Chapter 46

Chapter 46

— Using the pretext of returning to the Marquis Mansion, feign death along the way to escape.

On this night, Yu Qizhi mentioned to Pei Jing that she wanted to return to the Marquis Mansion.

Yu Qizhi was held in Pei Jing's arms, sitting on his lap. Her hands and feet were very cold, and Pei Jing had been warming them for a long time before they finally felt somewhat warm.

He merely thought it was her usual fear of the cold as winter approached and did not give it much thought.

"Your aunt had a difficult labor when giving birth to you, didn't she?"

The man's slightly low voice sounded in her ear.

Pei Jing was idly playing with Yu Qizhi's fingers. Hearing this, she paused, confused by why Pei Jing suddenly asked about this.

"I suppose so." Yu Qizhi was a bit bewildered by the question. She thought for a moment and said:

"But Aunt never mentioned this to me."

Pei Jing looked down at her.

Previously, the physician's diagnosis suggested that Yu Qizhi's frailty was largely due to her being born prematurely.

But in the past few days, Pei Jing had sent people to investigate, and it turned out that Aunt Han's pregnancy had been full-term. Furthermore, due to the baby being too large and the fetus being malpositioned, Aunt Han had a difficult labor, exhausting all her strength, and fell into a coma for three whole days after childbirth.

Coincidentally, the imperial palace where the Emperor and Concubine Li resided during their stay was not far from Luo County.

If the assassins in the alley that day were sent by the Fourth Prince, then Pei Jing could only think of one possibility.

"What's wrong?" Yu Qizhi tilted her head to ask him, seeing that Pei Jing's expression remained its usual calmness.

Her long hair was loose, half-wet black tresses hanging down to her waist, swaying slightly with her movements.

Pei Jing did not answer.

His hand resting on her waist moved through her hair, up to her lips, gently caressing them.

"Let Weichuan escort you back to the mansion tomorrow; leave as soon as possible."

For Yu Qizhi to return to the Marquis Mansion as soon as possible would ease his mind.

"From now on, we will be like before," Pei Jing said softly.

Yu Qizhi was slightly stunned.

The man's thumb brushed over her lips, slightly distorting them under his touch.

Yu Qizhi's eyelashes fluttered, and she softly responded with an "Mm."

In the next moment, Yu Qizhi felt Pei Jing's breath, which seemed to have become hot, fall upon her neck.

Then Pei Jing's kiss landed on her neck. Yu Qizhi instinctively tried to turn away, but instead, he kissed her lips deeply.

Her waist was tightly held, with Pei Jing in front of her and the cold, hard edge of the wooden table behind her, leaving her no choice but to yield.

As their breathing intensified, the atmosphere in the room gradually became heated and intimate.

Yu Qizhi took a few hurried breaths in between, feeling a sudden sense of sorrow deep down.

Perhaps it was because Pei Jing knew her body too well, or perhaps it was because she had adapted specifically for him; Pei Jing could easily arouse her with just kisses.

Yu Qizhi was left breathless from the kisses when suddenly, Weichuan's voice came from outside the door.

She came to her senses and hastily adjusted her clothes.

Fortunately, Weichuan only informed Pei Jing of an urgent matter outside the door without barging in.

At this moment, Pei Jing also stopped his actions.

For some reason, although Yu Qizhi was right in front of him, he felt as if he was embracing a gust of wind, fearing she might dissipate and leave him at any moment.

Putting aside these strange thoughts, Pei Jing quickly regained his composure. He soothingly squeezed Yu Qizhi's palm, released her, and calmly got up to open the door.

...

The next morning, Weichuan was to escort Yu Qizhi back to the Marquis Mansion.

Last night, Pei Jing had urgent matters to attend to in the palace and would not come over during the day, making it convenient for Yu Qizhi's actions.

Fang'er also wanted to go back to the mansion with her but was left behind by Yu Qizhi under the pretense of packing her luggage.

