
She knew he was right.
She knew there was no hope when her father didn't see her last night.
That's why Pei Shang'er personally prepared a pot of poisoned wine; once the wine entered her throat, she died instantly.
Pei Shang'er's gaze turned cold. She would rather Yang Chengxiu die by her own hand than tolerate Yang Chengxiu living like a dog, reduced to the point of having to eke out a living under the thumb of a group of lowly people.
"Shang'er, I hope what awaits me is a cup of poisoned wine, or a white silk ribbon."
Seeing Pei Shang'er's taciturn demeanor, Yang Chengxiu knew that her plea to the emperor had failed, and she had already prepared things to send him on his way.
“It’s poisoned wine,” Pei Chang’er said quietly.
Yang Chengxiu smiled faintly: "That's wonderful, is it the Daughter Red wine that you brewed yourself, my favorite?"
For the first time, Pei Shang'er showed a look of helplessness and sorrow. After experiencing everything last night, she had matured a lot in an instant, and her smile was bitter.
"Yes, it's the Daughter Red wine that you and I buried together back then. There's not much left, but it's enough to drink today."
"Why did you bring Cong'er along? Don't scare him."
“My son has the appearance of a dragon and the bearing of a phoenix, and he has the air of an emperor, so he won’t be frightened.”
"I mean, don't let me scare him."
“He likes you so much, how could he be afraid of you? Quick, bring my little willow here and let his father see him. He’s very brave.”
Pei Yangliu, still an infant, had just woken up. He was still young and his mind was still a bit confused. Seeing his father Yang Chengxiu's injured appearance, he reached out his little hand to touch his father's face.
Pei Shang'er was overjoyed: "Look how cute he is!"
"It's a pity, I can't hug him anymore."
Yang Chengxiu smiled helplessly. His arms and hands were completely useless, and even a celestial being would probably have difficulty curing him.
As for his injuries, if left untreated, no matter how robust his constitution is, he will inevitably ulcerate and die from infection within seven days.
Looking at Yang Chengxiu, Pei Shang'er felt as if her heart was bleeding. The more blood she lost, the colder her heart became.
"You may all leave now. I need to be alone with the Prince Consort for a while."
"Yes, Princess."
After the palace maids and jailers left, Pei Shang'er lifted her skirt and knelt down on the damp and dirty straw mat without hesitation.
Her brocade robes were instantly soaked with the filth of the prison, but she seemed oblivious. She simply leaned forward and gently touched Yang Chengxiu's blood-stained cheek with her nail-painted fingertips.
The sleeves swept across the mold-strewn ground, and the skirt spread out among the bloodstains and filth, like a peony blooming in the mud.
Her eyes were filled with tears, but also with an undeniable resolve.
"Chengxiu, don't worry, I will definitely avenge you."
“The torture was too painful. Countless times I wanted to end it all, but Chang’er, I dared not die. There is nothing in this world worth my lingering affection except you. So I held on to my last breath, waiting to see you. I was afraid that if I died, something would happen to you… If you suffer any injustice after my death, I will not be able to die in peace. Promise me, Chang’er, I know that after my death you will never let go of the faction of the Crown Prince of Wuyang. You must ensure your safety. If you lose your mind and only think of revenge, then please think of our Cong’er. He has lost his father and cannot lose his mother. He is the only bloodline I left in this world. You must love him and watch him grow up, teaching him to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil…”
Yang Chengxiu spoke earnestly, and Pei Chang'er listened quietly.
"Chengxiu, I promise you everything. I promise you everything. I will guarantee my safety. I will ensure our son survives. He will marry and have children. There will be many children. You and I, Yang Chengxiu and Pei Shang'er's descendants will continue for generations." Pei Shang'er gently stroked Yang Chengxiu's face and smiled slightly.
"Now, remember one thing, it might save your life in a critical moment..."
"What's up?"
Yang Chengxiu coughed and said, “The Crown Princess Xue Yingyue is not the real Xue Yingyue. She is a woman sent by the Prime Minister to marry in place of her. The real Xue Yingyue has now changed her name to Xue Xianzhu. I have written down Xue Xianzhu’s address and the man who eloped with her. I have hidden it in the second drawer from the top of the cabinet next to the bed in the bedroom. There is a wooden box in there. I put the paper with Xue Xianzhu’s information in it. If anything happens, you can use it to threaten the current Crown Princess. She is very afraid that Pei Xuanlin will find out about this, so she will definitely agree to whatever you ask. But do not go to Pei Xuanlin or Xue Wenmian. They might try to save face by plotting against you.”
Pei Shang'er stared wide-eyed, unable to process the news she had just heard for a long time.
Crown Princess Xue Yingyue is actually an imposter?
Pei Xuanlin actually married a substitute bride from who-knows-where.
