Xie Yun nodded and alighted the horse carriage before walking towards the main hall. He didn’t even need to think to know what Pei Zheng was here for.
In the main hall, Pei Zheng was about to cup his fists and pay his respects when he saw Xie Yun, but was stopped by the latter.
“The Empress Dowager didn’t go missing. The problem right now is Prince Hao’s idea of forging a severance letter. This Prince doesn’t know who did it, but the handwriting is extremely similar to the Empress Dowager’s.”
Realisation dawned upon Pei Zheng. “Commandery Prince, your strategy of having the Empress Dowager go missing has been turned around by that severance letter. That is to say, Prince Hao’s wedding will proceed as planned. What should we do now?”
“Lord Pei, don’t worry; this Prince naturally has a solution. Even if Prince Hao has countered this plan, how will the wedding proceed with the bride gone?” Xie Yun assuaged Pei Zheng’s worries as he patted his shoulder.
“You mean to kill Su Xi-er on the day of the wedding?” Pei Zheng’s face was filled with confusion. Isn’t this too risky? Having raised Pei Qianhao for many years, I am very clear about his tough and unyielding personality.
“You don’t have to ask about what we should do, Lord Pei. Just rest assured.” Xie Yun’s eyes suddenly became harsh. “Lord Pei, you are Prince Hao’s adoptive father; you have to attend his wedding.”
Pei Zheng’s heart turned sour from sorrow when he heard the word ‘father’. Back then, I brought him home and raised him like my own because I found him intelligent, and thought that he would make a good study companion for my eldest son. Who would have thought that my biological son would pass away after falling from a horse? Due to a lack of choice, I accepted Pei Qianhao as the Pei Family’s eldest son.
The phrase ‘nurturing a snake in one’s bosom’ can be used to refer to me. It was Old Commandery Prince Xie’s fault that my biological son died. The reason was simple: he had taken a liking to Pei Qianhao. Yet, the engagement agreement was between Commandery Princess Xie and the Pei Family’s eldest son.
Thus, Old Commandery Prince Xie killed my biological son, and I killed him. From then on, enmity was sowed between the Pei and Xie families.
“Lord Pei, you didn’t raise a son, but a ferocious tiger. You have to turn up at Prince Hao’s wedding, work together with this Prince, and find a way to delay Prince Hao from entering the nuptial chamber.” There was a trace of a smile at the corner of Xie Yun’s mouth. Everything comes down to that day.
In order to protect the Pei Family, Pei Zheng could only collaborate with Xie Yun. Eradicating Su Xi-er, controlling Pei Qianhao, and having a woman from the Pei Family enter the Prince Hao Residence were his true intentions.
Hence, Pei Zheng no longer hesitated. “Alright, I will do my best to cooperate with you on that day.”
“Guards, come and send Lord Pei back to the Pei Residence.” Xie Yun commanded the guards standing outside the main hall.
A guard was about to enter the main hall when he froze for a moment; he remained that way for only an instant before his expression returned to normal. He walked in and gestured at Pei Zheng to leave.
Pei Zheng walked out of the main hall and left the Commandery Prince Residence.
Soon, the guard who saw Pei Zheng off returned, anxiously reporting to Xie Yun, “Commandery Prince, the Commandery Princess was listening in on the conversation you had with Lord Pei.”
Xie Yun’s expression immediately became solemn. He walked out of the main hall and headed for Xie Liuli’s courtyard.
Xie Liuli had dismissed the maidservants, and was anxiously pacing around in her room after hearing the exchange between her elder brother and Pei Zheng.
I can’t leave the Commandery Prince Residence, so how do I inform Su Xi-er? She will definitely be in danger on the day of the wedding! Hearing Xie Yun talk about the bride going missing had frightened her.
I didn’t expect that Elder Brother would be so ruthless.
The door was suddenly pushed open, causing her heart to skip a beat in shock. When she caught sight of Xie Yun’s solemn expression, her heart plummeted.
She knew that her elder brother had found out about her eavesdropping. No longer cowering back, Xie Liuli questioned, “Elder Brother, there’s no grudge between you and Su Xi-er. Why do you insist on doing this?”