Yu Qizhi's trip to the Marquis Mansion was indeed hasty, and this reason was reasonable enough that Weichuan did not suspect anything.

Yu Qizhi placed Fang'er's deed of servitude and some silver coins inside the clothes in the trunk. Obedient and clever, Fang'er would surely find them while packing.

Fang'er had accompanied her since Luo County, and Yu Qizhi had long regarded her as her own sister; this was what Fang'er deserved.

After settling Fang'er and Aunt Han, Yu Qizhi had no more worries—

With her "death," and Fang'er being unaware, Pei Jing had no reason to blame them.

Fang'er would now be free, and so would she.

The wheels of the carriage rolled, setting off. Yu Qizhi recalled the young doctor's instructions.

The gray-brown pill was held tightly in her hand, slightly dampened by sweat.

Taking this pill, would she ever wake up again?

A moment of hesitation passed swiftly, and Yu Qizhi quickly swallowed the pill.

The sound of her heartbeat gradually became inaudible. Everything around her seemed to be receding, and before she lost all strength, Yu Qizhi heavily knocked on the carriage wall.

The carriage stopped, and Weichuan asked from outside if she needed anything.

After a moment without a response, even the sound of her breathing inside the carriage grew faint. Weichuan's expression turned grave, and he opened the carriage door almost without hesitation.

The moment the carriage door opened, Yu Qizhi collapsed softly into his arms.

"Lady!" Weichuan reached out to check her breath and pulse.

Yu Qizhi had completely lost consciousness in his arms.

"Doctor, save her!"

Weichuan carried Yu Qizhi and kicked open the door of the clinic.

The young doctor inside was momentarily stunned but quickly understood the situation and gestured for Weichuan to bring her to the inner room and lay her down on the medical bed.

"Sir, please step outside."

The female doctor felt Yu Qizhi's pulse at her neck, then undid her collar to administer acupuncture needles at several major acupoints.

As Yu Qizhi's pale skin was slightly exposed, Weichuan looked away, feeling an unprecedented panic deep within him.

He was hastily led out of the inner room. Weichuan hurried to report this to Pei Jing, only to be suddenly hit by a wave of intense heat from behind.

Fierce flames erupted from the outer hall of the clinic, spreading rapidly to the inner room where Yu Qizhi was located.

Weichuan was shocked and tried to rush into the clinic, but the burning lintel blocked his path.

It only took a moment, but the inner room of the clinic had already burned to ashes. The guards held back Weichuan:

"It's too late."

...

News came from the south that the Li family could no longer contain themselves and had revealed their intentions.

On the night Concubine Li learned that her father and brother had raised troops in the south, she hanged herself in the Sweet Spring Palace.

The emperor was shocked by Concubine Li's death and fell ill, unable to rise from his bed, showing signs of decline.

Pei Jing guessed that the Li family's hasty uprising in the south must have been influenced by Feng Qingling and others.

Feng Qingling harbored an extraordinary hatred for the Li family. In a sense, Pei Jing and Feng Qingling shared common interests.

But Concubine Li's death was suspicious, as she left no message behind.

The atmosphere in the palace became tense and sharp. Pei Jing strode into the Eastern Palace, his handsome face covered with a layer of frost.

"Your Highness, act now."

Pei Jing said to the Crown Prince.

"But my father is unconscious and ill, and we still haven't decided how to deal with Fourth Brother," the Crown Prince hesitated:

"If I act against Fourth Brother now, how will the people view me, and how will my father... view me?"

The emperor's illness had exacerbated his old ailments, and it might not last through the autumn.

"Your Highness, seize the opportunity," Pei Jing closed his eyes briefly.

His eyelids had been twitching all day. Although Pei Jing did not believe in such superstitions, he felt an inexplicable unease.

"Act first," Pei Jing's jaw tightened, "Your Highness must decide quickly."

At that moment, Princess Helan Mingyue pushed the door open. Their eyes met for a moment, and Pei Jing nodded at her.

