Chapter 119: Is Young Master Pei also reborn?

Pei Zhi's smile froze; he abruptly lifted his gaze, and the expression in his eyes shifted suddenly.

"I want to talk about Xie Yan," Shen Shuangning continued.

The candlelight flickered for a moment, and Shen Shuangning couldn't make out the fleeting shadow in Pei Zhi's eyes.

Pei Zhi lowered his lids again, concealing his feelings without a sound.

He fell silent for a moment, then said softly, "It seems to be for the Xie Clan." One could tell nothing of his emotion.

Shen Shuangning nodded as a matter of course, then added, "It's not just for the Xie Clan. I learned from Young Master Xiao that Xie Yan has another identity—he is a person from Cangji Mountain in the Holy Heaven Sect. This man is utterly wicked, pulling strings behind the scenes to stir up chaos, causing the deaths of many innocents; he ought to be arrested and punished according to law..."

Actually, Xiao Jingyuan hadn't yet had the chance to tell her in detail, but she could easily infer from her past-life memories that this person was certainly no good.

When Shen Shuangning mentioned him, her brows knit tight; she also thought of the Prince Rui who had frivolously offended her, and her face showed undisguised hatred.

Pei Zhi saw this, seemingly unsurprised; she would indeed hate him.

He lowered his eyes, tugged at the corner of his mouth, said nothing, and merely nodded in agreement.

He seemed to be listening attentively, yet his tea-pouring motion inexplicably froze, and his mind drifted far away.

Steaming tea poured from the spout, flowing into the cup until it overflowed, unnoticed.

Shen Shuangning noticed first and quickly called out, "Young Master Pei!"

Pei Zhi's fingers and the back of his hand were scalded by the tea; that slender, jade-like hand instantly turned bright red, a sight that tugged at the heart.

He said it was fine, but Shen Shuangning already called loudly for Aunt Liu, asking her to fetch cold water.

The back kitchen of Li Ji already had ice prepared; Aunt Liu swiftly smashed a few chunks, put them in a copper basin, mixed in water, and soon brought it over.

Shen Shuangning seized his wrist without hesitation, pressed it into the icy water, and gently chided, "How could you be so careless? Were you lost in thought just now?"

The water was ice-cold, yet the young lady's hand was warm, as if a current of warmth crept up her veins.

Pei Zhi lifted his gaze to her; in the lamplight her profile was soft, her eyes holding genuine concern.

If only it could stay like this forever—how wonderful that would be.

He would let her see him as Pei Sanlang, allowing her to rely on him peacefully...

Shen Shuangning blinked. "Zoning out again?"

Pei Zhi came to, gave a soft "hm," and said with his usual expression, "It's quite unexpected—I never imagined Xie Yan would be such a person. Thank you, Miss Ning, for telling me. If we could capture him, it would surely be a great merit."

"There's one more thing..." Shen Shuangning withdrew her hand and sat back down.

At that moment, no one else was in the room.

Shen Shuangning had been mulling over her words for half a day, and finally decided to speak them.

She lifted her head, looked at Pei Zhi, and said, "Young Master Pei, are you also reborn?" This question had lingered in her heart for a long time.

Pei Zhi heard this, his gaze sinking as he stared at her, silent for a good while.

Their eyes met.

Shen Shuangning held her breath.

If an ordinary person heard the word "rebirth," they'd surely show confusion or surprise, but Pei Zhi merely looked at her calmly.

The answer was already obvious.

The wick sputtered a spark, emitting a soft "crackle."

Only then did Pei Zhi slowly nod and say, "Yes."

Shen Shuangning said sharply, "You also already knew I was reborn, didn't you?"

Pei Zhi gave a slight nod; his hand was still soaking in the icy water, but out of Shen Shuangning's sight he slowly clenched it.

After this doubt was cleared, Shen Shuangning felt her heart lighten considerably.

She did not press Pei Zhi about his past life—everyone has their own secrets, just as she herself was unwilling to speak lightly of those pains. Changing the subject, she continued talking about Xie Yan and Prince Rui.

"Prince Rui is deep‑thinking and ruthless," Shen Shuangning said, her voice unconsciously taking on a wary tone, "I have a grudge against him, and I privately do not wish to see him ascend the throne one day."

After all, in his previous life, even as a prince he dared to offend her when she was already the crown princess; if he became emperor, one could not imagine what greater outrages he might commit.

Not wanting to see Prince Rui triumph, we ought to cut off his left and right arms first—Xie Yan counts as one of them.

Earlier, Shen Shuangning hadn't been clear about Pei Zhi's stance, so she didn't dare say such things; but now that Pei Zhi is a man of the Crown Prince, she need hold back no longer.

