Chapter 118

Pei Zhi heard the words, slowly straightened his body, the knife in his hand drawing out accordingly; blood immediately gushed from the wound, yet his face showed not the slightest ripple.

He merely instructed the servant beside him in a calm tone: "What are you standing there for? Come over."

"Come, come over?"

Only then did the servant snap out of his daze, hastily stepping forward, trembling as he lifted the corpse of Sui Ying into his arms.

"Young, young master… what… what should we do with this person?" he stammered.

Pei Zhi drew a clean silk handkerchief, calmly wiping the blade, then wiped the blood from his hands.

Yet no matter how he wiped, the blood on his hand wouldn't come off; his clear eyes gradually grew a layer of killing intent, his wiping motion turning rough without him realizing, making onlookers feel their hearts leap.

Hearing the servant's question, he lifted his gaze; his look was dark and chillingly frightening, as if some monster were about to crawl out of this skin.

The servant's calves went weak at that glance, almost collapsing to his knees in fear.

But the next moment, the killing intent in Pei Zhi's eyes receded like a tide; the terrifying expression vanished instantly, his face returning to warm calm, as if nothing had happened.

"Take him back first," Pei Zhi ordered.

With a "gulping" sound, the servant heard his own swallow; such a calm young master made people feel even more fearful and dread.

Qing Feng, who had gone to secretly monitor Pei Zhi, returned, looking as if he'd seen a ghost.

As soon as he entered, he urgently told Xiao Jingyuan: "That Junior Tutor Pei took the person outside, then killed him with a single blow!"

Qing Feng's temperament was not as steady as Qing Yun's, but he was an expert at tracking and concealment; the scene just now of Pei Zhi killing without blinking, he had seen it perfectly clear.

Having followed Xiao Jingyuan and witnessed many grand scenes, Qing Feng had encountered all sorts of vicious ruffians, naturally having killed with his own hands; yet recalling that scene just now—

Though it was May, the cold made the hairs on his neck stand on end!

Killing is ultimately not like slaughtering chickens; to end a living life with such an unchanging face, one must either be a vicious criminal whose hands are soaked in blood, or a deeply scheming cold-blooded type who treats human lives as grass.

He might even be both!

Yet looking at that Junior Tutor Pei—so bright and pure, dignified and proper, like a sage gentleman—no matter how you look, he shouldn't be that kind of person!

Perhaps precisely for that reason, Qing Feng felt especially fearful.

But after he blurted out his words in a flustered manner, the Young Master Xiao standing by the window showed no reaction.

The dim yellow candlelight spread across his cold, clear face, casting a flicker of light in his deep, still eyes, yet it could not pierce the undercurrents surging beneath.

"Young… Young Master?" Qing Feng instinctively restrained his temperament, calling out cautiously.

After a while, Xiao Jingyuan finally looked over, his gaze icy cold, like a Yama king.

The hairs on Qing Feng's neck stood up again; he muttered inwardly, "Damn," this Young Master's aspect is even more frightening than that Junior Tutor Pei!

Immediately afterward, Xiao Jingyuan coldly ordered: "Send someone trustworthy to the Ministry of Punishments to secretly retrieve all records from the sixth year of the Xuwen reign related to the Medicine King Valley, bring them to me, the sooner the better."

Qing Feng froze.

"Medicine King Valley? What place is that? Is it related to the rebels?"

Qing Feng didn't know, but since the Young Master mentioned it, it must be important.

Working under Xiao Jingyuan, you just need to be sharp, keep quiet, and simply follow orders.

Qing Feng replied "Yes, sir," and as he turned to leave, he suddenly remembered—ah, the matter of Junior Tutor Pei, the Young Master hasn't spoken yet!

Xiao Jingyuan's original plan was to release the person on the surface, while secretly having Qing Feng follow to see what Junior Tutor Pei was up to; but before they could find anything, the person was killed!

Qing Feng thus turned around in place and asked cautiously: "Isn't Sui Ying a major criminal? You just let Junior Tutor Pei take him away like that? If higher-ups investigate and a person is missing, how will we account for it?"

Above the Guard Bureau, who else could there be? Naturally, the Emperor.

But deceiving the Emperor is also quite simple.

Because Emperor Xuwen had never seen these prisoners, finding someone to impersonate them would do; given his trust in the Guard Bureau, he would not suspect.

The crucial part is the officials of the Three Offices; they have seen Sui Ying, and if they learn the Guard Bureau released a major criminal, those old-timers of the Three Offices will surely find an excuse to make trouble.

With Xiao Jingyuan's abilities, he naturally could conceal the past, yet for some reason he recalled the expression Pei Zhi wore when he earlier spoke of his origins—half-hidden, tinged with pity and satisfaction.

This annoyed Xiao Jingyuan.

He even regretted not having cut this person down with a single blow just moments ago.

He thus snorted coldly, lifted his gaze to Qing Feng, and said: "At tomorrow's interrogation, let the Three Offices' people come as observers, and by the way tell them that the rebel was forcibly taken by the Junior Tutor."

He had agreed to let Pei Zhi release the person, but had not agreed to conceal this matter for him.

Pei Zhi had given him displeasure, so he naturally wanted Pei Zhi to feel displeased as well.

Those on the Empress's side were still worrying they couldn't find any fault with the Crown Prince!

Qing Feng's eyes shifted, and his mind suddenly clicked.

The person had left the Guard Bureau, which would naturally bear responsibility, but since he ultimately died at Pei Zhi's hands, if the Emperor investigates, Pei Zhi would bear the main responsibility!

Qing Feng then relaxed considerably, replied "Received the order," and retreated with light steps.

By the time Pei Zhi appeared at Li Ji, half an hour had already passed.

It was past the third watch; the long street lay desolate and empty, not a soul in sight, just looking at it made one's heart race.

