“Good!” Pei Qiantong vigorously patted his shoulder and said joyfully: “With us brothers united in purpose, we can surely accomplish great things again!” As they spoke, they had already arrived at the Pei mansion’s entrance. A person wearing a rain cape and bamboo hat was turning to leave, and upon seeing them approach, quickened his pace even more, as if unwilling to encounter them.

Because the bamboo hat was pulled down very low, they couldn’t see the person’s appearance clearly. Pei Qiantong walked to the mansion’s entrance and asked the guard who was bowing to him: “Who was that person, and what did he come for?”

The guard bowed and replied: “Reporting to the General, he said he was a messenger, entrusted by someone to deliver a letter to Second Young Master.”

“Delivering a letter to Qiancheng?” Pei Qiantong’s brow furrowed slightly, and he suddenly thought of the person they had never been able to catch. He hurriedly asked: “Could it be Du Ruhui?”

The guards exchanged glances and shook their heads: “This humble servant has seen his appearance before – it wasn’t Du Ruhui.”

“Where’s that letter?” Seeing Pei Qiantong ask, the guard quickly took out the letter hidden in his sleeve and gave it to Pei Qiantong to examine. After looking it over, the latter put it back in the envelope and said: “Take it to Second Young Master. I never saw this letter, and you never saw me. Understood?”

The guard said knowingly: “Yes, General, rest assured. This humble servant won’t say a single word that shouldn’t be said.”

After one of the guards went in to deliver the letter, Sima Dekan said casually: “Speaking of which, Brother Pei, you’ve searched for so long but still have no trace of Du Ruhui. In my opinion, nine times out of ten he’s already left the city, otherwise how could he hide for so long? Tomorrow I’ll mention it to Cuiji and tell him to forget about it.”

“I know what I’m doing.” After seeing off Sima Dekan, he also entered the mansion and went to his study. After midday, a person opened the door and walked out of the Pei mansion – it was Pei Qiancheng. Not long after he left, two figures silently appeared and secretly followed behind him.

Pei Qiancheng initially just strolled leisurely through the city. After a while, perhaps sensing he was being followed, he quickened his pace and began weaving through small alleys. Although the two people behind tried their best to follow, they still lost track of Pei Qiancheng and were secretly frustrated.

After shaking off those two people, Pei Qiancheng hurried to Longchong Gate. After showing the Pei mansion’s waist token, he was able to leave the city smoothly. After walking several li eastward, a figure holding an umbrella stood in the rain. Seeing him approach, the person looked him over and said: “You’re Pei Qiancheng?”

Pei Qiancheng quickly nodded: “Correct. Did Ruhui send you?”

That person didn’t answer, only saying: “Follow me.”

Seeing he couldn’t get any information, Pei Qiancheng had no choice but to follow closely behind him. This time they walked about six or seven li until a small thatched cottage came into view. The person pointed at the cottage: “He’s inside. Go in.”

“Thank you.” After thanking him, Pei Qiancheng quickly walked into the thatched cottage. Inside stood a person – it was indeed Du Ruhui.

Pei Qiancheng hurried over, both surprised and delighted: “It really is you. You actually made it out of the city.”

Du Ruhui smiled: “If not for Brother Pei’s protection in every way, how could I have lived to this day?”

Pei Qiancheng said dismissively: “We’re brothers – mutual support is only natural.” Saying this, he frowned: “But since you’ve already left the city, why are you still staying here? This place isn’t far from the city. If Big Brother and the others discover you, it’ll be trouble.”

Du Ruhui sighed without speaking. Pei Qiancheng was about to press further when his heart suddenly stirred, and he blurted out: “You can’t still be thinking about rescuing the Princess, can you?”

Du Ruhui said heavily: “Correct. I was able to leave the city smoothly all thanks to the Princess. Now seeing the Princess fallen into the hands of that despicable villain Cuiji, I really can’t just walk away.”

“How could I not want to rescue the Princess? But the Princess is trapped by Cuiji in Feixiang Hall, the imperial city is surrounded by his people on all sides, and Big Brother refuses to listen to my advice. I’m truly powerless.” Saying this, he patted Du Ruhui’s shoulder: “While no one has discovered you yet, leave quickly. I believe the Princess won’t blame you.”

“I…” Du Ruhui had just said one word when hurried footsteps sounded outside. Before they could react, the broken door was smashed open and seven or eight soldiers wielding swords rushed in, instantly filling the small room.

Pei Qiancheng stared in shock at these soldiers pointing weapons at them. When he saw the last person to enter, he said in disbelief: “Big Brother? You… how are you here? I clearly…”

“You clearly shook off the people following you, right?” Pei Qiantong walked into the room with his hands behind his back. The increasingly heavy autumn rain pattered behind him, washing the ground. “That letter – not only did you read it, I read it too.”

Pei Qiancheng was stunned, then immediately understood: “You deliberately let me come here?”

“If not, how else could I catch this fugitive?” Saying this, he walked in front of Du Ruhui and said coldly: “You’re quite capable, actually managing to escape outside the city under a city-wide manhunt. Unfortunately, you still didn’t escape in the end. Come with me!”

“No!” Pei Qiancheng hurriedly said: “Big Brother, Ruhui is my good brother. I beg you, for my sake, don’t arrest him. Once he falls into Cuiji’s hands, he’ll surely die.”

“You still have the face to speak!” Pei Qiantong said with a cold expression: “If not for your constant obstruction, I would have caught him long ago. Where would it have dragged on until now? If not for the sake of our dead parents, I would have already…” The rest of his words he couldn’t bear to say. He snorted coldly and said to the soldiers holding Du Ruhui: “Take him back!”

“No!” Pei Qiancheng quickly blocked the soldiers and said again: “Big Brother, Yang Guang is dead, and you’re a general commanding tens of thousands of troops. The Cui family can’t do anything to you at all. Why still do things for them? If… if…” He steeled his heart: “If you really arrest Ruhui and give him to Cuiji, I won’t acknowledge you as my big brother anymore!”

Veins bulged on Pei Qiantong’s forehead like little snakes, and his entire face turned as black as if ink had been splashed on it, frighteningly dark. He said word by word: “Say that again!”

Pei Qiancheng’s heart panicked, and he instinctively wanted to retreat. But after stepping back half a pace, he forcibly stopped himself. He was the only one who could save Ruhui – he absolutely couldn’t retreat. Thinking of this, he tried hard to take several breaths and, meeting Pei Qiantong’s sinister gaze, said: “If Big Brother insists on going his own way, we brothers will sever all ties from now on!”

“Sever all ties…” Pei Qiantong repeated these four words, then suddenly burst into loud laughter. While laughing, he said: “After our parents died, I worked like an ox and horse to raise you to adulthood, and you actually use these four words to repay me. Good, truly good!” At this point, he suddenly stopped laughing and said expressionlessly: “If you want to sever all ties, first return everything you’ve eaten and used these twenty years, otherwise you’re not qualified to say these four words!” After speaking, he said again: “Take him away!”

Unlike the anxious and distressed Pei Qiancheng, whether it was the soldiers bursting in or Pei Qiantong’s appearance, Du Ruhui’s expression remained calm and untroubled throughout, as if all of this had nothing to do with him.

Was it truly unrelated, or was it all within his expectations?