Chapter 123: Do You Want To

If we follow Pei Qingyan's reasoning, the Chastity Maiden Hehuan Sect killed her mother, yet she still recognized a thief as her father and stayed in the sect for eighteen years?

Pei Chuyun momentarily lost her train of thought, her mind in total chaos.

Her small hand suddenly fell into a warm palm; Lu Xingzhou, without changing his expression, gave it a gentle squeeze. Pei Chuyun turned to look at him. Lu Xingzhou blinked, signaling her not to panic.

Pei Chuyun's heart immediately calmed down. Regardless of the specifics of this matter, Lu Xingzhou certainly had an analysis in mind. Now was not the time to talk; she would discuss it with him properly later.

Thinking of this, she forced a smile and sighed softly: "That is a pity."

Pei Qingyan's gaze upon her was also somewhat hard to describe, a certain kindness mixed with a long-buried nostalgia stirring faintly in his heart. Yet it was not the right occasion to express it, and he hesitated several times, appearing as if he wanted to speak but held back.

Pei Yu looked at his father, then at "A Su," and his expression began to turn strange.

It was clearly an invitation for Lu Xingzhou to discuss the Huo family matters, so why did the focus seem off...

Could it truly be a romantic debt their father incurred back then? An illegitimate daughter had come knocking?

"Ahem." Pei Yu finally coughed dryly, trying to steer the topic back on track: "Um, Brother Lu... regarding Huo Lu's collusion with the Infant Ghost, the authorities will soon conduct a trial. As the involved party, you may be summoned."

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Brother Pei invited me to your family banquet, surely not just for this? Rather, if Brother Pei has any need for me to do, feel free to speak plainly."

Pei Yu said: "Brother Lu should know that the mere matter of Huo Lu can only ensure Huo Lu himself cannot recover, but it is not fatal to the Huo family. Even though we know deep down that the collusion with demonic cultivators might not have been done by Huo Lu himself—how could someone newly arrived in Mengui City know the Infant Ghost? It is very possible the Infant Ghost was a dog raised by the Huo family, or perhaps the Huo family raised more than just this one. We are attacking the Huo father and son from this angle, but we lack concrete evidence. If we stop at Huo Lu alone, it would truly be a pity.

Lu Xingzhou shook his head: "Regarding this matter, I also cannot provide concrete evidence that the Huo family raised demonic cultivators. It would be better to search the Infant Ghost's soul directly."

"The problem lies right here. Prefect Meng attempted a shallow soul search of the Infant Ghost but discovered his master is the Holy Maiden of Hehuan, having nothing to do with the Huo family. Now we do not know if the Holy Maiden of Hehuan is colluding with the Huo family or what the situation is. Prefect Meng dares not delve deeper into the soul search, fearing he might ruin it completely, leaving him in a dilemma. Prefect Meng sent a message to us, saying that finding Brother Lu might be of some use."

Lu Xingzhou: "..."

Pei Chuyun's pretty face turned bright red with suppressed emotion.

Prefect Meng must be jumping with frustration in Mengui City right now. The cat Lu Xingzhou keeps in his room is undoubtedly the Holy Maiden of Hehuan; why didn't he grab her and ask more questions back then?

Lu Xingzhou coughed twice: "How about this? Once they are escorted here, let me meet the Infant Ghost; I might gain some other results."

Pei Yu added: "Furthermore, the Huo family's abuse of a concubine-born son, leading to the death of their own biological son, is something that, once brought to light, would be a heavy blow to the Huo family's reputation. Huo Xingyuan would at least face demotion and be forced to stay home for self-reflection. I wonder if Brother Lu...

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "You hope I will step forward to file a complaint?"

Pei Yu asked tentatively: "Does Brother Lu have any concerns? If you speak them, perhaps we can try to resolve them."

"I have no other concerns." Lu Xingzhou said calmly: "It is just that I do not wish to bear the reputation of a son accusing his father. Huo Shang was beaten to death by Huo Qi; every brother who daily abused him, even the vicious servants, had a part in it. If you want me to accuse them, that is fine."