"Shang'er, did you hear that?" Yang Chengxiu smiled when he saw her lost in thought. "But don't mock the Crown Princess because of this. Although she was a substitute bride, she is deeply favored by the Crown Prince. I hope you can get along well with her. She is a bit clever and may be able to help you. Also, listen to your cousin Xie Daojian. Although he is not your biological cousin, he will never harm you. Shang'er, you must remember what I said, or I will have suffered for nothing."
Pei Shang'er looked up at Yang Chengxiu, her vision blurred by tears, and nodded heavily.
"Never make Father and Mother angry again, and don't blame them for my death. They had their reasons. They love you and they wouldn't hurt you. From now on, you must be filial to Father and Mother and set a good example for our little Yangliu."
Pei Shang'er listened, biting her lip tightly, trying hard not to let her tears fall or let her sobbing voice show.
“I understand, Chengxiu, I will remember your words... Can you hold on a little longer... I will go and beg Father again, I will kowtow until my head breaks and beg him to spare you... even if it means my death to save you…”
"Fool." Yang Chengxiu chuckled softly, as if to comfort her by stroking her forehead, but he could no longer do so. "If you die, I cannot live either. If Father wanted to spare me, he would not have needed to arrest me. Things have developed to this point, and we both already know the outcome in our hearts. There is no need to struggle anymore. Just remember my words, and my spirit in heaven can rest in peace."
"But...but...we've never been apart for a single day since we were little. How can I live without you! You are my life! I beg you, I beg you, don't die. I'll stay here with you, I'll stay here with you, okay? We'll never be apart again, not even for a moment!"
Pei Shang'er lowered her eyelashes, and tears rolled down her cheeks like broken pearls.
A tear hung on her chin, reflecting the dim firelight in the prison, like morning dew falling on a fading peony. She raised her hand to cover her lips, but could not suppress the sob in her throat.
Yang Chengxiu looked at her trembling shoulders and let out a sigh. Her pearl-like tears fell to the ground, each drop like a branding iron burning his heart.
A thousand words in my eyes, all converge into one sentence at this moment.
"You know you love me."
Despite her tearful eyes, Pei Shang'er answered Yang Chengxiu without hesitation: "I love you."
"You're willing to die for me, right?"
Yang Chengxiu's eyes were filled with an unyielding tenderness as he traced her features inch by inch.
"I'm willing to go through fire and water." Pei Chang'er gazed deeply at Yang Chengxiu, not even wanting to blink.
"Dying is too easy than living. Would you be willing to live for me?" Yang Chengxiu's eyes were like silk, lingering and caressing her eyebrows and the corners of her eyes.
He spoke the most cruel and heartless words in a gentle and tender tone.
"Please, don't leave me in this world without you. I will live like I am in hell."
Pei Shang'er trembled all over, limp as if her bones had been removed, tears streaming down her face, no longer hiding her sobs, crying uncontrollably, her fingers digging deep into her arms, unable to accept the fact that Yang Chengxiu was about to die.
“Kill me,” he continued.
Pei Shang'er was struck dumb again, her blood froze, and she collapsed to the point of mental breakdown.
"No...no..." She shook her head violently, laughing intoxicatedly, "You don't want to die, you don't, you just want to live, you just want to stay by my side. You're so handsome, be my husband, let's leave the capital, I'll take you to Jiangnan, where the mountains and rivers are beautiful, no one knows us, there's no scheming, we'll just be an ordinary, loving couple..."
Yang Chengxiu gazed at her, watching quietly as she immersed herself in her beautiful fantasy, her eyes gentle, unwilling to disturb it.
"I'm still young. I'll have many more children for you. Then a bunch of little kids will surround us and call us Dad and Mom. How wonderful that will be!"
"Shang'er, be good. In the next life, we will definitely be an ordinary couple. Come on, kill me. I only want to die in your hands."
Yang Chengxiu's gentle voice pulled Pei Shang'er out of her dream.
Pei Shang'er returned to reality, trembling all over. The wine jug filled with Daughter's Red wine next to her suddenly became conspicuous and glaring, as if this object wanted to take the life of her lover.
No, no.
No one can take Yang Chengxiu away.
She didn't want any of Yang Chengxiu's stunning beauty, luxurious clothes and food, or honor and status. All she wanted was Yang Chengxiu!
"Don't be so cruel, Seung-soo, I just want you to live."
"Then how can you bear to see me... living a life worse than death every day?" he asked softly.
"Kill me, otherwise one day they will cut me into a thousand pieces and hang my head on the city gate. Can you bear to do that to me?"
She couldn't bear it.
She couldn't bear to see him being torn to pieces, couldn't bear to hear his screams of agony, couldn't bear to see his head hung on the city gate, where he would be cursed by thousands.
"Shang'er, what must be faced must be faced. Grant me death, I only wish to die in your hands."
"good."
Even with all the reluctance, she had to bear the thought of letting go. Pei Chang'er took a deep breath to calm herself down, and looked at Yang Chengxiu wearily.
"Seung-soo, I'll listen to you."
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