Lu Tong and Pei Yunying’s marriage proceeded smoothly.

Great Liang marriage customs followed the “Six Rites”: proposal, name inquiry, betrothal gifts, ceremony, date selection, and bride escort.

Since both Lu Tong and Pei Yunying’s parents were gone, Pei Yunshu took charge, hiring matchmakers, exchanging marriage certificates, and having the blind fortune-teller He from West Street match their birth dates. He declared them a perfect couple made by heaven, so they began negotiations and selected an auspicious date.

These days, Pei Yunshu and Pei Yunying were busy preparing betrothal gift lists.

Qing Feng accidentally glanced at the betrothal gift list and couldn’t help but be stunned. Though he knew his master’s family was wealthy, he’d never seen such an extravagant betrothal – what difference was there from packaging up the entire Pei residence and presenting it?

Pei Yunying was unconcerned, adding another estate to the list with a wave of his hand.

Qing Feng: “…Fine, as long as he’s happy.”

Days passed in this busy preparation. One afternoon, Pei Yunying was painting in his study when Qing Feng entered from outside: “Sir, Second Young Master Pei requests an audience.”

Pei Yunying paused mid-brush stroke, looking up.

“He’s been persistent outside. When you were on palace duty these past days, he came twice already.”

Regarding the Pei family, Pei Yunying had given orders – except for him and Pei Yunshu’s residence, anyone else should be driven away without courtesy. But now that Pei Di was dead and the Pei family had fallen into ruin, even confronting them directly would be giving them face.

Pei Yunying set down his brush: “Let him in.”

Pei Yunxiao was quickly brought in.

Duke Zhaoning had three sons. The third son was still young, while the second son, though a concubine’s child, had formerly been refined and elegant with handsome features. However, after long absence, this formerly graceful young master no longer appeared composed. His clothes were wrinkled, his eyes holding hidden anxiety.

Pei Yunxiao stood still, looking at the person seated.

Pei Yunying, his elder brother, sat at the desk with calm expression. The new emperor’s ascension and court upheavals hadn’t affected him at all. He remained as prominent as ever, even more confident than when at the Pei residence.

He had more backing now.

“What brings you here?” The young man looked down at his painting, speaking with complete indifference.

“You’re getting married?”

“Has Second Young Master Pei come to reminisce with me?”

Pei Yunxiao suppressed his frustration: “Father passed away – after all this time, won’t you go back and pay respects?”

Pei Yunying’s expression grew cold.

Pei Di was gone.

After the palace coup, news came from the Pei residence that Pei Di, upon hearing palace news, became extremely agitated and angry, triggering his old illness. Within days, his condition worsened and he died.

And Pei Yunying, from beginning to end, never went to see him once.

“Go back for what?” He smiled, looking up at Pei Yunxiao with indifferent tone. “To lend my name to give the Pei family prestige?”

Pei Yunxiao was speechless.

Duke Zhaoning’s residence had been very close to the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince had fallen.

The Ning Prince, who had lurked for years, ascended the dragon throne and mercilessly began purging old supporters, yet the Palace Command remained stable as a mountain.

Anyone with eyes could see why. The Pei family naturally understood too. If they could use Pei Yunying’s connections now, the Pei family might still have hope.

Thinking of this, Pei Yunxiao softened his tone.

“Elder brother.” He tried to invoke past affection. “Even if you and father had misunderstandings, after so many years, grievances should be resolved. After you moved from the Pei residence, father spoke of you daily. He missed you and called your name even at the end.”

“Is that so?” Pei Yunying interrupted, laughing sarcastically. “How did he die?”

Pei Yunxiao’s face stiffened.

“You don’t really think I’d be foolish enough to believe he died of illness?” Like a secret corner being exposed, Pei Yunxiao suddenly felt guilty.

“Who killed him?”

The young man’s gaze was calm yet sharp. “Jiang Wan, Concubine Mei, or you yourself?”

Pei Yunxiao’s mind went “bang,” instinctively stepping back: “No…”

He stammered, unable to speak.

Actually, before the palace coup, Pei Di had already lost his composure.

Duke Zhaoning’s residence was too close to the Crown Prince, while Emperor Liang Ming’s chosen heir seemed to be the Third Prince. They still didn’t know Pei Yunying was Ning Prince’s man, thinking he served the Third Prince. But if the Third Prince ascended, the Pei family would surely face suppression.

