Chapter 89 Die Without Regret

Chapter 89: No Regrets in Death

Jiang Wanrou held her breath, her mind a whirlwind. She instinctively tried to clench her hands but found her body weak and completely drained.

The man leaned down, his cool scent mingled with the fragrance of green bamboo, drawing closer and closer. Suddenly, he snapped coldly, "Get out! Don’t ruin my mood!"

From outside came the creepy cackling of an unfamiliar man, muttering a string of strange words Jiang Wanrou couldn’t understand.

But she recognized the man before her—it was Pei Zhang.

Her thick lashes fluttered as Jiang Wanrou slowly opened her eyes. The sight before her was a simple room with fur rugs covering the floor, unlike the furnishings of the Qi Dynasty. A single lamp sat on the square table—it was already night.

Pei Zhang’s porcelain features appeared even more refined under the candlelight. With one hand, he lifted the bed curtain, his dark eyes calmly observing her. He remained still and silent.

Jiang Wanrou closed her eyes briefly, still feeling utterly drained. She asked softly, "Lord Pei, what is happening?"

Her thoughts were scrambled. Trying to recall earlier events, she only remembered a maid approaching, saying Lu Qingling had summoned her. The maid had looked familiar, and suddenly, it struck her—she was the maid Jiang Wanrou had dismissed!

That maid had secretly accepted Liu Yuenu’s honeyed soup, and Jiang Wanrou had ordered Jintao to send her back to Lu Qingling. She hadn’t seen her since. But by the time she realized, it was already too late.

Pei Zhang was now just inches apart. Jiang Wanrou had never been this close to any man other than Lu Feng. From afar, she had once thought this Lord Pei was noble and refined, his presence like a breath of fresh air.

But now, as he towered above her, Jiang Wanrou suddenly realized—beneath that gentle, porcelain exterior was a man, a tall and imposing one. At this moment, she was like a lamb to slaughter, utterly at his mercy.

A flicker of fear passed through Jiang Wanrou’s dark eyes, fleeting but not unnoticed by Pei Zhang.

He suddenly mocked, leaning even closer. "Why shrink away? The Princess Consort is clever—surely you understand? Only by yielding to me will you have a way out."

Dressed in snow-white robes, his face as handsome as carved jade, yet his words were those of a cad. Strangely, Jiang Wanrou no longer felt afraid.

She raised her eyes and whispered, "Pei Zhang, you’re not this kind of man."

The Pei Zhang who had once told her, "If you ever face hardship, come to me." The Pei Zhang who had quietly aided her out of trouble. She refused to believe he would harm her.

They were so close, yet he hadn’t laid a finger on her.

Pei Zhang paused at her words. Slowly, he straightened, using a copper hook to draw back the drapes before sitting at the square table by the window.

In silence, he poured a cup of tea. His slender, porcelain fingers lifted the teapot—even this simple act was mesmerizing to watch.

Jiang Wanrou was in no state to admire such elegance. After a long while, Pei Zhang spoke, "This is the Turks' land."

Jiang Wanrou had been unconscious for a day. By now, they had left Wei City and were in a border town near the Qi Dynasty.

Pei Zhang continued, "Outside are Turkic people... and also... Chen Fu."

Chen Fu?

Wanrou’s eyes widened. The notorious holdout of the fallen Chen Dynasty—she had heard much of him in recent years. Hadn’t Pei Zhang executed him? Wait... There had been rumors of the Chen rebel colluding with the Turkic people. Now, Chen Fu had "returned from the dead." Did that mean Pei Zhang had conspired with foreign enemies?

Pei Zhang took a sip of tea and said indifferently, "In Qi, I am but a minor official. The Turkic people offer me high rank and riches. Tell me, what choice should I make?"

Jiang Wanrou steadied her thoughts and replied firmly, "You are not one to covet glory and riches."

She had heard many tales of Pei Zhang—how he had angered many by cutting taxes in frontier villages, though he had no need to endure such hardships.

Pei Zhang smiled faintly, his gaze on her. "What if, beyond high rank and riches, they also promised me the Unrivaled Beauty? Would that be enough?"

