Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Snowflakes danced like mist in the air, swirling around him like delicate filaments that brushed against his face. Ignoring the snowflakes that veiled his vision, Pei Xun hastened his pace, reaching the Kunning Palace at an unprecedented speed.

Ever since Pei Xun's attempt to infiltrate the Office of Ceremonial failed, Liu Xiwen had been diligently restructuring the office. While news from the Hall of Supreme Harmony had yet to reach the inner palace, the empress, having just awoken from her noon nap, leaned against the cushions of her warm chamber and sipped on ginseng soup, ignorant of the events transpiring in the outer court. Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed outside the hall.

Listening to the voice, it doesn't resemble the Emperor. Then it could only be Pei Xun.

The Empress was astute, immediately sensing that something significant had transpired. Her expression turned solemn. As expected, in the next moment, a tall figure pushed aside the curtains and entered. His brows and eyes were veiled with a frosty coldness, a stark contrast to his usual composed demeanor.

"Xun'er, what has happened?" the Empress asked anxiously.

Pei Xun took two deep breaths and glanced at the ladies-in-waiting attending to the Empress. He said in a cold tone, "All of you, leave!"

The attendants filed out, leaving only mother and son in the warm chamber.

Pei Xun stood by the door without moving. He gazed at his mother for a moment before slowly unfastening his sable fur cloak and setting it aside. His expression softened as he approached the Empress. Sitting down beside her, he naturally took her slender, delicate hand in his,

"Mother..." he called gently, as if to reassure her.

The Empress felt her son's gaze on her with an unprecedented complexity, and a sudden pang of sorrow pierced her heart. She stared at him in silence, muttering softly.

On his way there, Pei Xun had already sorted through the matter in his mind. If it truly was his mother's doing, he had to admit it was a brilliant tactic. He had always known his mother to be wise and astute, but he never imagined she could plan so far ahead.

"Mother, I have come today to inquire about an old matter..."

The word "old" tugged at the Empress' sensitive nerves, and an ominous premonition welled up within her. "Speak," she said cautiously.

Looking into her eyes, Pei Xun asked, "What really happened to Princess Mingyue?"

At the mention of this, the Empress trembled violently. The ginseng soup in her hands nearly slipped from her grasp, and she swayed precariously. Avoiding Pei Xun's piercing gaze, she turned her face away, closing her eyes tightly. Her lips quivered, but no words escaped.

Seeing her reaction, Pei Xun understood all too well. His eyes filled with pain as he asked, "Was it really you?"

The Empress squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her cheeks in two steady lines. With a slow, shuddering nod, she confirmed his suspicion.

Pei Xun's face was a mask of disbelief. "Why did you do it back then?"

If his calculations were correct, the Empress had not been pregnant with him at that time. How could she have possibly foreseen giving birth to a son and eliminating the strongest ally of the former crown prince, Princess Mingyue?

The Empress slowly drew in a deep breath, brushing away the tears on her cheeks. Lowering her gaze, she spoke in a detached manner,

"If you insist on asking, I shall reveal every detail to you."

"Your mother was not as composed and tranquil as you might imagine... The title of 'Mother of the Nation' is merely a result of endless days of endurance and refinement," the Empress said with an unusually calm tone, tinged with self-deprecation.

In her youth, she had been the liveliest and most charming maiden in the capital city.

Her eyes seemed distant, gazing at Pei Xun yet also into the void before her.

"The late Empress gave birth to Princess Mingyue not long before she passed away. The young princess was frail from birth, suffering from a heart condition that the royal physicians predicted would not allow her to live for long. Three years after the late Empress's demise, the emperor was supposed to elevate Empress Consort Yan to the position of empress. However, just at that time, chaos erupted in the southern regions, with powerful families rising up against the imperial taxation policies. Seizing the opportunity, the formidable force known as Da Wu grew restless once more. The emperor, faced with this dilemma, decided to stabilize the situation in the south by selecting an empress from one of the prominent families there..."

"At that time, your maternal grandfather held the highest prestige in southern China. It was only natural that the emperor set his sights on the Su family. They had three unmarried daughters, and initially, none of them were meant for me..."