The Pei father and son exchanged a glance. Pei Qingyan finally spoke: "People of the Jianghuzong Sect do not fear bearing such a reputation... It seems Young Master Lu, after going to the Pill Academy for further study, actually intends to walk the path of the court?"

Lu Xingzhou said calmly: "The future is hard to predict, but I cannot block off a path for myself before I have even chosen one, can I?"

Pei Chuyun looked at Lu Xingzhou, silently thinking that the Pei family obviously viewed Lu Xingzhou merely as a tool and a chess piece, caring nothing for his life; that was why Lu Xingzhou wanted to use her background as a stepping stone, for if the Pei family owed him a favor, their relationship would be somewhat different.

Yet, until now, Lu Xingzhou had not continued to bring up that background topic; instead, the conversation had gradually led both sides into a dead end.

Was it for her sake?

Pei Yu finally said: "If the Pei family promises to support Brother Lu in the court in the future, what does Brother Lu think?"

Lu Xingzhou shook his head and laughed: "I am truly not some greenhorn just out of the cradle... Brother Pei, it seems you all have not thought it through yet. We can talk again once you have."

Pei Yu looked at his father. By all rights, Pei Qingyan should have stepped in to say something by now, yet Pei Qingyan remained silent. This made Pei Yu extremely awkward; if his father did not cooperate, how could this play continue...

He could only laugh it off: "There is no rush. Come, come, Brother Lu, taste our Pei family's home cooking; do not just focus on chatting."

A home-cooked meal did not last long. Before long, Lu Xingzhou stood up to take his leave: "Thank you, Prime Minister Pei, for your hospitality. I still need to study the Pill Scriptures, so I will return to the inn now."

Pei Qingyan did not say anything else, simply nodding: "Yu, see the guest off."

Pei Yu looked at his father strangely, then escorted Lu Xingzhou and the others out.

Walking outside the courtyard, Pei Yu lowered his voice: "Brother Lu, I have an unreasonable request, I wonder if it is appropriate..."

Lu Xingzhou nodded: "Brother Pei, please speak."

Pei Yu glanced at Pei Chuyun: "As for this Miss A Su, I wonder if Brother Lu could part with her?"

Lu Xingzhou raised an eyebrow. Pei Yu hurriedly said: "Brother Lu, please do not misunderstand... I see that my father seems somewhat distracted tonight, likely because Miss A Su has stirred his nostalgia for an old acquaintance. As a son, I wish to share my father's burdens. I was thinking that if Miss A Su could enter the Pei residence... we would absolutely not treat her as an ordinary maid. I wonder if Brother Lu..."

Lu Xingzhou smiled and shook his head: "Brother Pei... A Su is named a maid, but in reality, she is my friend, free to come and go, not a commodity to be weighed on a counter. So, Brother Pei, the words I just spoke still hold: I feel many things you all have not thought through yet; we can talk again once you have."

Pei Yu was stunned; he truly had not expected that Lu Xingzhou would refuse such a trivial matter as buying a maid.

Previously refusing to "accuse one's father" had already been considered offending the Pei family, but it was at least reasonable, and the Pei family had the magnanimity not to hold it against him. This time, even a normal person should have used the maid issue to ease relations; who would have thought he would refuse twice...

For a moment, he did not know what to say. After a long while, he bowed his hands: "Then, Brother Lu, take care."

A Nuo pushed Lu Xingzhou away, while Pei Chuyun followed beside them, head bowed, saying not a word.

"What?" Lu Xingzhou said calmly: "Do you wish to stay at the Pei residence?"

"No..." Pei Chuyun said softly: "I was thinking, wouldn't it be more useful for you if I stayed at the Pei residence to blow the wind? Anyway, the Pei family cannot trap me; I can come and go as I please. Why offend them so stiffly?"

"Ha?" Lu Xingzhou laughed: "What we want is to unravel your mystery, not to blow any wind for the Pei family. My matters... do not need to use you as a bargaining chip."