Jiang Wanrou met his eyes, her gaze clear and unwavering. "No. If such temporary temptations could buy you... you wouldn’t be Pei Zhang."

Her eyes were filled with trust, yet it made Pei Zhang's heart ache dully. In this lifetime, the two had only seen each other from a distance a handful of times. Yet she still understood him so well.

Just like in the dream.

When he was destitute, she had said to him, "You look like a man of noble bearing, as if harboring lofty ambitions!"

When he was demoted and lost in despair, she remarked, "As the saying goes, 'If one cannot sweep a single room, how can they sweep the world?' A small town isn’t insignificant—it concerns the livelihoods of thousands."

When Emperor Wu passed away and the court was thrown into chaos, he hesitated in confusion. She laughed and said, "Ah, after all these years, just do what you wish. I know the man I married is a truly great man."

...

Pei Zhang grabbed another clean cup, poured tea, and handed it to Jiang Wanrou.

Having regained some strength, Jiang Wanrou leaned against the headboard. Pei Zhang lowered his lashes and said, "Drink. I’ve already tested it—it’s not poisoned."

At this, Jiang Wanrou finally relaxed. Her mouth was dry, and she sipped slowly until the cup was empty. Just as she lifted her eyes, Pei Zhang naturally offered her a second cup, along with a white handkerchief.

"It’s new, unused," he said.

Jiang Wanrou hesitated briefly before silently accepting it. Pei Zhang’s gentle voice murmured beside her ear.

"Chen Fu’s treachery runs deep. From the moment I escorted him, he tried to bribe me with money. When that failed, he promised high rank and riches. He revealed much—the Turkic trader he once dealt with was none other than Modu."

Modu, the new Khan of the Turkic people.

Pei Zhang had truthfully reported this to the court, but the memorial never reached the emperor. That document was intercepted by Lu Feng.

Lu Feng told him, "Pretend to comply, infiltrate the Turkic ranks, and obtain their defense map. If we work together inside and out, we can achieve something great."

From the moment Lu Feng took hold of the military tally, he had no intention of merely defending the city. The Turkic people had grown too bold. This time, he’d lead his cavalry straight into their lands, shattering their royal court and making them submit for a hundred years.

It was Emperor Wu’s temperament—Pei Zhang wasn’t surprised. In his dream, Lu Feng had indeed succeeded. The year after he took the throne, he personally led the campaign. Without any defense map, he fought relentlessly, burning dozens of cities and leaving countless civilians devastated. The Turkic royal family was slaughtered to the last.

What surprised Pei Zhang was, "Why me? Money can turn loyalties—aren’t you afraid I might truly defect?"

Lu Feng raised a brow. "If you’re not afraid, why should I be?"

The most dangerous part of this plan fell on Pei Zhang—going alone into enemy land, where one wrong move meant death. Moreover, this was a matter of utmost secrecy. Only Lu Feng knew. Even if Pei Zhang survived and the Qi Dynasty won, should Lu Feng perish or later deny his involvement, Pei Zhang would be branded a traitor, his whole family executed.

Pei Zhang agreed. During their conversation in Luoyun Town, their words were full of double meanings. The portly magistrate, misunderstanding their tension, eagerly took Pei Zhang’s side.

...

Pei Zhang laid out the matter clearly and concisely. As for Jiang Wanrou—she was an accident.

Along the way, Pei Zhang’s performance shifted from vehement denunciation to gradual hesitation, flawlessly convincing. Chen Fu already believed him eighty percent. But Modu was inherently suspicious—even when Pei Zhang revealed that Lu Feng had killed his first wife, he remained doubtful.

Coincidentally, Lu Feng had brought his princess consort to Weicheng. Noticing Pei Zhang’s particular attention toward Jiang Wanrou, Chen Fu devised a venomous scheme.

"Brother Pei, since Lu Feng killed your wife, why not take his woman instead? They say the Princess Consort of Qi is a stunning beauty, doted upon by the Prince of Qi."

If not for genuine favor, why would he bring her to war?