The Empress, speaking thus, could no longer hold back her tears that tumbled down relentlessly. As if she didn't wish to reveal her vulnerability before her son, she desperately covered her face to stifle her sobs. The more she tried to control her emotions, the more overwhelmed she became. All her stifled sobs eventually transformed into a deep sense of grievance, leaving her speechless for a long while.

Seeing her distress, Pei Xun could not bear to press her further. He had long known of the discord between his mother and Father Emperor, but he was unaware that from the very beginning, his mother had been unwilling to enter the palace. For someone like Pei Xun, the pride of the heavens, this revelation was a blow. However, he was no longer young, and such a matter could not shake him to his core.

"And then?"

The Empress gave a sharp cough, then slowly regained her composure. She whispered, "After I entered the palace, Concubine Yan found me extremely displeasing to the eye. To compensate her, your father, the Emperor, used my unfamiliarity with court affairs as an excuse and temporarily handed over the authority of managing the imperial household to her." The Empress scoffed at this point. "Hmph, they all thought I was unhappy about it. In reality, I was more than willing. Let her take on the burdensome tasks and worries..."

"I spent over a year enduring within the palace walls. When the situation in the Jiangnan region finally stabilized, Empress Yan, seeing me in perpetual gloom, completely dismissed me. She repeatedly took advantage of Princess Mingyue to plot against me..."

"And so, I..." The Empress's words trailed off, her voice faltering as she clutched at her eyes, her jaw trembling with the effort to contain her emotions.

Just thinking about it, Pei Xun could vividly envision his mother's predicament. A chill flashed in his eyes, "You don't need to say more, I understand now."

Thereafter, it must have been her mother who acted with resolute decisiveness, executing a single stratagem to fell three birds with one stone: dismantling the support of the Crown Prince, dealing with Noble Consort Yan, and in the same stroke, expelling Prince Xi from the ranks of those vying for the throne. One cannot help but marvel at such intricately cunning scheming originating from the mind of a woman deeply entrenched within the palace walls, leaving Pei Xun greatly astonished.

It was beyond Pei Xun's imagination that his usually frail and helpless Empress Mother could possess such cunning strategies.

This was not the time to dwell on such thoughts. In a solemn voice, he continued,

"Empress Mother, just now, Deputy Minister Liu Yue from the Board of Punishments discovered in the Tongzhou case that one of the river engineers, under intense interrogation, confessed to being Master Liu's last disciple. He knew the truth behind Master Liu's death – that it was by poison. He has pointed the finger at you. The moment Liu Yue learned of this, he immediately reported it to His Majesty..."

The Empress was seized with shock, her teacup slipping from her grasp and spilling the herbal soup all over her skirt, drenching it thoroughly.

"What are you saying? There were survivors from that incident years ago?"

With the certainty that the Empress was behind it, Pei Xun had a clear understanding and no time to linger. He rose and said,

"Mother, a storm of blood and chaos may soon brew in the court. No matter how the Emperor questions you, you must insist that you know nothing, that it's the work of someone with malicious intentions. Do you understand?"

The Empress was entirely consumed by fear, her face as pale as paper, her body numb. She barely caught what Pei Xun was saying, only nodding mechanically.

Pei Xun reassured her once more, "Stay calm. Leave everything to me from now on. I'll handle this situation. Just wait at the Kunning Palace for news."

Afterward, Pei Xun left the warm chamber and instructed the Empress's trusted aide before departing.

Once his figure disappeared, the Empress couldn't hold on any longer. Her vision darkened, and she fainted. The old nanny, filled with alarm, rushed over to catch her, exclaiming,

"Your Highness, Your Highness, you must hold on, you must persevere. Trust them, everything will be alright, it definitely will be..."

Having worked in the palace for many years, Pei Xun had accumulated numerous loyal followers. Especially with the Emperor's deteriorating health, several supervisors from the Twenty-Four Agencies had come forward to offer their services. The incident of the Emperor being angered could not be concealed from him. The Heavenly Audience Hall was guarded by the Imperial Guards, making it impregnable. Pei Xun could not gain entry and thus had no choice but to return home.

