Chapter 218: Leaving (Part 2)
Shen Miao frowned, “Something happened?” Pei Lang did not have martial arts skills and if one meet with any danger during the journey, he would not have any way to protect himself.
“This servant also thought so.” Hui Xiang said, “But Ba Jiao found this on the table of Gentleman Pei’s room.” She then took a letter like thing from her sleeves and passed it to Shen Miao before speaking, “Only some of Gentleman Pei’s things and clothes were missing from the room. If this servant does not guess incorrectly, Gentleman Pei should have left.”
Shen Miao was just about to open up the letter when she paused.
Xie Jing Xing’s expression also slightly changed.
“Did he say anything before he left?” Shen Miao asked Hui Xiang.
“He did not say anything and behaved like usual. He also said that the weather is good today.” Hui Xiang said.
Shen Miao was somewhat baffled when Xie Jing Xing said, “Take a look at the letter and what it says.” He was about to get up to leave when Shen Miao held on to his sleeves.
Xie Jing Xing turn back and Shen Miao said, “Let’s see it together.”
Xie Jing Xing’s stepped paused and after thinking about it, he sat down again but there was a trace of a smile on his lips.
After opening up the later, Pei Lang’s handwriting appeared in front. Pei Lang’s words were as clear as his person and there was an elegant style of those famous scholars. He also looked like one but made one hard to imagine how such a elegant person would become mixed into the battle for power.
At the beginning of the letter, it spoke of how long he had been in the residence of Prince Rui and that he had brought a lot of trouble to the residence of Prince Rui and thanking the couple for offering shelter to him. He then hoped that Shen Miao would keep her promise and settle the latter half of Liu Ying’s life.
Pei Lang also wrote that even though he followed Shen Miao to Long Ye, it was only an interim plan and it was because of Fu Xiu Yi that he had nowhere to hide and thus came to Long Ye. However to continue staying in the residence of Prince Rui, there would be many inconveniences. He has his plans and prepared to travel around for the rest of his life to increase his knowledge and thus parted without saying goodbye.
Because he had some teacher and student relationship with Shen Miao and afterwards have some friendship, he had arranged some information for Shen Miao as he knew about some Prince Ding’s matter when he was staying in the residence of Prince Ding and knew that Shen Miao had been guarding against Prince Ding. He hoped that in the future it would be of use to Shen Miao.
When this letter was handed to Shen Miao, their relationship would be considered clean and clear. No one owed the other and Pei Lang wrote that one did not know if there would be another opportunity to see one another thus he could only say take care of oneself.
Pei Lang wrote this letter extremely simple and there seemed not to be special. One did not know if it was deliberately done to make clear of the relationship with Shen Miao and it was even detached and polite when one read between the lines. It was just like one had returned to when one was a teacher and student in Guang Wen Tang.
There was another piece of paper in the letter and it was filled with all the information on Fu Xiu Yi. Some was about his confidants, some was related to his plans, some was on the future steps that would be taken and people to be win over.
Xie jing Xing originally swept a look casually with Shen Miao towards the piece of paper but upon reading the back, his expression could not help but become serious.
There was nothing but information on Fu Xiu Yi and as such, there seemed to be almost no secret that Fu XIu Yi had in front of them and everyone was revealed. With this, it was like grabbing onto a snake at where it hurts and drilled in one’s heart step by step.
Xie Jing Xing said, “How could he know this much?”
Even if Pei Lang was a spy by Xie Jing Xing’s side and even with Fu Xiu Yi’s previous trust with him, it was not possible for him to trust him to such a level. Moreover the spies that Fu Xiu Yi embedded in the deepest of places where all written out by Pei Lang. The details provided was like he was a favoured confident that followed for many years and knew one’s master’s matters like the palm of one’s hands.
Shen Miao’s fingertips was somewhat shaking.
Some of the matters inside would only occur a few years later. Even at this moment, Fu Xiu Yi did not encounter these people yet so how would Pei Lang have any knowledge of them?
