Chapter 38

Every word from Xiu Niang lashed at him mercilessly, both on his face and in his heart.

Xun Yunhe suddenly let out a silent, self-mocking laugh, the pain in his eyes swelling like sharp thorns around his pupils. He didn’t reply to Xiu Niang. From her words, he deduced that Qing Niang and Nannan were still alive, and that was good, very good.

“Were today’s events orchestrated by them?” He restrained his emotions and asked carefully, word by word.

Xiu Niang, looking at this man on the verge of breaking, felt a mix of emotions. Today’s events could fool the curious onlookers but not the high-ranking officials present. She said nothing.

At that moment, Pei Mushan’s voice came from the direction of the small door, “Brother, have you seen my sister-in-law? She insisted I wait for her at the Mahavira Hall, but she hasn’t shown up for a long time.”

Pei Mushan, having heard that Pei Muheng was there, brought Xiao Fu along to find him.

It was already late at night, and the temple was still bustling with people. Minister of Justice Xiao Yu took the abbot and others to the adjacent room to make statements, and after the guards cleared the area and took the prisoners away, only Pei Muheng and a few others remained at the ritual site.

Pei Muheng heard his sister’s words and frowned slightly.

Something was off.

Xu Yunqi was from Jingzhou. Her father died on the way to the capital for the exams when she was four.

Last night, she inexplicably asked him for manpower.

Her mother’s surname was Zhang.

Putting all this information together, an incredible thought emerged in Pei Muheng’s mind. His gaze quickly scanned the surroundings, finally focusing on a corner of the corridor.

Pei Mushan, out of breath, ran in and rushed to Pei Muheng. “Where’s sister-in-law? I’m asking you, brother!” She tugged at his sleeve.

Pei Muheng stood still, his handsome face mixed with disbelief, his eyes fixed on that spot.

A gentle voice came from the shadowy side of the corridor. “Mushan, I’m here.”

Xu Yunqi stepped out from the darkness in a simple dress. She stood there as gentle as ever, Yin Xing stretching behind her, and Xiu Niang returned to her side. The three of them looked like officials who had just finished a busy day at work, their demeanor calm and composed.

“Sister-in-law!” Pei Mushan saw this and was about to run to her but was stopped by Pei Muheng. He grabbed his sister’s arm, pulled her back, and slowly walked forward himself.

“Yunqi,” he called softly.

This call of “Yunqi” was like a gentle rain nourishing Xun Yunhe’s withered heart, yet also felt like a blade slicing through his chest.

Xun Yunhe’s gaze fell upon the girl in white. His slender back trembled involuntarily. His pupils narrowed deeply as he carefully observed her. She stood quietly at the corner of the steps, hands clasped in front of her abdomen. The dim yellow light cast a glow on her face, her dress fluttering, and with a slight step, she seemed ready to fly away.

At this moment, the thorns in Xun Yunhe’s eyes softened. “Yunqi?”

This was the name he had given her, and it was the first time he called her by her full name. Was this girl really his Yunqi?

Her gaze was faint and indifferent, without a hint of competition, her entire demeanor as ethereal as a drifting cloud dispersing with the wind.

It truly aligned with his original intention in naming her, but he couldn’t find a trace of the past in her.

“Father, look at the fish I caught!” The innocent, sturdy little girl grabbed a fish tail from the bucket with ease, lifting it up as water splashed all over her. Her bright, innocent smile shone dazzlingly in the sunlight.

As he approached, she arrogantly threw the fish at him. He had spoiled her to the point of lawlessness.

Tears burst from his eyes as Xun Yunhe closed them tightly, taking difficult steps toward her. The word “Nannan” was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Realizing that Xu Yunqi was the protagonist of the drum-beating incident, Pei Muheng felt his heart burn as if filled with lava. This foolish girl had shouldered everything by herself. He stepped forward and took Xu Yunqi’s hand.

Her hand was as soft as ever, yet slightly cold.

Standing at the bottom of the steps, Xu Yunqi smiled apologetically at him. Her gaze then moved past his shoulder, greeting Pei Mushan in the distance.

Liu Yue was explaining the day’s events to Pei Mushan, who looked at her quiet sister-in-law in shock.