Upon arriving at the Eastern Splendor Palace, Pei Xun promptly summoned his advisors to discuss a strategy.

Pei Xun was never one to show mercy. Liu Yue's revelation to the Heavenly Audience Hall meant he could no longer ascend the throne smoothly. In this situation, there was no room for hesitation.

The only way out was to force the emperor to abdicate.

Pei Xun made a decisive plan.

*

During the day, Pei Muheng attended to his official duties in the government district. At the first hour of the evening, he immediately returned home. He knew that Pei Xun would take action that day, and as expected, when he arrived at his study, several spies had already delivered their reports:

"The twelfth prince's guards have fanned out. A message has been sent to Minister Zheng's residence, someone has gone to the Su family... and another to the city's largest bank..."

With all these pieces of information coming together, Pei Muheng could see clearly. "He's planning to seize the palace!"

Pei Muheng turned to look at the Wang who sat majestically in the main seat, the Xi Wang.

The Xi Wang narrowed his eyes and grunted, "Although Pei Xun is renowned as the greatest archer in the Great Jin, he has never been on a battlefield and doesn't have direct control over any military forces. The Wu Du Wei is responsible for patrolling and guarding the nine gates, and its commander is Yan Shaoling. The other six upper guards are under the emperor's command... Could it be?"

Countless possibilities flashed through Pei Muheng's mind before he firmly stated, "The fact that he dared to act so decisively points to one possibility: he has someone in the military!"

"Who?"

Father and son exchanged glances, mentally running through the major military forces and the commanders of the twelve guards. A clear candidate emerged in their minds.

Could it be him?

Only that individual had the power to rival the Xi Palace.

The mere thought of that person's identity made the usually composed Pei Muheng take two steps back. His face was as calm as still water, but his inner turmoil was evident.

"If it really is him, we're in trouble."

Recalling Su Ziyan's path yesterday, he had left the palace through the Zhengyang Gate instead of entering through the Wumen Gate. This indicated that the mastermind behind the scenes resided outside the palace walls. It was highly possible that Grandfather was in that person's hands. No wonder their opponent was so cunning and persistent. All of Pei Muheng's doubts dissipated, and he rubbed his forehead, feeling the challenge ahead.

*

The night was as dark as ink, and the swirling snowflakes suddenly ceased. The snowfall left no trace in the capital city. The sky remained gloomy, the cold wind persisted, and after dusk fell, Pei Xun, disguised as a servant, slipped out the back door of his residence in a cart used for buying groceries. He turned into a narrow alley, ensuring no one was around before mounting a swift horse that had been waiting there.

Someone was already waiting for him at the end of the alley, taking the reins of the horse and bowing respectfully. With a composed expression, Pei Xun followed through an open side gate into the mansion, where a secret passage led directly to a pavilion in the northwest corner. The pavilion was small but had three levels, surrounded by trees that barely allowed glimpses of its red corridors and green eaves.

The interior of the pavilion followed the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties, with no tables or chairs in sight. Instead, a long table stood in the center of the open hall, accompanied by a small desk at the back. The owner of the pavilion would spend each day sitting here, gazing at the western sky, watching the clouds shift and dissolve.

As Pei Xun approached and knelt opposite the man, he bowed and said, "Master, I assume you've heard about the incident at the Supreme Court today?"

Opposite him sat a man in his fifties, dressed in a simple gray robe with no silk or brocade to embellish it. His figure was not particularly tall or slender, and apart from the hint of youthful handsomeness still discernible in his eyes, he appeared no more than an ordinary elderly man.

If Wen Ruyu were present, she would have recognized this person as Wen Yinchang, the Wen Duke, renowned as the modern-day Zhang Liang in the great Jinn dynasty's military.

Wen Yinchang nodded, his expression unperturbed.

"I've heard."

His tone was as casual as if discussing the day's weather.

Seeing his calmness, Pei Xun's anxiety eased, and he smiled at him. "What is Master planning?"

The Wen Duke countered, sipping his tea gently as he spoke, "And what plans does the prince have?"

