Chapter 146: "Perhaps All Ghosts Dress Like This.
Chapter 146: Chapter 146: "Perhaps All Ghosts Dress Like This.
Shen Tingyu still hesitated.
He wanted to see her.
He wanted to be able to see her anytime, anywhere.
"What are you standing around for? Drink it!"
Seeing that he wasn’t moving, Cui Lingyao grew exasperated and pointed at him. "If you’re going to be so careless with your health, I’m never coming to see you again!"
’She’s so fierce.’
’It was a complete departure from the gentle, understanding demeanor she used to show him.’
’She was showing him her true self, completely unvarnished.’
Shen Tingyu watched her, stunned, his gaze distant.
Cui Lingyao quickly covered her chest. "Where are you looking!"
Shen Tingyu: "..."
He turned his face away, the tips of his ears beginning to turn red again.
Shen Er was also in the room. Seeing his master talking to the air and even blushing, he was frozen in place, utterly dumbfounded.
Shen Tingyu rubbed his face. Just as he was about to say something, Cui Lingyao cut in, "Drink your medicine! If you don’t, I’m leaving."
’This was why Shen Tingyu hadn’t wanted her to find out he could see her.’
He reluctantly took the medicine bowl from Shen Er’s hand and slowly blew on it.
Cui Lingyao said, "Don’t stall for time trying to get out of it. I’ll be watching you."
Shen Tingyu: "..."
He let out a low sigh, raised his arm, and downed the medicine in one gulp. He then quietly instructed his attendant, "Do not speak of this to anyone."
Shen Er’s eyes widened. He glanced around cautiously, and a shiver ran down his spine. He quickly collected the medicine bowl and scrambled out of the room.
The moment the door closed, Cui Lingyao felt a little awkward.
Although humans and ghosts walk different paths and she had no physical body, this man could see her.
’This counts as being alone in a room together, doesn’t it?’
’Besides, I’m wearing a nightgown, which is practically the equivalent of running around naked in this world.’
’He wasn’t much better off. Just a moment ago, he was shirtless.’
’He’d put on a robe after the ointment was applied, but it was tied so loosely that his pectoral muscles were still partially visible.’
Cui Lingyao felt uneasy all over and shot to her feet. "You should rest. I’m going out."
"Don’t go!" Her sudden move to leave made Shen Tingyu subconsciously reach for her, only to grasp at empty air. He began to cough weakly in his panic.
Cui Lingyao stopped short. "What are you doing?"
Shen Tingyu pursed his lips. "I want you to stay and talk with me for a while."
"..." Cui Lingyao was resigned. She decided to be direct. "Talking is fine, of course, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to be alone in a room together, in our current state of undress."
’They were both in a state of undress!’
’Especially me!’
Shen Tingyu hesitated for a moment, his lips moving. "The clothes you’re wearing... why are they...?"
"I don’t know either."
Of course, Cui Lingyao couldn’t admit she wasn’t from this world. She declared with a straight face, "Maybe this is just how all ghosts dress."
’It’s not like he’s ever died before.’
’How would he know if I’m lying?’
Shen Tingyu indeed had no way to verify her words, but he was no fool and could make his own judgments.
’This girl has a secret.’
’A big one.’
’Xie Jinbai might have already suspected something.’
"I’m leaving now. You get some rest."
Cui Lingyao really couldn’t stay any longer. She was worried about Xie Jinbai and unwilling to be alone in a room with another man while they were both so disheveled. She stood up and said, "Thank you for still remembering Zhiqiu. When I have time tomorrow, I’ll come see you again."
Shen Tingyu didn’t try to make her stay this time.
He hummed softly in agreement.
"You have to come."
’I just hope that when she comes tomorrow, I’ll still be able to see her.’
"If..." Shen Tingyu paused, then said, "If I can no longer see you tomorrow, don’t be afraid. I will carry on as if you are still with me."
’Once he couldn’t see her either, her world would be completely empty.’