Who knew that when snipe and clam fought, the fisherman profited – the final winner was Ning Prince.

Yuan Lang and former Crown Prince Yuan Zhe had been close brothers, but Crown Prince Yuan Zhe’s death wasn’t clean. Though Duke Zhaoning’s residence hadn’t directly participated, they’d been complicit accomplices. Ning Prince’s ascension had far more serious consequences than the Third Prince’s would have had.

The Pei family faced catastrophe.

Pei Di had indeed fallen ill from shock and anger upon learning this, but it wasn’t life-threatening. Rather, Duke Zhaoning’s wife Jiang Wan was hastily summoned back by her family, returning only the next day. She found Pei Yunxiao.

Thinking of what Jiang Wan had said to him that day, Pei Yunxiao couldn’t help trembling.

“Second Young Master.” The usually gentle and beautiful stepmother pulled him behind a screen, whispering: “Your father may be implicated in Crown Prince’s old case. Our only option now is to confess and beg the new emperor’s mercy.”

“Confess?” He was bewildered.

Jiang Wan glanced at her unconscious husband upstairs, her gaze devoid of past tenderness, only cold calculation: “Only if he dies can we live.”

Third Young Master Pei Yunrui was still young, and Concubine Mei only knew about rivalry and jealousy, unaware of the dangerous situation. The only intelligent people in the residence were Jiang Wan and Pei Yunxiao. They’d become grasshoppers on the same rope – Jiang Wan used this to control him, and he couldn’t break free.

He also wanted to live.

So he had pressed the blanket over his father’s head.

Pei Yunxiao suddenly shivered.

Pei Yunying stared at him, suddenly smirking as if delivering a killing blow: “So it was you.”

“It wasn’t me!” He suddenly protested, his voice cracking with emotion. It wasn’t him.

How could it be him?

He was just an unremarkable concubine’s son in Duke Zhaoning’s residence. These years, he’d only gained Pei Di’s attention after Pei Yunying left home. Even so, he still couldn’t match Pei Yunying’s place in Pei Di’s heart. Later came Pei Yunrui, making him unwilling to see all his efforts become wedding clothes for his younger brother. Yet in the end, his painstaking schemes came to nothing.

Perhaps when he pressed that silk blanket over his father’s face, he’d felt a moment of vengeful pleasure. All the Pei family had witnessed their father’s death together.

This couldn’t be blamed on him alone.

Pei Yunying looked at him like watching a laughably struggling ant, his expression growing more sarcastic: “Lord Pei raised his sons like wolves, never expecting to actually raise a pack of wolves.”

“Second Young Master Pei,” he rose, slowly walking to Pei Yunxiao’s front, saying calmly: “There is no Pei family anymore.”

No Pei family anymore.

Pei Yunxiao was dazed for a moment.

Duke Zhaoning’s residence had fallen. His former elder brother had seen through the filth and selfishness beneath the residence’s glamorous surface early on, so he’d felt disgust and left. Now with their father gone, no one would protect Duke Zhaoning’s residence anymore. Father’s death might spare their lives, but in future days, they could only live fearfully, trembling, waiting for the guillotine that might fall someday.

Pei Yunxiao stumbled out the door.

Pei Yunying watched his retreating figure expressionlessly until a shadow gradually approached the doorway. The person raised their head in the sunlight, silently looking at him.

He paused slightly. The newcomer was Lu Tong.

She seemed to have made a mistake, speaking quietly: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation.”

Pei Yunying was silent for a moment: “It’s fine.”

He turned and walked back into the room. For the first time, he couldn’t manage a smile. Lu Tong followed him in.

The Pei residence guards all recognized her now. She’d come several times before, and now entering was like walking into unguarded territory. Or perhaps Qing Feng had deliberately not stopped her, so she’d reached the door and witnessed Pei Yunying’s confrontation with Second Young Master Pei.

She’d heard about the Pei family from Pei Yunshu, but seeing it firsthand was different. According to Pei Yunshu, the Pei residence conflicts were limited to minor squabbles, but now it seemed far from that simple.

It was nearly evening, with early spring twilight filtering through windows, casting soft red light. Lu Tong looked at the person at the desk. Pei Yunying brought her a cup and poured tea, but didn’t look at her eyes.

