Pei Ling had only just returned to his residence. Since Lu Zhihe was making a private visit on the emperor's behalf, they entered through the side gate to keep a low profile.
Pei Ling walked unhurriedly ahead, with Lu Zhihe following closely behind, the two conversing as they went.
When the conversation turned to the Duan Clan case, Lu Zhihe sighed. "The streets are all abuzz with talk that His Majesty intends to depose the Empress. You know… Noble Lady Yang currently enjoys great favor. Should the Empress be deposed, the position is certain to fall to the Yang family. At today's court session, the Chancellor risked offending Grand Tutor Yang to overturn the Grand General's case. Even this servant can't help but worry for you—I fear such actions may bring more harm than good."
There was a probing quality to his words.
What benefit could this bring Pei Ling? Why would he do it? Surely it couldn't be a sudden awakening of conscience?
Pei Ling replied coolly, "I am utterly loyal to His Majesty, and naturally I must share his burdens. Does His Majesty not wish to see such an outcome?"
Lu Zhihe paused briefly, then immediately smiled. "Yes, yes. When His Majesty originally entrusted Grand General Duan Hong with such responsibility, it was with complete faith. If the Grand General truly committed treason, the one most grieved would be His Majesty himself. If the Chancellor can truly prove that the Grand General was framed, then nothing could be better."
Pei Ling merely raised an eyebrow with an air of indifference.
Whether the Duan family's innocence could be proven no longer mattered to the current court dynamics. After all, the dead could not be brought back to life—even Duan Hong's several sons had all perished on the battlefield. More than their posthumous vindication, the emperor was more concerned with who would take Duan Hong's place.
There were few capable people at court, and even fewer who could stand against Pei Ling.
After Lu Zhihe finished speaking, he waited a long while for Pei Ling to respond, but the silence threatened to stretch on again. He hurriedly searched for something else to say. "There's another suspicious point—if the Grand General was innocent, then where did the evidence against him originally come from? Was someone manipulating things behind the scenes? If not, why did the Commandant of Justice fail to uncover anything earlier, only finding irregularities after that 'female witness' appeared?"
"According to Attendant Lu's reasoning, all suspicious points are connected to that witness." Pei Ling paused mid-sentence, letting out an inexplicable chuckle before continuing unhurriedly, "Unfortunately, the person is already dead. Whoever wanted her dead is the one most guilty and suspicious."
Lu Zhihe's heart stirred. He mulled over the meaning of "the person is already dead," feeling that even the poisoning seemed to be within Pei Ling's control.
He was about to continue the conversation when he inadvertently turned his head—and abruptly froze.
Pei Ling followed Lu Zhihe's gaze, and his eyes instantly sharpened.
From this angle, one could just glimpse a corner of fabric peeking out from behind the rockery.
Someone was hiding there.
Yan Zhan also caught sight of it. He silently wondered who would be so bold as to eavesdrop on the Chancellor's conversation. He was about to call for the guards to drag the person out from behind the rockery when Pei Ling raised a hand to stop him.
Yan Zhan paused.
Pei Ling had already strode forward with long steps, circling around to the back of the rockery.
Nan Rao had only been taking temporary shelter behind the rockery, never expecting to overhear their discussion of the Duan family's case. Startled, she pricked up her ears even more to listen intently.
She had thought she was well hidden, but when their conversation suddenly fell silent, an ominous feeling crept over her.
Just then, a voice as clear as shattered jade came from behind her without warning.
"What are you doing here?"
A chill ran down her spine. She spun around, only to collide with those deep, pool-like dark eyes.
"My Lord…"
She hastily bowed to him in greeting.
Yan Zhan had assumed it was some careless servant. But when he heard Nan Rao's voice, his heart lurched. He knew this was bad.
Damn it. Lu Zhihe was still here.
This eunuch had served in the palace for years—he would surely recognize Princess Huayang.
Just as Lu Zhihe was about to walk over, Pei Ling moved with lightning speed, grabbing Nan Rao's wrist. Before she could react, he pulled her forcefully into his arms.
Startled by his sudden action, Nan Rao stumbled, her nose colliding with his chest with a thud. The sharp pain instantly brought tears to her eyes.
She pressed her hands against his chest, trying to struggle free.
"My Lord, you—"
"Don't move."
A low, cold command came from above her head.
His hand pressed firmly against her slender shoulder, forbidding her to move.
Lu Zhihe happened to walk over at that moment. Catching sight of the woman nestled in Pei Ling's arms, he narrowed his eyes slightly and asked with a knowing smile, "I've always heard that the Chancellor keeps his distance from women. How is it that a woman has suddenly appeared in your residence?"
Nan Rao's heart tightened instantly.
She realized she had stumbled upon someone she shouldn't have encountered. One misstep could ruin everything. She immediately stopped struggling, gritted her teeth, and remained silent.
Pei Ling merely smiled without a word.
Given Pei Ling's status, he had no need to explain himself to anyone. Lu Zhihe realized he had overstepped the moment he asked. His mind raced, and he quickly laughed to smooth things over. "This servant has no discernment. Well, everyone has their private matters, after all. This servant will pretend he saw nothing."
He wore an expression of tacit understanding.
Men, after all, even if they put on a devoted act of pining for their deceased wives in public, it's merely for reputation's sake—in private, who could truly remain chaste? Those who know, know.
Pei Ling's expression was indifferent, neither confirming nor rushing to deny. He merely said, "Attendant Lu, why don't you wait in my study? I'll handle a private matter and join you shortly."