Unless Pei Lang had the memory of the previous life time then he would be able to know Fu Xiu Yi’s ‘future’ confidants and chess pieces and also ‘future’ plans.
When did Pei Lang have that knowledge? He previously did not know anything.
Could it be… Shen Miao heart moved. It was because of the assassination during Xie Jing Xing’s birthday that she dreamt about her previous lifetime, could it be that Pei Lang was also the same?
She looked at Hui Xiang, “Is there any difference with Gentleman Pei these days?”
“Differences?” Hui Xiang thought carefully before replying, “There seem to be no difference. He would often be in a daze when sitting and one do not know what he was thinking. However Gentleman Pei’s previous personality was quiet thus he was also the same when he is recovering from his injuries.”
SHen Miao was unable to make up her mind and wanted to ask Pei Lang if he knew about the matters of the past lifetime. Pei Lang was the person that followed Fu Xiu Yi the longest and naturally knew Fu Xiu Yi the most. But just as she wanted to speak, she stopped.
So what about that? If Pei Lang really remembered the past lifetime, just like how Shen Miao was not able to face Pei Lang, Pei Lang definitely had no idea how to face her.
Both of them were not considered sworn enemies but also not friends who could trust each other with their hearts. There were blood debts between them but they were all personally paid off. In the depths of the Palace, there were times where matters were not of one’s own volition but it was indeed one’s mistakes. One could not take it as though nothing had happen but also could not state things clearly.
When Xie Jing Xing saw her uncertain look, he asked, “Need me to instruct people to bring him back?”
Shen Miao recovered to her senses, “No need. Since he wants to live his own life then let him be.” Since seeing one another would lead to fights, it was better not to meet. It was good that Pei Lang left like this. She held that piece of paper and her eyes became serious.
When Xie Jing Xing saw it, he said, “The things that are written…”
“It is real.” Shen Miao said, “One have to pass this to Eldest Brother. We are not in Ding capital so it is not easy to take action when holding this. Handing this over to Eldest Brother and Father, they would be able to play by the ear. With this, the Shen family will at least have some more chips on hand.” After that she said with difficulty, “But this is very valuable. If this was being robbed during the journey back to Ming Qi…”
“Let the Mo Yun Army do it.” Xie Jing Xing said it heedlessly, “The Mo Yun Army has been sending letters for so many years and have not been intercepted.”
Shen Miao’s heart felt slightly safer but before she could speak, Pei Lang’s letter that was in her hands was taken away by Xie Jing Xing. Xie Jing Xing threw the letter aside intentionally and said, “It is late. Time to rest.”
“How is it late?” Shen Miao said curiously, “The skies just got dark.” She then said, “Even though there is no need to bring Gentleman Pei back, one have to at least ensure his safety else if one is stabbed for no reason or being watched by others…”
Before the voice land, Shen Miao was carried by Xie Jing Xing and thrown onto the bed. As he got nearer to her, he spoke darkly, “Try caring about Pei Lang again.”
Shen Miao, “…”
*****
In the Palace.
In the Imperial Gardens, the Lotus were blooming beautifully in the summer that the green lotus leaves almost filled the entire pond.
Empress Xian De sat in the pavilion and although there was no moon today, there were stars and the water was clear and crystalline, making it a wonderful scene. She instructed people to brew some tea as it was apt to drink a little during summer.
Tao GuGu stood behind her and smiled, “The Lotus blossoms really well this year.”
Empress Xian De took a glance and smiled, “Last year one had instructed them to change the breeds thus this year, it grew much more prosperous.” She also said, “It is also cooling in the summer.”
Just as she was speaking, one could see someone walking over from afar and seemingly saw Empress Xian De and the few of them before slightly pausing in their movements and headed towards this pavilion.
It was only when one walked nearer, could one see clearly that this person was not others but Consort Jing.