Pei Xun, facing his former mentor who had taught him horseback riding and archery, revealed nothing but honesty.

"I intend to force the emperor to abdicate."

The Wen Duke merely raised his eyebrows slightly before nodding in understanding.

"Indeed."

His expression remained as calm and unperturbed as ever.

Pei Xun gazed at the face before him, his thoughts flashing back to their first encounter. Since childhood, Pei Xun had been known for his intelligence, raised by the emperor himself. By chance, the emperor discovered Pei Xun's exceptional skills in horseback riding and archery, sparking an intention to groom him for greater things.

Though the emperor doted on his son, he had no intention of spoiling him. Both the crown prince and Prince Qin were trained in martial arts from a young age, and Pei Xun was no exception. Initially, the emperor selected a few masters from the Imperial Guard to teach Pei Xun archery. However, before long, Pei Xun's remarkable accuracy left his instructors speechless. With no choice, the emperor sent Pei Xun to the frontier, entrusting him to the care of the Duke of Wen.

At the age of eight, Pei Xun met the Duke of Wen, who had just returned from a hunting trip in fertile lands. Back then, Wen Yinchang wasn't considered the most handsome man in Great Jinn, but his ability to shoot with a bow using only one hand earned Pei Xun's admiration. From that moment, Pei Xun was determined to learn archery under the Duke of Wen. With Pei Xun's innate talent and Wen Yinchang's dedicated tutelage, he became the greatest archer in Great Jinn. During a quadruple-nation hunting event, Pei Xun's single arrow decided the outcome, severely denting the prestige of the Da Wu army. His reputation as the premier archer spread far and wide.

After Pei Xun first entertained the idea of contending for the throne, he confided in the Duke of Wen without reservation.

While court officials were still choosing sides between the crown prince and Prince Qin, the pillar of the nation, the Duke of Wen, had already pledged his support to Pei Xun. As the emperor's legitimate son and with the endorsement of the military's top figure, Pei Xun grew more confident in his quest for the throne. That was until the appearance of Pei Muheng, which disrupted his unstoppable momentum.

"Duke, Liu Yue's words are true, and the descendant of the Liu family he mentioned also truly exists," informed the Duke of Wen to Pei Xun.

Pei Xun furrowed his brow. "What on earth is going on here?"

Wen Duke manipulated the chess pieces before him, a lifelong passion that had yet to find a rival. Boredom often led him to engage in self-play, and this particular game had been in progress for three days without a decisive outcome.

"The person they're searching for is right under my roof, and he's none other than Master Zhang, Xu Yunqi's maternal grandfather, the descendant of the Thirteen Needles lineage!"

"Peng Muhan's move is a ploy to lure the snake out of its hole!"

Pei Xun was startled by this revelation.

So that was it.

"Princess Qi has put me in a difficult position!" Pei Xun smiled wryly.

The expression of the Wen Duke grew more solemn this time.

"So, Your Highness must remain composed. Allow me to assist you in sorting out the situation. If a palace coup is to be staged, troops are needed. I have the ability to command soldiers," the Wen Duke was the Left Supreme Commander of the Five Military Inspectorates, capable of leading troops but without the authority to mobilize them.

"We first need an order to dispatch troops."

Pei Xun swiftly recomposed himself and nodded. "I'll take care of acquiring the military order."

Wen Duke looked at him calmly. "The Wu Du Wei is in charge of the nine gates' patrol and holds the lifeline of the entire capital. To break through this barrier, we must rely on the Southern Army. With His Majesty unconscious, the deployment of the Southern Army requires the approval of the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Secretariat, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of War, all signing together. Not only do we need that military order, but we must also prevent the Xi Palace from seizing it."

"So…" Their gazes met in mid-air, and Pei Xun's tone was impassioned. "The key lies with Xun Yunhe."

"Yes, do you have a way to take down Xun Yunhe?" Wen Duke asked Pei Xun.

Pei Xun was very confident in this matter.

"Rest assured, I'll handle Xun Yunhe," he assured.

