"It's a kind of poison that came from the Western Regions called Bone-Eating Poison. The pain in the poisoned area goes deep into the bone marrow, and there are traces like a blue centipede on the skin..."
After Pei Yanchao finished speaking, his expression turned even colder.
The reason he knew so clearly was that he had also found such traces on his father's body when he retrieved his father's remains from the prison of the Ministry of Justice...
"Isn't the Duke of Zhenguo afraid of the consequences for using such means against court officials?"
Jiang Sihe asked with a sob.
"So he forced Old Master Chen to resign from office so that it would be easier for him to take action..."
Jiang Sihe let out a cold laugh. Then she stepped forward, walked in front of Old Master Chen's remains, and knelt down with a thud.
"Master, your disciple has come too late!"
This "come too late" was really too late. If she hadn't been reborn, who would have known that his body was left in such a cave...
She knelt down and kowtowed three times to Lord Chen. When she looked up again, her eyes were firm. Since she had a second chance, she would surely help him avenge his enemies and protect his family's safety.
"Lord Pei, can I bury Master's remains?"
Jiang Sihe understood that Lord Chen was involved in the case of Pei Yanchao's father back then, and now he had died from poison. She wasn't sure if the Ministry of Justice would launch an investigation.
Pei Yanchao didn't hesitate and nodded. "Naturally. You're Old Master Chen's disciple. In his letter, he also left a message asking you to bury his body. Your request is not excessive!"
"What about the news of his passing..."
Pei Yanchao lowered his eyebrows. "It can't be made public for the time being."
Jiang Sihe nodded to show that she understood.
Since the news of his passing couldn't be made public, his remains couldn't be sent back to the Chen family's old residence.
"I'd like to bury him here. Can I go up the mountain with your men tomorrow?"
Pei Yanchao nodded without any objection.
...
In the carriage, Jiang Sihe pondered for a long time before speaking.
"Lord Pei, are you going to deal with the people who framed your father back then?"
Pei Yanchao raised his eyes and looked at Jiang Sihe. He had already guessed what she wanted to do.
"No. This matter is too dangerous. You can't get involved!"
He refused Jiang Sihe's unspoken words with just one sentence.
Jiang Sihe just gave a faint smile. "Do you think I'll be out of danger if you don't let me get involved?"
Pei Yanchao's eyes swept over, looking puzzled.
"Since you're not willing to help me, I naturally have my own way. But if I get in your way then, I'll apologize to you in advance!"
"Jiang Sihe, don't overestimate your abilities. You'd lose your life ten times over with your status..."
Pei Yanchao's words were full of warnings, but Jiang Sihe just shook her head.
"Now that the case files of Bai Yuezhu and your father have resurfaced, do you think the Duke of Zhenguo and the Empress Dowager won't suspect me? Do you think I can stay out of this?"
Each of Jiang Sihe's rhetorical questions gave Pei Yanchao a headache. He did want to keep Jiang Sihe out of this, but from the moment she drew the skeleton picture in the White Deer Academy to when he asked her to draw Bai Yuezhu's portrait, he had actually pulled her in step by step.
"I'll find a way to keep you out of this. As long as you're obedient..."
"I won't. Master Chen saved my life first and then took me as his disciple. Do you think I'm such an ungrateful person?"
The two were arguing in the carriage when Yan An suddenly said faintly from outside.
"Stop arguing, you two. The city gate is closed. Now we should think about whether we're going to spend the night in the suburbs."
Yan An's words broke the deadlock between the two. Pei Yanchao cleared his throat slightly.
"Go to the manor in the suburbs and stay there for the night!"
At this time, Jiang Sihe was also a bit discouraged. They couldn't enter the city now because she had insisted on going to the cave to see Master Chen. Now they had missed the time, and none of the three of them could return to the city.
"You don't need to worry. I thought of this kind of accident when I came out. Everything at the Jiang Mansion has been arranged properly, and it won't arouse the suspicion of the first lady and others in the mansion!"
Pei Yanchao's tone was much gentler.
Jiang Sihe replied with a soft "um".
Hearing Pei Yanchao's order, Yan An directly turned the carriage towards the Pei family's manor in the suburbs.
The Pei family's manor was about an hour's journey from the capital.
When they arrived at the manor, the servant guarding the door was stunned for a moment when he saw Pei Yanchao's carriage.
After reacting, he quickly trotted over to greet them.
"Brother Yan, why has the master come at this hour?"
The gatekeeper was a thin and dark old man. Yan An jumped off the carriage. "Uncle Lin, ask less about things you shouldn't ask..."
Hearing this, Uncle Lin quickly lowered his head meekly and didn't dare to say another word.
Pei Yanchao bent down and got out of the carriage first. After getting out, he stood aside and waited.
When he saw Jiang Sihe coming out, he stepped forward and offered his arm, indicating for her to hold it and get off the carriage.
Seeing this, Yan An couldn't help but feel happy. His master had finally become a bit more enlightened...
But this time, Jiang Sihe didn't give him the chance. She directly jumped off the carriage by herself.
"Lord Pei may not know that people like me know very well our own limitations and dare not trouble you..."
There was obvious sarcasm in her words. She was still angry about what he had said about her overestimating her abilities in the carriage just now!
Uncle Lin had his head down, but he still heard the woman's voice. He couldn't help but prick up his ears to listen clearly. Their master had brought a woman to the manor?
This was really something unheard of. It was like the sun rising from the south instead of the west!
Such a rare thing, he had to tell his old woman about it later.
He wondered what the girl looked like that could make their cold and aloof master fall in love. Thinking like this, he couldn't help but secretly look up.
Unexpectedly, the master's standing position just blocked his view and he couldn't see at all.
"Tell Uncle Lin to go in and have someone tidy up a side room for this young lady to stay in!"
Receiving the order, Yan An grabbed Uncle Lin and walked inside.
"Come on, go in and prepare a room for the master..."
Uncle Lin felt a bit regretful. The girl had come, but he hadn't even seen her appearance. How could he tell his old woman about it...
But Yan An could tell from Pei Yanchao's words that he wanted him to go in and dismiss the servants.
Miss Jiang was still an unmarried girl and couldn't swagger into the Pei family's manor.
After the two entered the manor, Yan An had dismissed the servants inside. How could Jiang Sihe not understand Pei Yanchao's intentions.
From their argument in the carriage just now, she also understood that Pei Yanchao was thinking about her.
After Yan An came to inform Pei Yanchao that the room was ready, he stepped back.
Pei Yanchao led Jiang Sihe towards the room.
The moonlight was just right. The two walked one in front of the other on the small stone path in the manor.
The small stones were a bit uncomfortable under Jiang Sihe's feet. She staggered left and right...
Looking up at the front, Pei Yanchao had one hand behind his back and walked steadily and powerfully.
She couldn't help but think that Pei Yanchao might have deliberately led her on this stone path to take revenge on her for not giving him face when she got off the carriage just now...?