Chapter 60: She Wanted to Run Away Last Night Too

After the rain cleared, the willow leaves along the riverbanks were as green as fresh tender buds.

Su Xiangwan walked straight toward the Regency Prince’s mansion, but paused when she overheard some people gossiping at a tea stall nearby. She stopped to listen for a while.

“Hey, have you heard? They say the Regency Prince rebelled last night.” A man sitting at the tea stall lowered his voice.

Another person glanced around cautiously and said, “Really? I did hear some noises.”

“It’s true. A friend of mine told me. They say the Regency Prince was originally General Gu of the previous dynasty’s legitimate son, Gu Zhilin. The reason General Gu died on the battlefield was the former emperor’s doing. The emperor stepped over General Gu’s corpse to gain title and promotion, and finally used his power to overthrow the Ning family’s reign.”

“If that’s true, it’s understandable now — the Prince is avenging his family.”

“Exactly, and General Fuyuan never actually died. This was all planned by them.”

Hearing this news, Su Xiangwan’s heart stirred violently.

The script never detailed Pei Ji’s background — if this was true, everything suddenly made sense.

So Xiao Qingrong was originally Pei Ji’s person. This was all a premeditated plan, waiting until Xiao Qingrong’s coffin arrived in the capital to catch Jiang Jingchen off guard.

As she thought, she overheard more.

“So, do you think the Regency Prince will ascend the throne and become emperor?”

“He probably will, otherwise there’d be no one left in the Jiang family.”

Leaving the tea stall, Su Xiangwan’s face darkened. The situation was becoming increasingly complicated and completely out of control.

At this moment, she sincerely hoped that Yueya had already left, and was not still trapped inside the Prince’s mansion.

Anxious and impatient, she grabbed her skirt and started running.

---

After burning an incense stick, she faced the heavily guarded Prince’s mansion and gathered her courage to approach, only to be stopped at the gate.

“Who goes there?” a servant guarding the door asked.

Su Xiangwan nodded lightly, politely showing her identity token: “I am General Xiao’s wife from the General’s mansion. Last time when I went out with the Princess, she left something behind. I came today to return it.”

She had observed this Regency Prince’s mansion a long time ago — it was as solid as a fortress. Breaking in forcefully was impossible, so she could only try to test the waters under the guise of a visit.

“Wait here, let me notify inside.” The servants knew the Prince was close to General Xiao, so they were courteous to his wife.

Su Xiangwan nodded but felt uneasy. They hadn’t outright refused her request to see Yueya.

If Yueya had really run away, this wouldn’t be their reaction. Could it be that Pei Ji had already ordered no news about Yueya be leaked, or was it…

---

Prince’s Mansion Pavilion

Pei Ji sat with a grave expression on a soft couch, fiddling with a porcelain bottle in his hands.

He Lan leaned casually against the corridor, holding a plate of grapes, occasionally tossing one into his mouth. “In my opinion, Jiang Jingchen is too weak. Dealing with him isn’t even satisfying.”

He might as well have been useless last night, just standing at the palace gate.

“Tell me about it. You made me guard that gate. With Moying there, there was still a chance someone could get through.”

Shen Yanli recalled standing outside the city all night with nothing to show for it, drenched and frustrated.

Fortunately, when he went to see Ashang, she cared for him and made him a bowl of ginger soup — an unexpected comfort.

Xiao Qingrong listened to their conversation with little reaction. His gaze settled on Pei Ji, who hadn’t spoken a word since the start.

“Not in a good mood?”

He Lan ate a grape, raising the corner of his eyes. “Yeah, Pei Ji, why aren’t you saying anything? Last night after you caught Jiang Jingchen, you hurriedly rode off on your horse—where were you rushing to?”

Having known him for so many years, this was the first time he’d seen him so flustered.

He didn’t even respond when he greeted him—it was really strange.

Pei Ji raised his eyes and looked at Shen Yanli, who was calmly drinking tea. “Why did you keep looking after everyone had already fled?”

Shen Yanli: “??????”

What is he talking about?

He Lan immediately understood and gave a teasing hint with a knowing look: “He’s asking why you kept chasing after that little beauty of yours after she ran away.”

After saying that, he glanced at Pei Ji again, eyes gleaming with anticipation of a show.

Could it be that the reason he was so anxious last night was because someone at home had run off?

If that’s true, then that’s really, well, quite a slap in the face!

No one knew who had said before that he wouldn’t fall for anyone—but now it seems he had feelings after all.

After He Lan’s reminder, Shen Yanli caught on. Although he didn’t understand why Pei Ji was asking this, he still answered slowly:

“At first, I didn’t care. When she left, I thought, she’s just a woman—if she runs off, then she runs off, what’s the big deal? But later…”

He had been famous since youth, handsome and naturally attracting many women’s attention. A woman who didn’t care about him leaving wasn’t worth worrying over.

“What happened later?” He Lan asked with a smile on his lips, curious.

“Later, I suddenly realized I kept thinking about her. But even so, I constantly restrained myself, holding back my heart that wanted to find her. But gradually, I became more and more unwilling to let go. Those feelings tortured me day and night until I could no longer control myself.”

Love, since ancient times, has been difficult to explain clearly. It gradually seeps into your heart without you noticing, until one day you realize you can no longer pull it out.

---

Pei Ji listened to Shen Yanli’s words, and the image of Jiang Huaiyue appeared in his mind. He clenched the porcelain bottle tightly in his hand.

“He Lan, let me guess, the reason you looked so pale last night is because the lady ran away, isn’t it?”

Just as He Lan spoke, Pei Ji gave him a cold glare.

Seeing this expression, He Lan knew he guessed right—she really had run off.

“Tsk tsk, didn’t expect that. Lady usually looks delicate and weak, but her courage is quite something.”

Shen Yanli suddenly understood the meaning behind Pei Ji’s question.

As the others continued talking, only Xiao Qingrong remained silent. He recalled last night when Su Xiuwan, holding her luggage, was about to leave but was stopped.

Could it be she intended to run away together with the lady?

“Have they been found?” His gentle voice asked.

“Yeah, found or not?” He Lan raised his eyebrows.

Pei Ji gave them a cold look, then tapped the table slowly and said with a faint smile, “So eager to know?”

“Hehe~ suddenly lost interest.” He Lan pouted, eating his grape with a fake smile.

The topic abruptly ended.

Outside the pavilion, Moying spoke in a low voice, “My lord, the general’s wife has arrived and says she wants to see the lady.”

Pei Ji slowly raised his eyes and fixed his gaze on Xiao Qingrong.

Xiao Qingrong’s expression was calm. “To be honest, she wanted to run away last night as well.”