The servant helped Pei Zhi alight from the carriage; standing before Li Ji's shopfront, he could see a few streaks of warm light spilling from the upstairs window as he lifted his head.

This Li Ji was originally not the shop of the Pei family in the Duke of Defending the Nation's mansion; he had merely rented it because he knew she often came there.

Just as in his previous life.

He knew exactly what flavors she liked.

She liked the seasonal peach blossom pastry and osmanthus cake. The peach blossom pastry needed flaky, layered pastry, its filling mixed with fresh peach blossom petals, sweet but not greasy; the osmanthus cake had to be steamed soft and glutinous, the honey syrup drizzled on it not too thick, carrying the clear, fresh fragrance of newly picked osmanthus.

Even the small dish of pickled green plums she liked to have with her snacks, he remembered clearly, sour with a hint of sweet, just right to cut through the pastry's richness.

Pei Zhi gazed at the lit window, the fingers in his sleeve, just wiped clean with strong liquor, slightly curled; the bloody smell that had just touched them seemed already swept away by the night wind.

Aunt Liu had thought she wouldn't see Pei Zhi, never expecting him to come so late; she secretly thought that the Miss Shen upstairs was truly extraordinary.

"Please come in, sir," Aunt Liu said, deliberately lowering her voice.

Pei Zhi glanced at her, asking, "Is she asleep?"

Liu Aunt secretly felt alarmed; Master Pei truly is as perceptive as a god.

"Maybe I got bored waiting and accidentally fell asleep." Liu Aunt said softly, reaching out to take the cloak Pei Zhi handed over.

Pei Zhi gestured that Liu Aunt and the servant need not follow, and went up the stairs alone.

It's so late that even A Heng is getting drowsy, his head drooping.

But she is very alert; before anyone gets near, she instantly wakes.

Seeing it was Master Pei, A Heng breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing his inexplicably chilly neck; perhaps the night wind had slipped in through the window crack.

A Heng composed himself, rose and bowed to Pei Zhi, about to speak, when Pei Zhi raised a hand to gently stop him.

"You may step back first." Pei Zhi said softly.

His gaze, however, remained fixed on the woman slumped over the nearby table, the emotion in his depths indiscernible in the dim light.

In A Heng's eyes, Master Pei is a rare good person—not only handsome and warm in demeanor, but also attentive and thoughtful toward the young lady.

Now that the engagement between the young marquis and the young lady has fallen through, A Heng privately thinks Master Pei could become the young lady's son-in-law.

A Heng withdrew obediently, closing the door of the elegant room behind him, and stood guard outside.

No one else remained in the elegant room; Pei Zhi lifted his foot and walked slowly toward Shen Shuangning.

Only see the woman slumped on the table, her head resting on her own arm, her delicate little face turned toward the window; beneath a soft, curved brow, her eyelashes lay still like butterfly wings, a patch of moonlight spread across her cheek, faintly revealing a tiny scar on her cheek.

Yet the flaw does not mar the beauty; she remains as lovely as a fairy from a painting.

She had a thin blanket draped over her; perhaps Aunt Liu, fearing she would catch a chill, had quietly covered her.

But as she shifted in sleep, the blanket had slipped off more than half, barely gathered at her shoulders, revealing a slender, fair neck like a piece of fine mutton-fat jade.

Faintly adorning it was a bright red speck, especially conspicuous.

Pei Zhi stood tall in the shadow, his gaze fixed on that red speck; he stood still for a long while before slowly bending down.

His movement was extremely light, like a snake lurking in the darkness, silently approaching the prey he had fixed his eyes on.

When he drew near, fearing to disturb her, he gathered his wide sleeves and slowly extended a hand.

He halted a cun above her cheek, not touching it, merely shifting the gentle moonlight slightly aside.

On her tranquil face he cast a small patch, his shadow.

Pei Zhi curled his lips slightly, as if this alone satisfied him.

Yet in those clear, moist eyes flickered a near‑greedy possessiveness he himself had not noticed.

I hate that the bright moon hangs high, yet it does not shine on me.

Shen Shuangning had a confused strange dream, in which there was a snake and also a man with a burned face.

The man lay in the grass, near death, and she saved him.

But in the blink of an eye, he actually wanted to kill her!

Thus Shen Shuangning woke with a start.

For a moment she forgot where she was.

But when she lifted her head, she saw a large living person seated before her, dressed all in white, truly resembling a white impermanence, which truly startled her.

"Miss Ning has awakened."

Only upon hearing that warm, familiar voice did Shen Shuangning's racing heart gradually calm; she raised a hand to rub her face and said, "Master Pei, when did you arrive? Why didn't you wake me?"

Having slept long, her face bore several faint red marks from pressure.

Pei Zhi poured her a cup of hot tea and said gently, "I just arrived; seeing you asleep so soundly, I couldn't bear to disturb you."

He still appeared as that pure and warm gentleman, his brows bearing habitual serenity, his attire neat, his fingertips clean, unstained by dust like a celestial exile from the ninth heaven.

One would never guess that half an hour earlier he had personally ended a life, his fingertips still rolled with another's blood.

"I handled some matters, which took longer than expected, making you wait." he said.

Hearing this, Shen Shuangning instead felt somewhat guilty; Master Pei is so busy, if not for her affairs he ought to be resting now.

"Master Pei flatters me; it's I who disturbed you in the middle of the night, causing you to run about for me—I ought to apologize."

Pei Zhi smiled, said nothing, pushed the tea toward her, then prepared to pour his own, asking, "Miss Ning, do you have any urgent matter? Speak freely."

Shen Shuangning banished the strange dream from her mind, composed herself, stared straight at Pei Zhi, and uttered two words: "Xie Yan."