Chen Fu loathed Lu Feng to the bone. He had destroyed his stronghold, severed his arm, and hunted him like a stray dog. Swearing vengeance, he vowed, "This grudge must be repaid, or I am no man."

His most beloved woman, the mother of his child, defiled by another man. Ha! The thought of Lu Feng’s expression made Chen Fu shake with excitement.

Pei Zhang wanted to keep Jiang Wanrou out of this, but he couldn't stop without arousing Modu's suspicion—they'd both be killed.

...

Pei Zhang's steady, unhurried voice gradually calmed Jiang Wanrou's racing heart.

She asked Pei Zhang, "Have you obtained the defense layout?"

Pei Zhang shook his head, then gave a slight nod.

"I've only met Modu a few times—not enough to access confidential information. But after observing the terrain, military deployments, and strengths of the defenses here for days, I’ve gotten a good sense."

At least on the surface, he was now an honored guest of the Turkic court, free to come and go. His broad knowledge and keen attention to detail allowed him to deduce about seventy to eighty percent of the defense setup, even without the actual map.

Jiang Wanrou's face lit up. "Does that mean we just need to escape?"

Pei Zhang chuckled softly. "Yes."

But escaping was far from easy. To gain Modu's trust, he hadn’t brought any hidden guards with him, and Chen Fu's unexpected move had disrupted his plans. Getting away alone was already perilous, let alone with Jiang Wanrou, who was fragile and unaccustomed to hardship.

He looked at her solemnly. "Don’t worry. I’ll get you out."

Even if it cost him his life, he would ensure her safety.

If the dream truly was his past life, then he had already fulfilled his destiny in that lifetime. In this one, he had brought order to Jiaozhou, sorted out affairs in Luoyun Town, mapped out the defenses, and now, if he could safely deliver her back to the Qi Dynasty... then he could die without regrets.

Despite being in enemy territory, Jiang Wanrou was more optimistic than Pei Zhang. She comforted him, "I won’t have you dying for me, and I don’t want to die either. We both must live."

"Do you know what day it is now? I’ve been missing for so long—Lu Feng will definitely come looking for me."

Jiang Wanrou spoke with confidence in Lu Feng, her voice firm. "He’s so capable. Maybe we don’t even need to do anything—he might suddenly drop out of the sky and rescue us!"

Pei Zhang shook his head with a bitter smile. "I’d rather he took his time."

He didn’t answer her question, instead saying gently, "It’s late. You should rest."

Jiang Wanrou suddenly froze. She glanced around but found no second bed or even a small couch to rest on.

Fortunately, Pei Zhang wouldn’t let the situation become awkward. "You sleep first. I’ll have some tea and find somewhere to sleep later."

He turned slightly away from her, sitting perfectly still. Jiang Wanrou hesitated. Spending the night with a man who wasn't her husband would compromise her virtue. But at this moment, for the sake of survival, she couldn’t ask Pei Zhang to leave.

Even if nothing happened between them—what if it did? Should she die for the sake of so-called 'virtue'? She'd struggled too hard to stay alive until now. She still had three children. Jiang Wanrou valued her life.

She closed her eyes, but whether it was lingering fear or having slept too much during the day, she couldn’t fall asleep. Turning her head, she saw Pei Zhang through the hazy bed curtains—his back straight, sitting perfectly still at the square table.

She asked softly, "Lord Pei, are you asleep?"

Pei Zhang replied gently, "No."

After a moment, Jiang Wanrou said, "An unmarried man and woman alone—it's not proper. In the future..."

She bit her lip, struggling to find the right words, but Pei Zhang, as if reading her mind, responded softly, "What happens here stays here."

"As long as you don’t speak of it, I will never breathe a word."

Jiang Wanrou paused. That had been her intention, but hearing Pei Zhang state it so bluntly left her feeling uneasy.

She turned her face away and explained, "A woman’s reputation is important. Though we've done nothing wrong, if word spreads, I can’t let my children have a mother whose name is dragged through mud."

"Also, Lu Feng’s temper... isn’t great."