Lu Tong remained silent.

All along, Pei Yunying had never mentioned his own affairs. Actually, Lu Tong could roughly guess what he’d done. Since he didn’t mention it, she didn’t ask. Everyone had secrets in their hearts that couldn’t be told to outsiders – she understood this better than anyone. If he didn’t want to speak, she wouldn’t deliberately probe.

But today, in his just-concluded cold response to his approaching former brother, in his deliberately avoidant gaze, Lu Tong glimpsed a rare vulnerability.

She suddenly spoke: “Pei Yunying, you already know all my secrets. Why do you never talk about your own affairs?”

He paused.

The slanted evening glow streamed through the window, casting warm colors on the person before him. The woman’s tone was serious, her clear gaze showing genuine intent to listen.

He was silent for a moment, lowering his eyes with somewhat indifferent laughter: “I find it shameful.”

“What’s shameful about it?”

“Father and son turning against each other, selfishness, refusing to save one’s wife for personal desires…” He laughed self-mockingly. “What’s the difference between such origins and the Qi family?”

He said calmly: “I even disgust myself.”

Never seeing Pei Yunying like this, Lu Tong’s heart softened: “I don’t understand.”

“Haven’t you already guessed?”

Pei Yunying turned to look at her, his gaze full of bitterness: “My mother’s true cause of death.”

He’d begun to react after his mother’s death.

If losing his mother to rebels was mere chance, then his maternal grandfather’s family’s successive deaths were enough to plant seeds of doubt in the young man’s heart.

He secretly returned to his maternal grandfather’s home, and through his grandfather’s trusted confidants, finally glimpsed the truth in letters his grandfather left behind.

Crown Prince Yuan Zhe’s death was suspicious – that autumn flood “accident” might have been Emperor Liang Ming’s doing. His grandfather’s family, as the former emperor’s “bones,” had secretly investigated the old case, finally bringing disaster upon themselves.

Emperor Liang Ming had designed his brother’s death, then personally eliminated the former royal family, sharpening his blade toward all old court officials, killing them one by one, just like Ning Prince now.

His mother, Duke Zhaoning’s wife, might have sensed something, but mother had always been kind and simple – she never would have imagined that her pillow companion had decided to sacrifice her for imperial power.

Those weren’t rebels at all – they were Emperor Liang Ming’s test for Pei Di. Pei Di performed brilliantly, making the “correct” choice, watching his wife die at the rebels’ hands to achieve righteous fame.

Emperor Liang Ming accepted this demonstration of loyalty.

Duke Zhaoning’s residence continued in wealth and honor.

The Pei family had a new wife, Pei Di had new sons, and his mother was gradually forgotten by everyone. When people mentioned her, she was just a vague shadow in that “righteous” rebel incident – they’d sigh a few times and move on.

Only he felt injustice, anger, and persistent resentment.

No, not just him alone.

There was also his teacher, and Ning Prince.

Yuan Lang and Yuan Zhe had been close in childhood. With his brother and father’s suspicious deaths, this seemingly idle young Ning Prince had requested to tend eternal lamps at the national temple for three years, actually secretly cultivating power and investigating the autumn flood case.

Pei Yunying still remembered when Yan Xu first brought him before that “idle prince.” That young, seemingly amiable man sat in a chair, squinting at him: “Oh my, still a big child. So young – can you endure hardship?”

Ning Prince reminded: “This path won’t be easy.”

“Whether it’s easy or not, I’ll know after trying,” he answered.

Ning Prince smiled, seeming quite satisfied with his ignorant fearlessness: “Minister Yan, this boy is yours to train.”

So he had a guide.

Walking dangerous paths, fortunately he wasn’t alone. He had his teacher, companions, and countless others hidden in various places working together toward their goal. After years of pursuit, they finally achieved a result.

Even if that result came somewhat late.

“So,” Lu Tong looked at him, “those prescription formulas you once showed me were ones the former emperor used?”

Pei Yunying nodded.

Lu Tong understood.

Those two prescriptions were originally tonics that seemed to nourish the body, but when mixed with gold vessels and taken long-term, the body would gradually weaken until heart failure and death.

The imperial family used gold vessels exclusively. Emperor Liang Ming changed the medicinal food prescriptions, serving them in gold vessels – tonics became death warrants. Taken daily, no wonder he died soon after.