Xun Yunhe stopped three steps away from her, and Yin Xing stepped forward to block his path. “Minister Xun, I’ve always wondered, after the incident back then, even if you believed my lady and her mother were gone, didn’t you ever think of looking for Old Master Zhang?” Yin Xing felt disgusted by how Madam Ye and Xun Yunling had occupied the position for over a decade.

Xun Yunhe’s gaze never left Xu Yunqi’s profile. Hearing this, he scoffed, forcing the words through clenched teeth, “How could I not search?”

Everyone’s curious gaze fell on him.

“After avenging you and your mother, I returned to Jiangling, first properly burying the bodies, then searching everywhere for your grandfather. Yunqi, you know your grandfather never liked me. He didn’t even show up on our wedding day, only appearing once when you were born, and then disappeared again.”

“After such a significant incident with you and your mother, I would risk my life to inform him, but it was as if he vanished into thin air. Just when I was in despair, he suddenly appeared in front of me on a gloomy evening.”

Xun Yunhe would never forget that night after spring began. Sitting alone on the barren mountaintop in Xiushui Village, mourning his wife and child, he suddenly heard a sorrowful cry echoing through the mountains. Recognizing it as Old Master Zhang, he immediately ran down the hill, “Father-in-law!”

At the foot of the hill, he saw Old Master Zhang standing fiercely in front of his wife and child’s graves, his robe fluttering, his eyes burning with fury. “How dare you call me father-in-law?”

Xun Yunhe knelt before him, “Father-in-law, Qing Niang and Nannan were murdered. It’s my fault. You can kill or maim me as you wish.”

Old Master Zhang, enraged, kicked him a yard away, then rushed up, grabbed his collar, and lifted him, shouting in his pale face, “Xun Yu, I warned you long ago. If you wanted to marry Qing Niang, you should have settled down as a teacher nearby. If you had ambitions, you should have left her. You didn’t listen, and now you’ve caused this disaster. Are you satisfied?”

Back then, he was in despair, full of regret, enduring Old Master Zhang’s beatings and curses without retaliation.

Old Master Zhang cursed him for a while, then threw him aside, standing with his back to him before the grave, not looking at him again.

“From today on, you will change your name and leave Jingzhou, never to return. You will remarry and have children, never mentioning Qing Niang and Yunqi to anyone. No one must know you had a wife named Zhang Qing Niang.”

As he spoke, Xun Yunhe choked on a mouthful of blood.

“How could I agree? I begged him to kill me to atone for you and your mother.”

“Old Master Zhang was enraged by my words and kicked me again,” Xun Yunhe said, his throat dry and itchy. He coughed a few times and leaned against the wall, unable to stand straight.

Yin Xing stared at him in shock, “And then?”

Xun Yunhe, breathing heavily with his eyes closed, continued intermittently, “Then he threatened to kill himself… He shouted at me like a madman, saying that if I didn’t agree, he would dig up the graves of the mother and daughter and never let them rest in peace.”

He looked up, eyes filled with pain, and gazed at Xu Yunqi, “Yunqi, was it your grandfather who hid you back then? He must have been afraid that I would bring more trouble and forced me to swear an oath to leave Jingzhou.”

Xu Yunqi didn’t answer him but slowly turned around, squinting as she met his gaze, “When did you see my grandfather?”

Xun Yunhe replied, “Three months after the incident in Xiushui Village.”

Xu Yunqi frowned deeply.

On the day of the incident in Xiushui Village, she was saved by the heavy rain and hid in the cellar for about half an hour before her grandfather took her away. Because of that day, rumors spread that her father had left Jingzhou for a better position, or some said he died on the way to the capital. Her mother, Madam Zhang, didn’t believe it and entrusted Xu Yunqi to the neighboring Aunt Pang before heading to the county office to find her father.

Unfortunately, her mother encountered soldiers sealing off the mountain halfway, fell down the slope, and was accidentally saved by Xu Ke. Aunt Pang and her daughter, Pang Niu, sacrificed their lives for her.

Her grandfather found her mother not long after taking her away.

Calculating the days, by the time Xun Yunhe saw her grandfather, her mother had already been taken by Xu Ke to Honghu County, hundreds of miles away. Xu Yunqi was living in an unknown mountain village with her grandfather.

Even though she and her mother were alive, her grandfather insisted on forcing Xun Yunhe to leave. Was it solely to prevent Xun Yunhe from getting involved in any more trouble?