Under normal circumstances, Pei Jing might have patiently discussed the pros and cons with the Crown Prince, but today his premonition was too strong, almost overwhelming him, making him urgently want to confirm her safety.

Pei Jing asked Helan Mingyue to persuade the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince always listened to her words.

"Crown Prince—!"

Weichuan rushed in.

Pei Jing paused; he had rarely seen such anxiety and confusion on Weichuan's face.

The bad feeling in his heart seemed about to be confirmed.

"What happened to her?" Pei Jing's voice suddenly became deep and hoarse.

Was Yu Qizhi injured? Was she captured by the Li family?

Or was she sick?

That must be it. Yu Qizhi often fell ill when winter approached.

It was his fault. He should have spent more time with her.

"Crown Prince, Lady Yu... she's gone!"

Pei Jing was about to step out of the hall when Weichuan's piercing voice rang in his ear.

Helan Mingyue, who had just heard their conversation, also stepped out of the hall and froze upon hearing Weichuan's words.

"What? Weichuan... you mean Lady Yu..."

Helan Mingyue was shocked. Before she could finish her words, she saw Pei Jing's tall figure sway slightly.

A thin line of dark red blood slowly seeped from the corner of Pei Jing's lips, but he seemed unaware of it.

"Say that again," Pei Jing turned to look at Weichuan and asked in a very low voice:

"What do you mean by 'gone'?"

...

A raging fire had reduced the clinic on the street to nothing but a charred ruin.

The area was remote and open, so although the fire spread quickly, it did not reach other places.

There were several skeletons on the ground, their faces burned beyond recognition, but Pei Jing knew that none of them belonged to Yu Qizhi.

Yu Qizhi was truly gone, without even a trace of remains left.

All his strength seemed to drain away in an instant, and Pei Jing involuntarily fell to his knees beside the ruins.

A deep sorrow rose in his heart, as if his heartbeat had turned into a hammer pounding against his chest.

How could Yu Qizhi be dead?

She was right beside him last night, agreeing to start anew with him.

Pei Jing's eyes stung with tears, and something in the ruins pierced his vision. Without hesitation, he reached out to dig through the debris and ashes, revealing a pair of bright red carnelian earrings.

But there was only this pair of earrings left.

Beneath the charred ruins, there was nothing else.

Nothing of her remained.

The cold earrings lay quietly in his palm, just as silent as their owner.

Pei Jing's fingers unconsciously caressed the earring.

She had left him, but the earrings remained, returning to him after all these twists and turns.

What did this mean?

"Are you saying she lost her breath on the carriage?"

Suddenly, Pei Jing seemed to think of something and asked Weichuan, who was beside him.

Weichuan knelt down beside Pei Jing in front of the ruins. His voice was hoarse as he answered affirmatively.

Pei Jing clenched the carnelian earrings in his palm, pressing them into his flesh.

...

Yu Qizhi woke up to the jolting of the carriage.

She came to inside the carriage, which was swaying violently as it raced through the outskirts of the city.

Horse hooves pounded urgently behind them, as if someone was chasing them.

Suddenly, the sound of an arrow whizzing through the air reached her ears, and with a "whoosh," the driver was struck, falling off the carriage.

The horses ran wildly, carrying the carriage and its occupants to a stream before finally tipping over and coming to a stop.

Beside Yu Qizhi lay the silver and travel documents Concubine Li had prepared for her. The pursuers seemed to have not caught up yet.

Apart from the initial disorientation upon waking, Yu Qizhi felt no other discomfort.

Taking a deep breath, she used her hands and feet to crawl out of the overturned carriage, suddenly feeling a sharp chill behind her.

Instinctively, she scrambled forward and sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the cold tip of a sword that grazed past her.

The sword was so sharp it sliced through her hair like butter.

In her panic, Yu Qizhi instinctively looked back—

And she saw the face of Feng Qingling.