’He was afraid this girl would feel lonely and hopeless.’
’That would be a true death.’
Cui Lingyao blinked quickly, feigning a casual air. "Don’t worry, I won’t be scared."
Shen Tingyu smiled faintly and watched her leave, his eyes filled with boundless affection.
* * *
Cui Lingyao followed her memory and floated back to Xie Jinbai’s courtyard.
The night was deep, but the courtyard was lit as bright as day.
In the courtyard, on the rain-soaked ground, a dense crowd of people were kneeling.
At the very front were Mr. Pei and Old Madam Pei, and behind them were the rest of the Pei Family.
Some were people Cui Lingyao recognized, and some she didn’t.
All in all, there were over a hundred people.
It seemed that every member of the Pei clan who was in Pingzhou City was here.
’He acted overnight, without a moment’s delay.’
Surrounding them was a circle of armored Yulin Guards. They were Xie Jinbai’s trusted aides, elite soldiers who had fought alongside him. Their mere presence exuded a palpable killing intent.
The members of the Pei Family had never witnessed such a scene, and they all cowered together in fear.
The young lady of their house had only just met with a mishap during the day, and by night, disaster had befallen them.
The Pei Family members weren’t fools; they couldn’t help but connect the two events.
However, among them, only Mr. Pei, Old Madam Pei, and their two legitimate sons knew about the ’poisoning’.
But they didn’t understand. A mere girl from the inner chambers had died, that was all. How could it have provoked Prince Yu to intervene overnight?
After all, Xie Jinbai had hidden his movements very well. Aside from a few of his closest confidants, no one knew that the real reason he left the capital was for a girl.
The Pei Family certainly wouldn’t know.
In their eyes, the greatest value of their granddaughter, Cui Lingyao, was her marriage engagement to the eldest legitimate grandson of the Duke Mansion.
The prerequisite for realizing this value was that she had a good relationship with the family and was willing to help her uncles and cousins.
Clearly, Cui Lingyao was not willing.
So, when faced with the Empress’s instructions, Mr. Pei and his sons didn’t hesitate to sacrifice this granddaughter, who was not close to the family, in exchange for the greatest benefit.
They didn’t know why the Empress wanted to deal with a girl from the inner chambers, but they poisoned their granddaughter without a second thought.
’So stupid and so wicked.’
’There was no other way to describe them.’
’This life, so hard-won, was senselessly lost.’
Now a soul, Cui Lingyao couldn’t muster even a shred of pity for the members of the Pei Family.
She looked around but didn’t see Xie Jinbai. Only two of his lieutenants were presiding over the scene. So she floated towards her own ’morgue’.
Just as she reached the door, she heard Liu Rong’s voice from inside.
He was reporting the results of the interrogation.
’They’ve already finished a round of interrogations in such a short time.’
The Seven-Star Powder was indeed administered by the Pei Family. Liu Yue was the one who gave it to Mr. Pei.
The few members of the Pei Family who were in on it all confessed without reservation.
The room was somewhat dim.
When Cui Lingyao entered the room, she saw that familiar figure leaning back in a chair, eyes slightly closed. Half of his face was covered in shadow, giving him a cold, intimidating air.
Liu Rong finished detailing the Pei Family’s actions, then added, "The Pei family registry records a total of four hundred seventy-eight members. Apart from the four hundred forty-three in Pingzhou City, there are another thirty engaged in business elsewhere, and five who entered officialdom through the imperial examinations, all serving as county magistrates."
A county magistrate is a seventh-rank official.
The once-famous Pei clan of Pingzhou City now had only five county magistrates from its branch families, aside from the two disappointing members of the direct line.
The family had fallen this far.
Xie Jinbai said, "Bring them all back. Execute every last one."
The charges were ready-made.
Colluding with foreign tribes, plotting against the Royal Family.
Even exterminating their nine relations would not be an excessive punishment.
Liu Rong’s expression grew solemn. He bowed in acknowledgment and withdrew.