The Crown Prince and Prince Rui are like fire and water; the Queen has long been paving the way for Prince Rui, and once he returns to the capital, a bloody storm is bound to erupt.

Pei Zhi said, "Miss Ning's thoughts coincide with mine. As I assist the Crown Prince, I also do not wish to see Prince Rui gain power; as for that Xie Yan, I had long wanted to eliminate him swiftly—Miss Ning, even if you didn't say so, I would do the same."

Upon hearing this, Shen Shuangning broke into a radiant smile—how excellent!

She had come to Pei Zhi merely to discuss these matters, with nothing else.

The secret of their mutual rebirth, once revealed, was merely brushed over lightly; they tacitly agreed not to delve deeper.

Knowing she was in a hurry to return, Pei Zhi personally saw her to the gate of Li Ji and watched her board the carriage.

Shen Shuangning stepped onto the carriage shaft but did not rush inside; she turned back, pleading with Pei Zhi, "Regarding the Xie Clan, I ask Young Master Pei to speak a few good words before His Majesty; I will surely repay you in the future."

Pei Zhi lifted his gaze to his own bright moon and said gently, "Whatever you wish, I will strive to fulfill it."

After finishing their business, Shen Shuangning hurried back to the Duke's Manor while the sky was still dim.

Who would have thought that, just as she rounded the screen wall, a figure in the corridor caught her red‑handed!

Shen Xiuci wore a white inner robe, with a dark‑gray outer robe casually draped over his shoulders, his hair loosely tied up; it was clear he had just risen from bed, yet he had already been standing in the corridor for a long while.

With his back to the morning light, half his face lay in shadow, his eyes stern and cold as he fixedly stared at her, making Shen Shuangning's heart pound.

"Ah, ah, older brother..." Shen Shuangning, feeling guilty, involuntarily put on a few fawning and obedient expressions.

Shen Xiuci then spoke coldly, "Where did you go?"

Shen Shuangning dared hardly look at his eyes, twisting the cuff of her sleeve, "I… I went to Li Ji..."

Shen Xiuci cut her off directly: "Don't tell me you were just hungry at night and ran to Li Ji for snacks. I'm not as easily fooled as my parents. Exactly who did you meet? Speak!"

Shen Shuangning had not expected to be blocked straight on by her older brother; her mind was a jumble, and for a moment she could think of no plausible excuse.

No matter how grand the excuse, one shouldn't leave the manor at night!

Shen Xiuci saw her hem and haw, his brows knitting tighter, his tone sinking a few points: "Just returned to the manor and you're already dishonest—young lady from a respectable family, daring to sneak out at night for a tryst, what good could you learn? Instead you pick up Second Shen's obstinate, wicked streak—you've really picked up some bad habits!"

"Is it because of that Yongning Marquis affair that you went to find Xie Yan?"

During the day, when Shen Shuangning came out from Old Madam Shen's quarters, her demeanor was listless, and Shen Xiuci guessed she wouldn't stay put.

He was also worried that Shen Shuangning might become desperate and elope directly with Xie Yan.

Shen Shuangning hurriedly said, "No, I'm not going to see Xie Yan."

Shen Xiuci narrowed his eyes to size her up: "Not Xie Yan—then who is it?"

"It's Master Pei."

Shen Shuangning confessed frankly, adding: "That is, the Junior Preceptor Pei."

Shen Xiuci fell silent.

Shen Shuangning explained: "I sought him out for an urgent matter, not what Brother thinks. Brother, please don't tell Mother, all right?"

Shen Xiuci's expression turned odd, but he said nothing more; after giving her two reminders, he let her go.

Shen Shuangning, feeling as if pardoned, slunk back to her Lan Garden.

The next morning, Shen Shuangning heard that Pei Zhi had been summoned by the Emperor for a reprimand, and, because he was implicated in the Holy Heaven Sect rebels, had received thirty blows of the heavy board.

Since Shen Shuangning's unauthorized sneak‑out, Shen Xiuci has forbidden her to leave the manor; Lady Liu also thinks the situation chaotic and the outside dangerous, so she orders Shen Shuangning to stay inside, behave herself, and rest properly.

Shen Shuangning cannot go out, nor can she easily obtain any useful news.

Outside the palace gates, Pei Zhi was helped along by attendants; his normally upright frame was now slightly hunched, his usually gentle and refined face a deathly pallor.

He lifted his gaze to the black‑clothed man blocking his way, tugged at the corner of his mouth, and revealed a smirk that did not reach his eyes.

"Pei Mou risked himself to tell the Crown Prince that great secret in good faith, yet the Crown Prince tore down the bridge after crossing—truly lacking in righteousness."

