Chapter 147: Chapter 147: He’s Crying Again

Soon, muffled sobs echoed from outside the courtyard.

The members of the Pei Family were led away. Most of them were gagged, unable to even cry out loud.

But the despair in their cries was unmistakable.

Xie Jinbai acted as if he heard nothing.

His expression was placid as he lay back, his gaze fixed on the ceiling beams, lost in thought.

Cui Lingyao floated to his side and stared at him intently.

This man’s presence was too overwhelming, his possessiveness too strong. During their three years of marriage, whenever they were alone, their eyes would barely meet before he was pulling her in for a deep kiss.

By the time she woke up in the morning, the space beside her would be empty.

They were said to be a married couple of many years, but Cui Lingyao only knew that he was handsome; she had never truly taken a good look at him.

Only now, after dying twice, did she have the chance to examine him closely and see what exactly made him so handsome.

She studied him meticulously for a long time. The more she looked, the more she felt that if it weren’t for the perpetual coldness on his face that made the noble ladies of the Capital City keep their distance, the romantic entanglements he’d had three years ago would have involved more than just Li Wanru.

Her eyes were practically glued to his face.

Normally, he would have started to feel uncomfortable long ago.

But now, emboldened by the fact that he couldn’t see her, she stared openly.

After an unknown amount of time, the man on the soft chair suddenly stood up.

Cui Lingyao jumped in fright and quickly moved away.

Only after retreating two steps did she remember that she was now a soul.

’He can’t touch me.’

Xie Jinbai, unaware of the commotion beside him, carried a somber air as he walked toward the inner chamber.

Inside, against the wall, was an enclosed canopy bed. Lying upon it was a young woman, her long hair spread out, completely breathless.

Looking at the body she had briefly inhabited, Cui Lingyao felt a wave of complicated emotions.

She didn’t feel that it was her.

At least, after she had left the shell, this body no longer had anything to do with her.

To Cui Lingyao, this was Pei Shuyao’s body.

So, when she saw Xie Jinbai tending to it with such meticulous care, refusing to let anyone else help, she couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed.

Xie Jinbai could not sense her feelings.

He stood by the bed, gazing down at the young woman, his eyes flickering as he murmured, "Will you really come find me...?"

If she were to be reborn in another body, would she really come to find him without hesitation?

Xie Jinbai had no confidence that she would.

He had always felt that in their relationship, he was the one forcing things.

Three years ago, his love had been unrequited.

Three years later, he was the one pestering her relentlessly.

She had always been passively accepting.

He was afraid she wouldn’t come back to life.

And he was also afraid that she would come back to life, but not come to find him.

Everything was beyond his control.

The soft, gentle woman who was in his arms just last night was now gone, her whereabouts unknown.

All that remained was a breathless shell.

And even this shell was not hers.

Xie Jinbai tilted his head back, took a deep breath, and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.

Cui Lingyao, watching from the side, furrowed her brow. She thought he had gone mad enough to want to sleep while holding the corpse.

’And what about me!’

Fortunately, after sitting down, he made no further movements.

It seemed he just wanted to be closer to something related to her, and wasn’t truly treating Pei Shuyao’s body as hers.

He sat there motionlessly, his expression wooden.

Cui Lingyao’s heart ached watching him.

After a moment’s thought, she sat down beside him and rested her head phantom-like on his shoulder.

She accompanied him in silence.

Time trickled by, and the sky outside the window gradually turned the pale white of a fish’s belly.

Sunlight broke through the clouds, spilling onto the still-damp earth.

And just like that, the night was over.

Cui Lingyao gently turned her head to look at the man beside her.

Just in time to see him raise a hand, his large palm covering his eyes and brow.

Moisture slid down past his knuckles.

’He’s crying again.’

It wasn’t the kind of wailing grief from yesterday on the black-canopied boat, but it was no less painful to witness.

Cui Lingyao felt a pang of sorrow.