Wen Duke nodded. "Very well. As long as you can keep Xun Yunhe in check, I'll deal with Pei Muheng. Since he wants to provoke me into action, I'll play along and set a trap to hunt him down. Once Pei Muheng is gone, the Xi Palace will lose its backbone, and the situation will be settled."

Once Wen Duke led his troops to occupy the capital, the court officials, being intelligent, would naturally know whom to side with at this point.

In the entire struggle for succession, the most crucial part was killing Pei Muheng. And Old Master Zhang was the best bait for that purpose.

True to his reputation as the most cunning strategist in the military, Wen Duke had made everything clear to Pei Xun with just a few words.

"There's no time to waste. Let's act separately!"

Pei Xun left the Wen residence and promptly summoned his secret agents to spread a piece of information.

Ever since his failed attempt to win over Pei Muhang, he had planted spies within the Xi Palace. One of these spies, by coincidence, recently overheard a revelation – the news originated from the Jinhuo Hall, the residence of the Xi Wangfei. It turned out that after marrying Xu Yunqi, Pei Muhang had waited half a year before consummating their marriage.

Pei Xun was all too aware of how Xun Yunhe would react upon hearing this. Thus, he decided to pay a seemingly casual visit to Xun Yunhe first, planting a seed in his mind that was now ready to germinate.

Pei Xun signaled for his spy to disseminate the news.

At the fourth quarter of the twelfth hour of the night, Pei Xun received a reply from his shadowy agent.

"Your Highness, our man has passed on the message to the Xun family's steward. The steward immediately reported it to Xun Yunhe. Can you guess his reaction?"

Leisurely lounging in his armchair, Pei Xun lifted an eyebrow, waiting for the answer without asking. The agent promptly responded,

"Xun Yunhe flew into a rage out of embarrassment. He slammed the table and instructed the steward to fetch Miss Yunqi from the neighboring residence."

"And then?"

The agent's face revealed a hint of disappointment as he shook his head. "Miss Yunqi refused to return home. She insisted that the arrangement was a mutual decision between her and Third Young Master, and not a deliberate act of negligence on his part."

Pei Xun propped his forehead with one hand and massaged his temples. "That does sound like something she would do."

But that was beside the point. The key was Xun Yunhe's attitude.

"The Venerable Minister Xun, disregarding the late hour, personally rushed to the Xi Palace to demand her return. The Xi Prince and Xi Princess tried their best to persuade him for a long time, but Minister Xun was very resolute and insisted on meeting Miss Yunqi."

"Yunqi still refused to see him?"

"Yes," the spy nodded. "Miss Yunqi, through her maid Yinxing, conveyed to Minister Xun that he was not to interfere in their marital affairs."

"Third Young Master knelt before Minister Xun to apologize, but Minister Xun was already displeased with him and was now furious beyond measure. He didn't even spare him a glance before storming off!"

At this point, uncertainty crept into the spy's tone. "Your Highness, could it be that Xun Yunhe and the Xi Palace are collaborating to deceive us?"

Pei Xun had considered this possibility, but his tone remained detached. "Regardless of the truth, Xun Yunhe's desire to retrieve Xu Yunqi is genuine."

Given Xun Yunhe's protective nature, upon learning that Xu Yunqi had been neglected by Pei Muhan for half a year, he might have been tempted to kill the latter.

The spy's assumption was spot on. Xun Yunhe was indeed so enraged that his vision turned black. The usually calm and dignified Cabinet Minister slammed his desk in a fit of anger.

Amidst this tension, news arrived from the palace: Liu Xiwen had summoned Xun Yunhe to the Heavenly Mandate Hall. Suppressing his irritation, Xun Yunhe braved the biting cold and rushed to the imperial palace. The emperor had been in a coma for half a day, and despite Doctor Fan's efforts with acupuncture, the monarch's condition remained critical. Liu Xiwen sensed that the situation was dire. Consulting with General Zuo Xiaolin, the commander of the Imperial Guards, he decided to invite Xun Yunhe into the fray.

On this matter, Liu Xiwen and Zuo Xiaolin had actually been arguing for quite some time.

"General on the left, with His Majesty currently in an unconscious state, it is customary to invite the Chief Minister of the Cabinet to enter the palace and assume command."