Compared to the previous arrogant and heavily dressed Consort Jing, the current Consort Jing looked like she was in tough straits. Or one should not say it was only today. Lately Consort Jing’s situation had not been good and she had no mood to pay attention to her clothes and appearance thus there were some tiredness in the usually beautiful face of hers.
However when seeing Empress Xian De, that fatigue turned into hatred in a moment.
She said, “One saw someone from afar and was thinking who had such good spirits. So it is the Empress.”
Empress Xian De smiled noncommittally, “BenGong is drinking tea here. Does Consort Jing want to drink a cup?”
Consort Jing coldly smiled as she stared at her, “Older Sister has the mood to drink tea but Younger Sister has no such thoughts.”
Emperor Yong Le had begun to suppress the Lu family and even though the people of the Inner Palace did not understand the courts, they could see it through the Emperor’s attitude. The previously favoured consort had fallen to a state where even crying or pleading would not shake the Emperor’s expression and that had a deeper meaning to it.
“BenGong do not care if Consort Jing have the thought or not.” Empress Xian De smiled and continue to pour a cup of tea, “The tea is always here.”
Consort Jing was so angry that she was somewhat trembling.
Lu Furen came into the Palace to look for her, saying that Emperor Yong Le was dealing with the Lu family and his attitude was one that did not even care about any past relations. She also said that she had the favour of Emperor Yong Le, so why was there no effect in blowing wind by one’s pillow? She wanted her to inquire and probe Emperor Yong Le’s intention and if necessary, plead for leniency.
But Consort Jing had done it but it did not help at all. In fact for so many years, even though Emperor Yong Le extremely doted her that in the Inner Palace, Empress Xian De had to give her some leeway that no matter how arrogant she was, she would always get away with it. However she had never once change Emperor Yong Le’s mind before.
Sometimes she would feel that Emperor Yong Le seemed to have seen everything and knew that she was deliberately pleasing him and sometimes Consort Jing felt somewhat shameful. However there were times where she felt that Emperor Yong Le indeed favoured her. Now that something happened to the Lu family and needed her, a daughter, to help, so Consort Jing would look for Emperor Yong Le but Emperor Yong Le’s attitude was ice cold.
Consort Jing had been sailing with the wind and currents for an entire lifetime and had not suffered anything. When she entered the Palace, she rose to the position of a Consort easily due to her Lu family background and now that the Lu family is in trouble, she also suffered from it. Now she discovered that after so many years, other than antagonising people and creating unreasonable scenes, she did not do anything else.
On the other hand, the Empress Xian De that she was dissatisfied with, could actually sit in a pavilion to drink tea leisurely and unconstrained and that made Consort Jing’s heart filled with resentment.
She thought that Emperor Yong Le did not love Empress Xian De and that Empress Xian De was only respected by everyone because of the position of the Empress. This was just too unfair. If there was no Empress Xian De blocking, she would become the Empress and Emperor Yong Le would not ignore the Lu family and she would not have a headache now.
A malicious resentment appeared in Consort Jing’s heart.
She happened to see that in the pavilion that Empress Xian De was sitting it, there was a ladder near the pavilion to the lake. It was so that it would be convenient to feed the fishes on normal days and it would also look elegant but it was somewhat dangerous.
Consort Jing quietly got closer to Empress Xian De and said, “Older Sister has brewed so many years of tea, naturally one knew the rules of brewing tea. However this Younger Sister does not like tea as tea is bitter and those who drink it would not be comfortable so why brew it?” When this sentence was spoken, she shouted an ‘Aiyah’ and stumbled and headed towards Empress Xian De. Empress Xian De was sitting hear the water so by knocking onto Empress Xian De, she would fall into the water!
What kind of person was Empress Xian De? Consort Jing was stupid but Empress Xian De was not. This kind of little trick did not even enter her eyes. She had long been wary and seeing Consort Jing leaning over, she took a step back and avoided Consort Jing.
One only heard a ‘blop’ sound and splashes of water.
The palace maid by Consort Jing’s side shouted out in shock.