At that time, Xun Yunhe had already achieved remarkable success in the prefecture. He had told her mother during his last visit home that he would be able to take them to the capital for the imperial exams in two months.

In the past, she would have thought like Xun Yunhe, believing that her grandfather had lost hope in him and was determined to separate their family of three. But now, she didn’t see it that way anymore.

Back then, she cried so much, demanding her father day and night. Her once chubby cheeks grew thin and gaunt. Her grandfather, so heartbroken, could not bear to see her suffer. He held her and soothed her with tears in his eyes, repeatedly saying “I’m sorry” until she grew up.

It wasn’t just Xun Yunhe; he acted the same way towards Uncle Xu.

Recalling the years of wandering the south and north with her grandfather, every time they settled in a place, he would change his surname—today it was Zhang, tomorrow it was Liu. He never went to government places and repeatedly told her never to disclose the truth about her master to anyone.

It was as if he was hiding from someone. As if he was afraid of something.

Connecting this with her grandfather mysteriously appearing on the capital’s outskirts and then disappearing without a trace.

Xu Yunqi suddenly realized that her grandfather’s apprehension wasn’t about Xun Yunhe; it was about going to the capital. There must have been someone in the capital he feared to meet.

Xun Yunhe’s words brought an even greater mystery.

What kind of secrets was her grandfather hiding? She had to find him, alive or dead.

Understanding all this, Xu Yunqi raised her eyes again and looked at the man before her.

Xun Yunhe’s bloodshot eyes were filled with a hint of hatred. If Old Master Zhang hadn’t hidden the truth from him back then, he wouldn’t have been separated from his wife and daughter for so many years, causing them so much suffering.

Xu Yunqi gazed at him for a moment, her expression gradually becoming indifferent. She laughed and said, “Minister Xun, you don’t need to look at me like that.”

“All these years, you’ve risen high, achieved your ambitions, and had children to bring you joy. You haven’t truly lost anything.”

Seeing the pain rise in Xun Yunhe’s eyes, she continued, “You don’t need to feel guilty towards me. I’ve been fine. After you left, my grandfather took me all over the country, showing me great landscapes and helping others with his medical skills. I’ve never wasted my life due to anyone’s absence, and I never will, neither in the past nor in the future.”

Her eyes sparkled with a clear, bright light. Her demeanor was as light and breezy as if she could easily turn misfortune into blessing.

Pei Muheng looked at her; his heart struck heavily. Her exceptional skills, generous and calm nature, silent yet powerful impact on the court, perfect revenge—all of it amazed him. While others might sympathize or feel sorry for her hardships, she took them in stride as a part of her journey. He couldn’t help but marvel again at the mystery of his wife. He was curious about what awaited him next with her.

“It’s late, Yunqi, let me take you home.” Pei Muheng glanced at Liu Yue.

Liu Yue was still in shock.

Compared to Xun Yunhe’s domestic dispute, the fact that Xu Yunqi was Xun Yunhe’s biological daughter was even more shocking. If this news became public, it would cause a huge uproar.

Liu Yue took a deep breath, glanced at Pei Muheng with a complicated expression, and then addressed Xun Yunhe with a bow, “Minister Xun, His Majesty is still waiting at the Fengtian Hall. Now that the truth is clear, please accompany me to the palace to meet the Emperor.”

Xun Yunhe’s steps felt like lead, his hollow eyes fixed on Xu Yunqi without any intention of moving.

Pei Muheng had to lead Xu Yunqi down the steps first. Xu Yunqi instructed Xiu Niang, “Go back with Master Xiao to give your statement,” then told Yin Xing, “Personally escort her back to the residence.”

It was clear who “she” referred to. Xun Yunhe felt a heavy blow to his chest, his tall figure tense, as if he were facing an abyss, with a storm threatening to consume him.

The wife of the third son of Prince Xi’s mansion, despised by everyone, was his most beloved daughter.

She had recognized him long ago but remained silent.

She was criticized for practicing medicine.

Mocked for her background.

Her father died on the way to the capital for the imperial exams when she was four.

She took the surname Xu, and her mother remarried to a fifth-rank official.

That official, Xu Ke, he had seen before. Not long ago, at a birthday banquet, Xu Ke nervously approached him with a wine cup, claiming to be a fellow townsman. So, this was the connection…

Xun Yunhe’s heart felt like it was being violently pulled down as if the world was collapsing.

