Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 181

Crash!

The cup shatters the moment it hits the ground, its broken pieces reflecting the owner’s fury. The people around kneel almost in unison, not daring to make a sound. Though Emperor Liang Ping smashes the cup to vent his anger, his gaze turns even more menacing as he looks at the memorial in his hand, almost as if he wants to tear it into pieces.

“Your Majesty, please calm down, the Dragon’s body is of utmost importance!” Xu Hai, trembling with fear, kneels on the ground, desperately trying to calm the Emperor, worried that Emperor Liang Ping might collapse in a fit of rage.

The palace is suffocatingly hot as summer sets in. Though there are ice basins, they can only provide temporary relief. Ice cannot be used excessively, as once it melts, the air becomes damp and stifling. In such an environment, the palace’s inhabitants are all suffering through the summer heat, and Emperor Liang Ping has not had a proper meal for two days.

As Emperor Liang Ping’s trusted confidant, Xu Hai’s status and glory are tied to him, so he is naturally more concerned about the Emperor’s health than anyone else. Seeing the Emperor’s anger over the memorial, Xu Hai is not only worried but also inwardly cursing the officials who have submitted the memorial. He has no idea what is written in it to provoke such anger from the Emperor.

Emperor Liang Ping takes a deep breath and says, “Get up, and everyone else, leave.”

Soon, only Emperor Liang Ping and Xu Hai are left in the study. Xu Hai cautiously steps forward and pours another cup of tea for the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, you should prioritize the emperor’s health above all else.”

Emperor Liang Ping takes a sip from the cup, sighs, and says, “I don’t want to be angry, but some things are just infuriating! Do you know what’s written in this memorial?”

“I do not, Your Majesty.”

“This memorial was submitted by Lin Jun, the Governor of Chengtian Prefecture. It’s about the matter in Cangzhou.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Hai’s mind immediately connects the place to a person.

“If I remember correctly, Your Majesty, isn’t Cangzhou the jurisdiction where the Duke of Zhongguo’s son, Young Master Pei, is serving? But did Young Master Pei make a mistake during his service, causing Your Majesty to be so angry?” In Xu Hai’s mind, it is normal for superiors to submit memorials regarding subordinates’ mistakes, and for someone like Young Master Pei, who is known for his unconventional ways, it would be reasonable for him to be censured by his superiors.

Emperor Liang Ping is stunned for a moment, then shows a wry smile. “You, you really think I’d fly into a rage over that boy Pei Che?”

Xu Hai immediately slaps his own mouth lightly. “I misspoke, I deserve a slap. Your Majesty, you have the heart of the sea, of course you wouldn’t hold a grudge against Young Master Pei. Then what is it that has angered you, Your Majesty?”

Emperor Liang Ping, momentarily distracted by his actions, is no longer as angry as before. He says, “Lin Jun’s memorial says that a mine was discovered in Cangzhou. After inspection, it appears to be an iron mine.”

Xu Hai hurriedly responds, “Isn’t that a great thing? Congratulations, Your Majesty!” Iron tools are not just for weapons and farming tools—they have countless uses.

Emperor Liang Ping’s face darkens. “This isn’t a new discovery. They’ve been mining there for seven or eight years.”

“What?” Xu Hai can’t help but exclaim, “This is a major crime, one that could destroy entire families. How dare anyone act like this? What are the officials in Cangzhou doing?”

“Power-grabbing, indulging in luxury, seeking personal gain! In short, they’re not concerned with the people’s welfare, not enforcing the law impartially, not dedicating themselves to the empire!” This is the source of Emperor Liang Ping’s anger. Bold and reckless people exist throughout history, but few dare to act right under the nose of the government—especially for seven years! When those people were deceived by two swindlers last time, they should have been executed immediately!

“Your Majesty, please calm down!” Xu Hai quickly pours Emperor Liang Ping another cup of tea. “At least this matter has been uncovered now, all thanks to Governor Lin’s sharp eye.”

Emperor Liang Ping sighs bitterly. “It wasn’t him… It was that Pei Che who discovered and investigated it. He only let Lin Jun take the credit by having him submit the memorial.” Lin Jun isn’t a fool, and he must know very well who is behind the discovery. That’s why he praises Pei Che in the memorial, not daring to take any credit for himself.

Xu Hai: “…”

“Now I understand why the late Emperor praises Pei Shijie so many times…” A young man full of ambition and good looks, yet with strong abilities—how could anyone not like him?

“Your Majesty…” Xu Hai doesn’t know what to say.

“He also includes a sketch of the suspect in the memorial. Have someone take a look, and instruct them to find and report back. Then send someone to summon the Minister of Justice to the palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Xu Hai retreats to the steps and then turns to go outside to instruct the men to carry out the orders.

Soon, the image is found, and the Minister of Justice also hurries over. Emperor Liang Ping informs him of the situation and instructs him to dispatch more men to redraw the image, then distribute it to the local government offices across the country to issue a nationwide manhunt for the suspects. Additionally, he orders that a team be sent to Cangzhou to bring the people involved in the case to the capital for trial.

The Minister of Justice agrees, and just as he is about to take his leave, Emperor Liang Ping calls him back.

“There’s no need to bring all the oppressed people here, just bring three or two brave ones to testify.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! Your Majesty’s kindness is a blessing to the people!”

Emperor Liang Ping watches his retreating figure and suddenly remembers something important. He says, “Xu Hai, convey my decree. Have the Ministers of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War come to the palace immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

…

“By the will of Heaven, the Emperor’s decree: expedite the transfer of the suspects involved in the Cangzhou mine case to the capital for trial. So it is ordered!”

“Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long long live the Emperor!”