“When I’d just entered the Medical Academy and you broke into the medical storehouse that time – was that also for this matter?”

“The former emperor’s medical records didn’t include this page, but the Medical Academy’s prescription lists still had copies. I came seeking prescription formulas and unexpectedly met you.”

Recalling that scene, Pei Yunying smiled slightly.

Then he’d gone looking for the former emperor’s medical prescriptions, while she sought Qi Yutai’s medical records. Two people desperately searching had collided at that moment, each harboring secrets and thoughts. In their brief encounter, there was tacit understanding to stop there without going further.

Who knew that after so long, they’d finally speak openly today.

Lu Tong asked: “You’ve always worked for Ning Prince – what kind of things did you do?”

“Many things,” Pei Yunying answered. “At first just finding people and clues, then after joining the Palace Command, things became more convenient in the imperial city.”

“Was protecting the emperor at the palace banquet also your plan?”

Back then, Pei Yunying’s rapid promotion was due to personally protecting the attacked Emperor Liang Ming at a royal night banquet. Because of this, he quickly reached the Palace Command commander position, causing countless envious eyes.

“Gains and losses,” he laughed indifferently. “Didn’t you say it – revenge is always dangerous.”

Lu Tong said nothing, only recalling that first day in the Sunan broken temple. Though he seemed nonchalant and could even threaten her with a dagger, he was actually covered in wounds. She still remembered the scar from a rear attack – deep and long, truly dangerous.

She asked: “When you first went to Sunan, was that also for this matter?”

“To find people. Crown Prince’s death implicated many – some got wind and fled early. The emperor wanted to silence them, and my task was finding them and bringing them back to the capital.”

He spoke lightly, but Lu Tong heard the difficulty in his words. Wanting to lighten his mood, she joked: “Does this count as restoring order?”

Pei Yunying shook his head.

“Actually, I didn’t have such grand aspirations. At first, I just wanted revenge.”

He simply couldn’t accept his mother dying like that and wanted justice. But since he opposed the most honored person in the world, this hope for revenge seemed particularly remote.

Later, walking step by step to this point, with more and more people involved and heavier burdens on his shoulders, he gradually lost control of his fate. If he hadn’t met Lu Tong, another version of himself in this world, he might have forgotten what he looked like when he first swore to reclaim everything.

Originally, it was like this – putting everything on one throw, decisive and mad.

“Duke Zhaoning actually said one thing correctly,” he spoke lightly. “I carry my mother’s blood after all. The emperor still has suspicions about me. Back then, he was the one who insisted on protecting my life.”

Certainly, this protection might have been because he was the Pei family heir, and Emperor Liang Ming felt secure about Pei Di after the rebel incident, so he lived these extra years.

Pei Yunying laughed self-mockingly: “He should really regret it.”

The person he’d protected eventually left the Pei family and turned his blade against them. Pei Di had sacrificed everything for the Pei family, and in the end, his wife and children also sacrificed him for the Pei family. The wheel of karma – nothing more than this.

Lu Tong reached out, covering the back of his hand.

He suddenly returned from his memories.

“You’ve already done very well,” she said.

The slight warmth from the back of his hand – when had these hands that once wielded blades against him now hold his hand and comfort him gently? He lowered his head, his tone very light.

“Origins and actions – speaking of them isn’t glorious after all, so I didn’t want to tell you.” He clasped her hand in his palm. “But if you want to hear, I can slowly tell you everything.”

“Alright,” Lu Tong turned to face him, speaking seriously. “Actually, you should have told me long ago. You know, I’m very skilled at killing and burying bodies. If I’d known earlier… if I’d known during that time in Sunan, I definitely would have found a way to help you kill your way back to the capital.”

Pei Yunying looked at her. She spoke with complete seriousness, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

He’d thought these shameful past events would be difficult to speak of, but it turned out to be nothing much. Those past conspiracies, schemes, shame and tears seemed like very distant things now. Hatred had become blurred – he could no longer remember the taste of long-ago resentment. Perhaps the scars remained, but they would heal.

It was all in the past.

“Lu Tong.” He lowered his head, kissing the corner of the woman beside him. “Tomorrow I’ll take you to meet my mother.”

Lu Tong looked up.

“And let me meet your parents and siblings too.” They would become each other’s new family.

She paused, then smiled: “Alright.”