How could Lu Zhihe dare refuse? Seeing this, Yan Zhan immediately stepped forward to block Lu Zhihe's view, not letting him continue staring at Nan Rao, and said with a smile, "Allow me to lead the way."
Lu Zhihe hurriedly replied, "Much obliged, Chief Clerk Yan."
They slowly walked off into the distance.
Nan Rao still lay in Pei Ling's embrace, her entire body stiff.
The man's robes carried a familiar yet unfamiliar scent of agarwood, gradually dispersing the cold breath of the falling snow around them, like a net of restraint, silently closing in, consuming her resistance bit by bit.
As if they were truly a pair of lovers, disturbed by an outsider.
Standing this close, the man's gaze dropped, pausing briefly on her white mourning garments before settling on her hair, where stray snowflakes had landed.
Jade-thin, fragrance-rich; deep sandalwood, snow dispersed.
He restrainedly pressed his fingers together, suppressing the urge to tidy her appearance.
Only when the surroundings were completely empty did he release his hold.
Nan Rao quickly stepped back several paces, remnants of startled panic lingering in her eyes.
She hastily looked up at him. "Forgive me, my lord. I… I wasn't intentionally eavesdropping just now. I happened to be taking a walk today and came upon this place. From afar, I saw you approaching and had no time to dodge, so I hid behind the rockery nearby, afraid of disturbing your discussion of official matters."
She was eager to explain, fearing he might misunderstand.
But Pei Ling wasn't really listening.
He looked down at her flustered expression, yet his gaze unconsciously drifted lower.
Today she was dressed in plain white, a cloak draped over her shoulders—shoulders as if carved, waist as if bound in silk.
Her dark hair hung loose, covering her slender back like satin, and when the wind blew, it made her appear even more fragile and delicate, as if she might melt into the snow beneath her feet.
Beautiful.
Yet so thin that he found it almost unbelievable.
Pei Ling suddenly recalled a scene from years past.
She had been young then, spoiled and mischievous, always pestering him. Annoyed beyond endurance, he had deliberately avoided her for days. But on the night of the Lantern Festival, when all officials entered the palace, he walked through the Sima Gate alongside his colleagues and spotted from afar that little princess, draped in a crimson cloak, adorned with jade hairpins, holding a lantern as she stood gracefully in the snow.
All the officials lowered their heads and stepped aside, but she extended her lantern pole horizontally, blocking his path.
"Does Lord Pei pretend not to see me?"
Beneath the blazing lantern light, the young girl's phoenix eyes slanted upward, her smile light and teasing.
The youth, blocked and unable to advance or retreat, had no choice but to raise his hand and say in a clear voice, "This official pays respects to Your Highness."
She looked him up and down, raised an eyebrow, then abruptly handed her lantern pole to the maid behind her, took a slow step toward him, and rose on her tiptoes to lean close to the young man's cold, handsome face.
"Trying to avoid me, were you? Today I've finally caught you."
…
Nan Rao was at a loss.
The man before her remained silent, merely watching her calmly, leaving her completely unable to gauge his thoughts.
And just now, he had suddenly pulled her into his embrace—such an intimate gesture—it had truly frightened her.
Was it to avoid that Attendant Lu?
Surely there was no other meaning behind it?
Nan Rao's right hand, hidden in her sleeve, nervously pinched herself. She kept her eyes lowered, striving to remain composed as she said, "Just now… thank you for your assistance, my lord. I know my identity is sensitive and I shouldn't have been wandering about freely. I've caused you trouble today."
He snapped back from his memories, lowering his gaze to her tense expression.
"Do not be afraid."
He clasped his hands in his sleeves and slowly turned to face the distant snowy scenery, saying calmly, "I have no interest in any woman under heaven."
Nan Rao was caught off guard by this statement, stunned for a moment before pressing her lips together and murmuring softly, "My lord need not explain yourself…"
"In my heart, there is only my wife. Even though she has been gone for many years, it remains so."
"My lord's… wife?"
She frowned slightly and couldn't help but look up at the man's back.
Pei Ling let out a light laugh. "It seems you have never inquired about this official's affairs before."
Nan Rao indeed knew little of his personal matters. She had only heard of Prime Minister Pei from the common folk—whenever anyone spoke of him, romantic anecdotes were never part of the conversation.
She had wondered before: at Pei Ling's age, he should have married long ago. Why had she never heard anyone mention the lady of the Prime Minister's residence?
So she had already passed away, and he had never remarried?
Thinking about it that way, it made sense. With Pei Ling's power and position, if his late wife weren't in his heart, why would he have remained unmarried all these years? Who could possibly force him otherwise?
Even that Attendant Lu had hinted at things like "I've heard the Prime Minister has never been fond of women."
Such a matter couldn't be faked.
Pei Ling could feel her gaze upon him—filled with confusion, tension, and wariness—until he voluntarily spoke of his late wife, and only then did some of the guard in her eyes finally dissipate.
If he didn't temporarily put her at ease, she would likely treat him like a flood or a beast from now on, carefully tiptoeing around him.
Pei Ling had killed countless people, and deceiving others was even easier than killing. The irony was that today, after waiting for years, the beloved in his heart stood right before him, yet he did not know how to reveal his true feelings to make her accept them.
The full trust of their youth was still vivid in his mind.
The person she had once been willing to entrust her entire being to was no longer him.
Pei Ling closed his eyes briefly, drawing in a restrained breath of cold air.
His mind finally cleared a little.
He said calmly, "If you want to know the answer, have Lu Ying bring you to the plum grove to find me tonight."