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Liu Yue returned to the palace to report, while Pei Muheng first escorted Xu Yunqi back home.

By a twist of fate, Pei Muheng had indeed become Xun Yunhe’s son-in-law. If the case alone was enough for the Emperor to protect Xun Yunhe, adding this relationship would complicate how the Emperor dealt with him.

The carriage slowly made its way back along the winding mountain road.

Pei Muheng remained silent.

Xu Yunqi noticed her husband’s unusual silence.

A transparent glass lantern hung at the front of the carriage, its light swaying with the jostling of the carriage. Pei Muheng’s long fingers never let go of her hand, but his handsome brows were tightly furrowed as if deep in thought.

Xu Yunqi’s actions today had been exhilarating, but the only person she felt she had wronged was her husband. In the past, she would have said they should part ways if they didn’t agree. But now, facing this man who said, “Marriage is a commitment to stay together,” she couldn’t be so casual. Being casual would be disrespectful to him. Sincerely, she apologized, “I’m sorry for hiding today’s matter from you.”

Pei Muheng was both amazed by her and heartbroken, but he couldn’t deny he felt bad.

These days, they had been together day and night, sharing the same bed. She had countless opportunities to tell him even a little about the reasons behind her actions, but she didn’t. She kept him in the dark, excluding him from her plans.

But now, he didn’t want to dwell on that.

He turned to her, his tone still gentle. “You’ve been through so much today. You must be exhausted. We can talk about this later.”

Xu Yunqi shook her head, “To you, it may seem like I’ve been through life and death, a world turned upside down. But in reality, I knew about these things long ago and have already experienced them.”

Pei Muheng understood, realizing that what shocked him was already in the past for her. He took a slow breath and looked at her seriously, “Alright, let me ask you, why didn’t you tell me? Such a big matter, such a grand setup, didn’t you think of letting me help?”

Xu Yunqi responded honestly, “You wouldn’t beat the drum at the Drum Tower.”

Pei Muheng was momentarily speechless.

Indeed, he wouldn’t. If it were him, he would have handled it more diplomatically. He wouldn’t have put Xun Yunhe on the spot.

Xu Yunqi clearly didn’t trust Xun Yunhe, fearing that this father would be lenient due to his feelings for his wife. So, she took decisive measures to eliminate any possibility of Xun Yunhe backing out. In fact, if Xun Yunhe had indeed allowed the concubine to commit a crime, she would have used the Three Judicial Offices to bring him to justice. Even though Xun Yunhe was also a victim deceived by Madam Ye, Xu Yunqi didn’t care about his career at all.

Moreover, she didn’t trust Pei Muheng either.

This was the hardest for him to accept.

He looked up, gently holding his wife’s hands, almost smiling in frustration. “Why are you so sure I wouldn’t help you?”

Xu Yunqi looked embarrassed. Telling the truth would only hurt their relationship. The deed was done; the only solution was to admit her mistake. For the first time, Xu Yunqi took the initiative to hold his hand, “Third Master, I’m really sorry for what happened today. You can scold me all you want, I won’t argue.”

Pei Muheng’s thin eyelids trembled slightly, suppressing his dark emotions. “As a couple, we should advance and retreat together, share honor and disgrace. Yunqi, do you really see me as your husband? Do you trust me even a little? Or, if I approved, would you just turn and leave?”

A series of questions hit home, each one striking the core issue.

Xu Yunqi’s throat felt sticky, showing nervousness for the first time in her life.

The carriage fell silent, the only sound being the wind tapping on the window frames.

Pei Muheng watched as her beautiful face grew increasingly uneasy, his heart sinking.

Seeing her husband’s increasingly grim expression, Xu Yunqi racked her brain for a way to turn the situation around. She withdrew her hand from his, touched her burning cheek, and blinked, “Third Master, today is my birthday.”

“So?” Pei Muheng looked at her expressionlessly.

Xu Yunqi said gently, “We could talk about something else.”

Her soft eyes fluttered like light feathers, brushing against his heart.

He watched as that fox’s tail retracted. Today was her birthday, and she had gone through such painful memories. To argue with her now seemed ungracious. Pei Muheng rubbed his temples helplessly.

Her not asking for a separation was already a big step forward; Pei Muheng comforted himself.