Pei Zhang lowered his gaze. "Even then, you’d still go back to him?"

Jiang Wanrou thought for a moment before replying earnestly, "Yes."

Pei Zhang asked, "Why?"

Jiang Wanrou smiled like it was the most obvious thing. "If I don’t go back to him, where else can I go?"

Her children and Aunt Li were all back in the Prince of Qi’s estate in the capital. She’d wasted her best years on that man—was she just supposed to drift around now?

Earlier, her claim that Lu Feng would strangle her might’ve been an exaggeration. After so many years together, even if she truly lost her chastity, he wouldn’t be that cruel.

But could things ever be the same between them again?

He’d probably be disgusted—hell, he won’t even drink from a cup someone else has used.

Inappropriately, she thought of Jiang Wanxue. Prince Gong, convinced she’d shamed him, coldly sent assassins after his own wife. Who would have thought she’d one day end up in the same predicament? What would Lu Feng do?

……

Lost in the whirl of thoughts, Jiang Wanrou finally dozed off.

***

Soon, she understood Pei Zhang’s words: "I’d rather he didn’t advance too quickly."

Lu Feng was a monster on the battlefield. Three months into the war, the first month saw Ling Xiao struggling to hold the city, with both sides evenly matched. By the second month, Lu Feng took command, and the entire army followed his orders alone, shifting from defense to offense. Now, in the third month, Lu Feng had already slaughtered two Turkic cities, advancing unstoppably toward the royal court.

He fought like a demon, treating his own soldiers as expendable, let alone the enemy. After breaching a city, they stripped the place bare of wealth, food, winter clothing, and horses. Once they’d finished looting, he slaughtered everyone—soldiers, civilians, no exceptions—and set the entire city ablaze, leaving behind only ruins and corpses—no survivors.

The Turks were now terrified, cowering under the shadow of Great Qi’s prince who had once slain their Khan Duojie. Resentment was boiling over among the people. During Khan Ashina’s reign, relations with Great Qi had been peaceful, and such chaos had been unheard of.

Lu Feng’s brutality had rattled Modu himself. Having just ascended the throne, he now faced increasing pressure from the peace faction within his court and growing discontent among the people. After barely surviving two months against Lu Feng, he sent envoys begging for peace.

The envoy was still yards away from the Qi army’s camp when a sharp arrow shot through his skull. Few in Great Qi could’ve made that shot—Lu Feng was one of them.

The Turkic court was in a panic. Desperate for leverage in negotiations, they turned their attention to Jiang Wanrou.

Jiang Wanrou hadn’t stepped outside in days, seeing only Pei Zhang and a mute girl who delivered her meals. Perhaps because of Pei Zhang’s influence, her meals weren’t bad. She forced down meat and goat’s milk at every meal, determined to rebuild her strength. After a few days, she didn’t just look healthier—she’d even put on some weight.

At first, the news thrilled her. If the Turks willingly returned her to Lu Feng, wasn’t that a good thing?

Pei Zhang analyzed coldly, "They won’t do it without demands."

Peace talks could be as cutthroat as haggling in a market—one side making exorbitant demands, the other countering. The Turks didn’t know how much Lu Feng valued this "princess consort" and would test the waters first. If her value proved too low, she’d be useless. But if Lu Feng truly treasured her as the rumors claimed, the Turks wouldn’t let her go easily.

They’d bleed Lu Feng dry—demanding withdrawal, concessions, perhaps even a few cities from Great Qi. Would Lu Feng agree or refuse?

Either way, the Turks had already placed Jiang Wanrou in the heart of the fire.

Pei Zhang’s eyes turned hard. After a long pause, he growled, "We run. Now."

Meanwhile, in the Qi army’s camp, a young officer knelt trembling outside the tent, holding a red-sealed letter.

"Report! The Turks have sent another letter suing for peace. Awaiting Your Highness’s decision."

Since the princess consort’s disappearance, the prince’s temper had grown increasingly unpredictable. The officer was sweating bullets just delivering the message. From inside the tent came Lu Feng’s rasp.

"Bring it here."