Zuo Xiaolin's initial inclination was to decline.

Though Xun Yunhe holds the position of chief counselor, he is related by marriage to the Xi Palace. His Highness has been wary of the Xi Palace for quite some time now. Such an action might go against His Majesty's wishes," Zuo Xiaolin stated with unwavering conviction.

Liu Xiwen nodded and sighed. "You're right, but the issue is we can hide it for a while, not forever. I oversee the Office of Ceremonial, and you can only manage the palace security. What about the court officials? Only with Xun Yunhe present can their doubts be alleviated, and the situation stabilized."

By this point, Zuo Xiaolin's resolve was somewhat shaken, but his tone remained firm.

"Let's wait a little longer, give Doctor Fan more time. Perhaps His Majesty might awaken by the break of dawn tomorrow?"

This time, Liu Xiwen's tone carried a noticeable emphasis.

"I am not overly concerned about how the Xi Wang's Palace might react. You are well aware of Prince Xi's character; you have interacted with him when you were in the military. He would never attempt to force his way into the throne. My worry lies with another individual..." Liu Xiwen subtly gestured towards the direction of the harem.

Zuo Xiaolin's expression clearly wavered, and he fell silent with a grave look on his face.

The current situation was disadvantageous to the Empress and Pei Xun; if Pei Xun were to take a risky move, it was not entirely impossible.

Just then, Chen Li, who oversaw the northern inspection agency of the Imperial Guard, rushed over to report the recent incident between Prince Xi's palace and Xun Yunhe to the two of them. Liu Xiwen's eyes flickered, but he didn't seem too concerned.

Based on his understanding of Pei Muhan, this could very well be a ploy to deceive their enemies. However, this news visibly alleviated Zuo Xiaolin's concerns about Xun Yunhe. He promptly agreed, "Summon Xun Yunhe to the Hall of Supreme Harmony."

Two guards and a junior imperial attendant hurried to Xun's residence to escort him safely to the palace.

Once Xun Yunhe arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Prince Xi faction would have solidified its position in the heart of the struggle for succession.

Was that the end of it? Of course not.

Pei Xun swiftly made several moves, putting pressure on the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Pei Muhan wouldn't allow Pei Xun the luxury of preparing undisturbed; thus, he disclosed the case of Doctor Liu to Prince Qin that very night. Prince Qin, now fully embracing his role as a troublemaker, marched confidently to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, demanding an audience with the emperor. Zuo Xiaolin, naturally, refused entry. Prince Qin, displeased, took advantage of the early morning light to make a scene at the Hall of Literary Glory.

The officials, who had gathered early in the morning to discuss affairs, immediately erupted into chaos.

Pei Xun was forced to enter the palace to defend himself, asserting that this was a calculated attempt to frame him, and the culprit was none other than Prince Qin.

A heated argument ensued between the two princes in the Wenzhao Hall. Pei Xun, known for his eloquence, refuted each of Prince Qin's supposed evidence,

"Proof? Brother Prince Qin, everything relies on proof. Bring that person to the Wenzhao Hall from the Supreme Court and let them present the evidence of the Empress framing Princess Changping!"

Since Pei Xun knew that the true witness was in the hands of Duke Wen, he was not afraid of Liu Yue's accusations.

However, Prince Qin was not one to back down. He actually summoned the individual from the Supreme Court, who, with the aid of a skilled makeup artist and a portrait of Xu Yunqi, recounted the events of the past with convincing detail. Many ministers, including Elder Minister Zheng, were convinced and the latter even collapsed in a faint.

As for the evidence, the impostor posing as Elder Zhang declared,

"Exhume the coffin. Invite someone to open the coffin in the Yan Mountain Imperial Park."

An autopsy would take time, and there would be no immediate resolution. Moreover, after three decades, what credible evidence could still be found in the coffin?

By the time the examination concluded, the situation might have already been decided. Pei Xun remained composed and said with great composure,

"Very well, let's open the coffin!"

With this demeanor, Pei Xun reassured the court officials.

