Yuwen Tai returned to his study alone, and it was almost dawn.
Looking a little tired, he sat down at the table and began to write a secret letter. He kept thinking about the sad and desperate figure of the woman before she left. His brows were slightly furrowed, but he couldn't wipe away the sadness.
Li Xiao walked in quickly and whispered something in his ear nervously. The more Yuwen Tai listened, the uglier his expression became. He couldn't help but ask, "When did it happen?"
"It took half an incense stick of time for Concubine Xu to leave the cell." Li Xiao answered and took out a letter and a piece of jade from his arms and handed them to Yuwen Tai, "Before he left, he asked you to show them to Concubine Xu, saying... if you still have some conscience." Li Xiao's voice gradually became lower.
Yuwen Tai raised his eyebrows, casually opened the letter, read it, and then chuckled disdainfully: "What a pity that they are a pair of lovers with deep affection for each other." After reading it, he gave Li Xiao an order: "Seal the news first, don't let it leak out."
Li Xiao nodded and asked, "Then what about these..."
Yuwen Tai took another look and waved his hand impatiently: "Leave it with you first. When the time is right, do as he asks. Don't say that I have no conscience." Li Xiao endured for a long time and finally retreated silently.
》》》》》》》》》
On the evening of the seventh day, Zhao Pei returned to Daliang.
It seemed that no one paid much attention to her coming and going, but they were pointing and talking about her sudden disappearance and reappearance. Zhao Pei didn't want to pay attention, and was still struggling and hesitating. What if Yuwen Tai broke his promise? What if she... ... fell into his trap? Maybe Yuwen Tai was just playing with her... ... Zhao Pei was deceiving herself more and more, and she panicked while holding the gradually warm jade bottle. Was she really going to use the thing in her hand to put an end to Xiao Yi? She hated him, but she had never thought of killing him. What should she do... ...
In pain, she heard Xiao Tong say with sorrow and forbearance: "Don't do anything for me." She couldn't let him die... Such a choice must be unacceptable to anyone.
There were voices coming from outside the door. At first, they were just tentative greetings, but then the voices became louder and more urgent. She heard Ruhua's mumbling, Hanzhen's anxious questioning, and Ji Jiang's puzzled teasing.
After a long time, the door slowly opened. Zhao Pei appeared, dressed in dark clothes and pale. Han Zhen hurriedly stepped forward, grabbed her arm and asked, "Mother, what's wrong with you? What happened?"
Zhao Pei looked at Han Zhen quietly, smiled faintly and stroked her hair on her cheek, her eyes full of doting and pity, and murmured: "Zhen'er, you are my only child. You must live well."
Hanzhen's hands tightened, and she shook her with a strong sense of uneasiness: "Mom, don't scare me. What happened? Tell Zhen'er, and we'll find a solution together."
Zhao Pei ignored her questioning and turned to Ji Jiang, saying solemnly: "Ji Jiang, I leave Zhen'er to you. Take Zhen'er and Ruhua out of the palace immediately." The three of them were stunned when she heard this. Ruhua burst into tears: "What are you talking about, Madam? How can Ruhua leave you? Ruhua has been with you for decades..."
"There will no longer be peace in the palace. You must leave immediately. I'm doing this for your own good." Zhao Pei said with a cold face, feeling somewhat annoyed.
Hanzhen was shocked, as if she had thought of something. She panicked and grabbed Zhaopei's arm and shook it hard: "Mom, we have to go together. You can't stay here anymore. No!"
"Mother still has things to do. I will leave here and meet you when I finish my work. Don't worry, Zhen'er, just wait for me outside." Zhao Pei didn't want to say more and comforted her.
Hanzhen shook her head stubbornly: "No, I can't leave you. I won't let this happen. We must..." The other half of the words were still on her lips, and she fainted with a sharp pain in her neck. Ruhua exclaimed and then received the same treatment as Hanzhen.
What Zhao Pei saw was Ji Jiang standing there in a cold manner. She smiled slightly coldly and then sadly: "Ji Jiang, thank you. I... will leave Zhen'er and Ruhua to you. You must promise me to take good care of them."
Ji Jiang looked sad and silent. He stared at Zhao Pei who was still smiling bitterly. His chest tightened and he said in a deep voice, "We will wait for you at the Songjun Pavilion on the outskirts of the city. You must come."
Zhao Pei nodded, looked at the gradually darkening night sky, and handed her badge to Ji Jiang: "It's getting late, let's go." Ji Jiang looked at her pale eyebrows and eyes, and couldn't help pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly. Zhao Pei didn't move, letting him hold her. He buried his head in her hair and took a deep breath, and said in a trembling voice: "You must come, you can't break your promise. You must not break your promise."
She smiled and squinted her eyes, feeling the strong heartbeat of the young man and nodded silently. But she still felt a little guilty. The night was dark, hiding her broken heart. (To be continued)