The overwhelming ache in her heart became unbearable. She shot to her feet and screamed for the system.

"Are you still there? Do you know that your host is already dead, has left her physical body, and is just a wandering soul?"

"If you don’t wake up soon, I won’t even be able to hold onto my soul! I’m going to dissipate completely!"

"And if I really die, this fool won’t live for much longer either!"

There was no response.

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

Liu Rong’s voice carried inside. "Your Highness, a letter has arrived from the Capital City."

Xie Jinbai wiped his face and strode out.

Liu Rong was holding a confidential letter.

Xie Jinbai broke the seal and scanned the words, a cold glint in his eyes.

"Bind those Qiang people from yesterday and hang them from the city gate tower. Then, spread the word that these members of the Alien Clan have accused the Marquis Guangping Mansion and my several Imperial Brothers of treason, and that they have presented evidence of their collaboration with the enemy. However, I, this prince, do not believe it. I wish to investigate the truth thoroughly to clear the name of the Marquis Mansion and my Imperial Brothers."

Liu Rong was stunned.

As far as he knew, they already had evidence of treason against the Empress’s maternal family.

This was a high crime of treason.

And it involved the Empress herself.

It should be reported to the Emperor, handed over to the Three Ministries for a joint trial, and finally, the verdict should be decided by the Emperor’s own hand.

How could it be brushed aside so lightly with just two words: "don’t believe"?

Especially since, in the eyes of the world, the Empress was his birth mother.

Even with military power in his hands, this was far too reckless and willful.

A hesitant look crossed Liu Rong’s face. "Your Highness, are we really going to do this?"

This was blatant protectionism. If those old codgers at the Imperial Censorate got wind of this, they would surely jump at the chance to impeach them.

"Do it," Xie Jinbai said coolly, waving his hand. "My three Imperial Brothers are hardly clean in this matter. I want to see if they can keep their composure."

Evidence of treason from only the Marquis Guangping Mansion was not enough.

And he didn’t have the time to take them down one by one.

This was an overt scheme.

Those who couldn’t remain calm would naturally jump out to check if their own tails were clean.

And then, they would be delivering the evidence right to his doorstep.

As for impeachment by a few civil servants, Xie Jinbai had never paid it any mind.

Liu Rong bowed in acceptance and withdrew.

A short while later, several deputy generals and advisors arrived.

Those who had been allowed to follow him from the Capital City were his most trusted confidants. They had vaguely heard about what had happened yesterday.

The memory of how their master’s temperament had drastically changed three years ago after the Princess Consort’s incident was still fresh in their minds. For it to happen again, they couldn’t help but worry.

Seeing that Xie Jinbai’s expression was the same as usual, their anxious hearts slowly settled.

They mostly discussed military and court affairs.

Cui Lingyao couldn’t understand much of it, but she was quite relieved to see that he had managed to suppress all his emotions overnight and was able to focus on his duties.

That afternoon, the few Qiang people were bound and hung from the city gate.

The remaining members of the Pei family were also rounded up and brought back one after another.

For these collateral relatives of the Pei clan who were merchants in other regions, this was a complete and unforeseen disaster.

Cui Lingyao had grown up in an era of peace where collective punishment was no longer practiced.

Seeing their terrified, helpless expressions, as if their world was collapsing, she felt a stir of pity.

However, these people never even made it into Xie Jinbai’s presence.

They were taken away by two of his subordinate officers.

...

Night slowly fell.

Shen Er arrived. After confirming that Zhiqiu had not participated in the poisoning, he wanted to plead for her life.

Although Zhiqiu was a servant girl, she had served by Cui Lingyao’s side for several months. Liu Rong did not dare to deal with her rashly and came in to ask for instructions.

Xie Jinbai was standing before his desk, head bowed as he wrote a letter. Hearing the report, he didn’t even look up as he said coolly, "Not a single member of the Pei family is to live."

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