Pei Che stands up, takes the imperial edict, hands it to a nearby constable, and instructs him to take it inside and present it carefully. Afterward, he turns to the waiting officials from the Ministry of Punishments and says, “My lords, the time is getting late. If we travel now, we’ll have to sleep outdoors. Why don’t we depart tomorrow instead?” He then looks at the other two and says, “This will also give me the chance to host you properly, to entertain you, my lords.”

Minister Li says, “Since Lord Pei has extended such a kind invitation, how could we refuse? Brother Han, Brother Gao, what do you say?”

Both Han and Gao reply, “We would be rude to decline.”

Pei Che smiles, inviting them into the inner hall, where several tables of food and wine are already set up for them.

At the banquet, the host and guests enjoy themselves. After three rounds of drinking, the conversation becomes much more relaxed, no longer as formal as it had been at the start.

Taking advantage of the alcohol, Pei Che subtly pries into various matters, and of course, he deliberately shares some information related to Cangzhou. After all, Han and Gao are from the Ministry of Works and Ministry of War, respectively, and will soon be stationed at the mining site. They will be there for many years, so they naturally want to gather information in advance.

The feast continues late into the night before finally breaking up. Pei Che hasn’t drunk so much in a long time, and after the carriage jolts him, he ends up vomiting when he gets back.

Jiang Miao throws off his clothes with a look of disgust, then pours a glass of water for him to rinse his mouth before heading to the kitchen to bring him the sobering soup to drink.
The drunk Pei Che is too weak to resist and is forced to drink a cup of sobering soup filled with ginger. His eyes redden from the spiciness, and he calls out “A Miao” in an aggrieved tone.

“Stop whining! You come back all drunk, and now you’re complaining? Do you know that in modern times, you wouldn’t even get through the door in this state?” Jiang Miao scolds, but his hands are gentle as he wipes Pei Che down with a cloth. This guy likes being clean; if he doesn’t do it properly, Pei Che will get up in the middle of the night to take a shower.

Pei Che, with a headache and unable to understand, only hears Jiang Miao’s voice and weakly calls out again, “Ah Miao.”

Jiang Miao’s heart softens at the sound of his name. His movements slow as he continues to wipe him down but can’t help but mutter, “Fine, social gatherings come with alcohol, and drinking is inevitable. But don’t you know your own limits? You know you’ll feel bad after drinking too much, so why not just pour a little less while drinking? Why go all out like this?”

Pei Che, feeling more comfortable from Jiang Miao’s actions, breaks into a bright smile and foolishly calls out to him once more.

“…Alright, I give up. Get some rest, and hurry up and sleep. We need to get up early tomorrow!” Jiang Miao has no more energy to argue. He changes Pei Che into new clothes, pushes him back into bed, and gets up to clean up the mess.

… 

The next morning, Pei Che opens his eyes, and the events of the previous night rush into his mind. He both regrets his behavior while drunk and can’t help but feel a little pleased. He lies on his side, propping up his head with one hand, and gazes gently at the still-sleeping Jiang Miao.

Even in such a sorry state, Jiang Miao doesn’t show a hint of disdain. Although he had complained, he had taken care of him without letting anyone else do it, and even prepared sobering soup in advance, fearing that he would wake up with a headache from drinking too much.

Pei Che must be the happiest person in all of Daliang, right? He smiles to himself, preparing to lean in and kiss Jiang Miao.

“What are you doing? It’s early in the morning, don’t scare me with your big eyes!” In his sleep, Jiang Miao vaguely senses someone watching him. When he groggily opens his eyes, he finds Pei Che’s face just inches away, and he quickly leans back in shock.

Pei Che’s smile freezes on his lips. He looks aggrieved and says, “I just wanted to see you…”

“Don’t you see me every day? Why do you have to lean right next to my pillow early in the morning and stare at me? What’s wrong with you?” Jiang Miao is angry and throws a punch at him. He has been kept up all night by Pei Che’s antics, and now this again so early in the morning. Just because he looks good, does he think he can do whatever he wants?!

“Hiss… I was wrong, Ah Miao.” Pei Che doesn’t actually feel pain, as Jiang Miao hasn’t used much force. But he has long understood one thing: arguing with Ah Miao is pointless. In the end, no matter who wins or loses, he always ends up apologizing. It’s better to apologize first. This way, he can defuse the other person’s anger and even earn a little favor for himself.

Jiang Miao’s punch lands on soft cotton. After calming down, he realizes he might have overreacted and been too harsh. He awkwardly says, “It’s good that you understand. Don’t do it again… By the way, what would you like to eat for breakfast? I’ll make it for you.”

Pei Che replies, “Ah Miao, I’m not picky. I’ll love whatever you make… If you can make those little flower rolls from last time, that would be even better.”

Jiang Miao turns and gets out of bed, not looking back as he walks away, only raising one hand to give an “OK” gesture. At first, Pei Che doesn’t understand the gesture, but after Jiang Miao explains it, he realizes it means “alright.”

Pei Che feels inexplicably happy every time he sees this gesture, one that only the two of them understand. It means he’s one step closer to the truest version of Jiang Miao. Jiang Miao never points out his flaws and occasionally helps him save face when his true colors show, all to allow Jiang Miao to be himself without any defenses in front of him.

Pei Che has indeed speculated about Jiang Miao’s background—things like disguise, identical twin brothers separated at birth, or even the wildest idea that Jiang Miao might be a mountain spirit or ghost who has used a soul-switching method to come to the human world.

However, no matter what his guesses are, or what Jiang Miao’s true identity is, since they have married each other, it means they will walk through life together, hand in hand, for the rest of their lives.