Xiao Jingyuan stood with hands behind his back, his face unreadable, and said sarcastically: "Good intentions? What scheme are you playing, as if I don't know?"

Moreover, the secret Pei Zhi spoke of may not be entirely true; words coming from his mouth cannot be lightly believed.

Pei Zhi let out a faint sigh: "The Crown Prince's prejudice against me is too deep."

"All old foxes, pretending to be strangers from Liaozhai?"

Xiao Jingyuan cut straight to the point: "You've long known that Xie Yan is colluding with the Holy Heaven Sect, haven't you?"

Though phrased as a question, Xiao Jingyuan's tone was quite certain.

Otherwise, when Shen Shuangning ran into trouble earlier, Pei Zhi would not have warned him: 'Beware of Xie Yan.'

Thinking deeper, Pei Zhi may have long known that Xie Yan would take the chance to do away with him, but at that time he still hadn't found Shen Shuangning's whereabouts, so, out of consideration for her, he kindly gave that warning.

Xiao Jingyuan always felt that Pei Zhi had harbored a latent hostility toward him from the start.

This is not normal.

This Master Pei San says he bears a deep prejudice against me, yet according to his view, it is clearly Pei Zhi who first inexplicably showed hostility toward me.

Pei Zhi's expression unchanged: "It's only that His Highness the Crown Prince harbors some suspicion of that person; I was ordered to investigate and turned up only a few clues, with no solid evidence—I never imagined he was truly a rebel."

Xiao Jingyuan narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to discern truth from falsehood in his words.

At that moment, an attendant from the Eastern Palace arrived to summon Pei Zhi—surely the Crown Prince was looking for him.

Pei Zhi glanced at Xiao Jingyuan, said "Excuse me," and departed.

But before leaving, as if recalling something, he paused, turned his head sideways, and said: "If the Crown Prince wishes to investigate the events of years past, it may be hard to find, but I can point him to a clear path—go see Gu Fengchun of the Ministry of Punishments; he will give the Crown Prince leads."

He appeared utterly open‑minded and untroubled, as if he didn't care that Xiao Jingyuan had just slighted him.

Xiao Jingyuan's face darkened, for he knew Pei Zhi harbored ill intent and had laid a trap ahead, yet he had no choice but to walk into it.

Upon returning to the Jinyiwei headquarters, as the long street ended, several swift horses galloped up; their riders wore strange garb, high noses and deep eyes, foreign features—indeed they were Jurchen people.

These people had not yet departed.

During the previous spring hunt, an ambush had forced the expedition to halt; the Jurchen princess obviously had not yet had her fill, so she would not leave so easily.

Indeed, these past few days they have been frolicking about in Jingcheng, relying on their status to act lawlessly.

They often go calling on officials' mansions, flaunting their power; the officials, though unwilling, must still provide them with fine food and drink.

The Jurchen's conduct has infuriated the elderly officials of the Ministry of Rites, who fume, stroke their beards, glare, and repeatedly submit memorials to the Emperor accusing them.

Yet having come from afar as guests, they are a group of young ladies and have done nothing heinous; if one is too strict, it only shows the Liang court's narrow‑mindedness and loses the dignity of the Celestial Empire.

Although Emperor Xuánwén is dissatisfied in his heart, he cannot well say anything, so no one can rein them in, and thus this group grows ever bolder.

At present everyone in the court hopes they will hurry back, but the more this is urged, the more the Jurchen cling on, insisting on causing trouble for Liang.

In the bustling market, those few swift horses sped like flying, their pace undiminished, causing passersby along the street to topple over, man and horse alike.

Leading them was a woman with chestnut‑colored curled hair, exposing a slender waist—none other than Su Mu'er; she whistled with her horsewhip, laughing wildly as she rode.

The Jingcheng populace had never seen such a spectacle—women riding horses in the street already shocking enough, yet they acted so arrogantly, truly unprecedented!

In the blink of an eye, those swift horses vanished, leaving only a rising and falling chorus of curses and complaints.

Xiao Jingyuan withdrew his gaze, yet thought of a plan that could spare the Yongning Marquis household from heavy punishment.

He was about to send someone to find Xie Yan to discuss it, when he learned Xie Yan was already waiting for him at the Jinyiwei headquarters.

As Xiao Jingyuan stepped into his usual office, Xie Yan sat in a Grand Tutor's chair; beside the desk lay an opened wooden box.

Its contents had been taken out and placed to the side.

It was a brightly colored sachet and an exquisite jade butterfly hairpin.

These belonged to Shen Shuangning.

Xiao Jingyuan's complexion shifted slightly.

Xie Yan set down his teacup, unexpectedly calm, and stared straight at him, saying: "Shall we talk?"