Pei Chuyun hummed: "Clearly, the original plan was to use me as a bargaining chip."

"But I have already said, I will not do so now."

Pei Chuyun pressed her lips together and said no more.

Lu Xingzhou said leisurely: "To speak plainly, the Pei family does not truly respect me right now. Everything is only because my suspected identity as Huo Shang makes me a rare commodity to them. This is meaningless... Respect must be earned by oneself. If it were not for your matter, I would not have even eaten this meal today. An unequal negotiation was known from the start to yield no results."

Pei Chuyun did not reply. A Nuo laughed: "But the food at the Pei residence is delicious, a free meal."

Lu Xingzhou laughed heartily: "Exactly, a free meal."

The capital city at night was still very lively, with lights shining everywhere and crowds weaving like threads. The three of them temporarily stopped discussing these topics and walked happily through the spring night of the capital.

"Bang!" Fireworks shot into the sky in the distance. Pei Chuyun looked up, her eyes gradually becoming misty.

Lu Xingzhou was asking A Nuo: "Could today be the Lantern Festival?"

A Nuo shook her head: "The Lantern Festival passed while we were on our way to the capital; the first lunar month is almost over, Master."

"Then someone is setting off fireworks anyway..." Lu Xingzhou looked up at the fireworks for a while, then turned to look at Pei Chuyun's profile.

The pretty face of the literary young demon girl, with eyes full of confusion, was actually far more beautiful than the fireworks.

Lu Xingzhou suddenly laughed: "I feel these sudden fireworks are just to prove they are not as beautiful as you."

Pei Chuyun blinked her eyes, still somewhat confused as she turned to look at him, and finally giggled: "Hey, take those sweet words to Shen Tang; they are useless on me."

Lu Xingzhou smiled and said, "True words are always taken as lies."

As he spoke, they had already returned to the inn. The three entered the small courtyard, closed the gate, and the outside lights and clamor were cut off across dimensions; the pitch-black courtyard instead seemed even more secluded and silent.

Pei Chuyun entered the room, lit a candle, and stood by the table in a daze.

Lu Xingzhou pushed aside his wheelchair and walked in, embracing her waist: "What are you thinking about?"

Pei Chuyun said, "The thing you signaled to me during the banquet—can you speak of it now?"

"If it was truly the Chaste Maiden Union Sect that killed your mother, why not wipe out the root? Raising you and letting you keep the surname Pei—were they waiting for you to find clues and take revenge in the future? This seems very strange; there must be some issues behind it, not as simple as Pei Qingyan says..."

Pei Chuyun sighed slightly: "I thought the same; this matter is a bit strange. But... Pei Qingyan's attitude... should not be like he is lying."

"So do not judge based on only one side's account, regardless of whether Pei Qingyan is lying. Even if everything he says is true, the information he knows may not be correct either; after all, he was not at the scene, nor did he even handle the burial. I think if you have the chance, you could try to ask your master indirectly, comparing both accounts... Hmm, remember not to ask bluntly..."

"Am I that stupid?"

"Sometimes, yes..."

Pei Chuyun sighed, leaning weakly against his chest, speaking somewhat listlessly: "I didn't expect that what I thought was the most direct clue would instead become even more confusing..."

"Regardless of what schemes lie behind, Pei Qingyan is most likely truly your father. If you are only seeking your origins, then it has basically been uncovered; you did not come for nothing." Lu Xingzhou said, "However, I also know that your investigation into your origins is not merely for your origins, but to resolve your situation within the Union Sect. This matter is not finished, and I will continue to help you investigate."

Pei Chuyun smiled lazily: "Of course, who my father is doesn't matter at all; he never raised me for a single day, why should I care? However... now I truly believe you are considering things for my sake."

Lu Xingzhou kissed her cheek: "What I said was the truth to begin with."

"You clearly still want to deceive me..."

"Hmm? What else am I deceiving you about?"

"You want to deceive me into bed."

"..."

Pei Chuyun turned, embraced his neck, and said with a smile: "Speak, do you want to? If you don't, then it's over."

(End of this chapter)