After calming everyone down, he strode quickly out of the Wenzhao Palace. At that moment, a trusted eunuch hurried over and whispered something into his ear. Upon hearing the news, Pei Xun was utterly stunned.

The eunuch observed his hesitant expression and softly said, "Lord Su mentioned that he can only assist you up to this point. The rest of the journey is yours to take alone."

Pei Xun's fair fingers trembled slightly, and he involuntarily clenched them, as if grasping at thin air. His voice also held a tinge of disbelief, "She's currently at the Duke of Chengguo's residence?"

The eunuch replied, "Yes, today is Yunqi's last visit to diagnose Wen Ruyu. If you miss this opportunity, there will be no other chance. Lord Su has already dispatched men to surround the Duke of Chengguo's estate, awaiting your command."

Pei Xun said nothing. He moved forward with heavy steps towards the Meridian Gate. The biting cold wind seemed to slice against his cheeks like knives. Somehow, he managed to mount a horse, which seemed to possess a sense of purpose, carrying him straight to the Duke of Chengguo's residence.

At the entrance of the mansion stood a man with eyebrows like frost and eyes like snow, his demeanor as elegant as jade. It was none other than Su Ziyan, the Minister of Works.

Pei Xun's expression was more grave than ever before. He slowly dismounted his horse and approached Su Ziyan step by step.

Pei Xun's gaze passed over Su Ziyan, landing on the open courtyard beyond. Guards were stationed every ten steps and sentries every five, revealing that Su Ziyan had laid a meticulous trap solely to keep Xu Yunqi from leaving.

Pei Xun squeezed his eyes shut deeply. His handsome figure wavered slightly in that moment.

He wasn't sure why he hesitated. With his usual ruthless approach, Su Ziyan had paved the way for him. He should have acted without hesitation.

Capturing Xu Yunqi would give him complete control over Xun Yunhe. There was no better or swifter means to achieve his goal.

Time was running out.

Pei Muhang had already gone to the Yan residence, undoubtedly planning to persuade Yan Ping and Yan Shaoling to support him in his bid for the throne.

With a resolute look in his eyes, Pei Xun strode into the Chengguo Duke's Mansion.

Following the central stone path through the main hall, the rear hall, and past the decorative archway, a clear laughter echoed from the main courtyard beyond a jade screen wall.

"Yunqi, look at yourself, how enchanting you appear when adorned. Don't hide your beauty behind those plain garments anymore!"

Then, another voice chimed in softly,

"I offer you my sincere help to heal, yet you jest with me. How troublesome it must be for you to wear such elaborate hair ornaments!"

Her voice was as gentle as the whispers of springtime petals dancing across his heart, stirring an unexpected longing and palpitation within him. Pei Xun's steps involuntarily paused.

He was no longer young. In his youth, to captivate the Crown Prince and Prince Qin, he often frequented the pleasure districts, untouched by any allure amidst a sea of flowers. In that fleeting moment, he suddenly comprehended the significance of this sudden rush of emotion.

Understanding now why his steps faltered, why his thoughts lingered and pondered more deeply whenever that person came to mind, how he couldn't help but compare every woman he met to her...

He grasped the regret she had felt when unable to divorce Pei Muheng, and the uncontrollable urge to steal glances at her whenever he saw her...

So it was like this.

Pei Xun gave a bitter smile.

Just then, the door creaked open, and two elegant women stepped out, one after the other. Wen Ruyu, having finished adorning Yunqi, personally accompanied Xu Yunqi to the entrance.

"As we return, let's astonish Pei Muqing and see if this lofty flower will descend from his pedestal!"

Upon finishing her sentence, Wen Ruyu lifted her gaze and noticed the presence of Pei Xun. There he stood in the draughty corridor, dressed in a deep purple imperial robe, exuding the clarity of a bright moon on a serene night, with the majestic posture of a pine tree.

Pei Xun's eyes burned intently upon Xu Yunqi. She was clad in a soft padded jacket adorned with a border of peach blossom red, her head adorned with sparkling jewels, and a pair of translucent ruby earrings swayed gently against her cheeks, enhancing her snow-white complexion and luminous eyes that shimmered like radiant moons.