Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 197

“Master, the gatekeeper reports that someone is here to see you.”

Zhao Wei pauses mid-motion as he lifts the teacup lid. He looks up at the servant delivering the message. “Did they say who it is?”

“They said it’s the young gentleman who visited some time ago, the one with a handsome and dignified bearing. But this time, he’s alone,” the servant replies.

“Tell them I’m not… Wait, let him in.” Zhao Wei puts down his teacup and sighs inwardly.

After the servant leaves, Zhao Wei stares blankly at a spot in the room, his face occasionally flickering with regret, guilt, and other emotions. When he hears footsteps outside the door, all those feelings instantly vanish from his face.

“Your Excellency, have you come today still searching for an old acquaintance?” Zhao Wei scrutinizes the young man in blue before him, thinking to himself: How alike they are! But while one always wears a warm smile as gentle and amiable as the spring breeze, this one, though smiling as well, exudes an air like a sharp sword about to be drawn—intimidating to behold.

Pei Che replies, “Indeed. May I ask, Master Zhao, do you truly not remember this acquaintance?”

Zhao Wei lets out a bitter laugh. “Why ask again, Young Master Pei? If you trusted me, you wouldn’t have come back. The people following me recently—are they your men?”

Pei Che’s heart skips a beat, but his expression remains calm. “I don’t understand what Master Zhao is referring to.”

“Let’s not beat around the bush,” Zhao Wei says directly, not dwelling on the topic. “I did know your father, but with such an illustrious figure as the late heir, who in Liangjing wouldn’t know him?”

“Many in Liangjing know my father, true. But those who would specifically leave 500 taels of silver as incense money for temple rituals are few and far between. Master Zhao, do you remember Master Wuchen?”

At these words, Zhao Wei can no longer hide the shock on his face and blurts out, “You’ve been to Ciji Temple?”

“So it really was you!” Pei Che’s gaze turns icy as he stares at him. “It’s fortunate that Heaven shows mercy, unwilling to let the truth remain buried forever. When I was returning to Liangjing to report for duty, heavy floods washed out the main road, so I took a detour into the mountains and came upon Ciji Temple.”

“No wonder there were rumors you drowned in the flood. Someone must have seen you, and when you didn’t return to Liangjing right away…” Zhao Wei murmurs to himself. Upon hearing news of Pei Che’s death at the time, his feelings are indescribable. Only he knows that among the mix of emotions, there is one he can name: relief. He berates himself for his baseness but cannot stop the spread of this emotion.

“You must be disappointed I didn’t die, right? Because only with my death would no one investigate what happened back then.”

When Pei Che was younger, he truly believed his parents’ deaths were an accident. But as he grew older, his grandmother’s behavior made him suspect there was more to the story.

At first, he suspected his second uncle and their family, but later evidence suggested otherwise. Then, he suspected many others, but as time passed, and without witnesses or evidence, the investigations all led to dead ends. 

He hadn’t expected that, by chance, passing through Ciji Temple would bring him so close to the truth.

“What happened back then is indeed my fault. I feel deep regret for what happened to your parents, which is why I leave the incense money—to offer some solace to their spirits in heaven,” Zhao Wei sighs. One misstep, and it becomes a lifetime of regret. That momentary lapse in judgment has led to years of guilt and unease.

Hearing this, Pei Che is enraged. “So you admit you were responsible for my parents’ deaths? Do you think a mere few hundred taels of silver can absolve your sins? My parents had no grievance or enmity with you. Why did you do such a thing?” He initially comes to question Zhao Wei, thinking he might know something. He doesn’t expect Zhao Wei to confess outright! To think he even considers Zhao Wei merely a bystander who knows the truth.

Faced with Pei Che’s fury, Zhao Wei is momentarily stunned. When he realizes what Pei Che infers, he immediately clarifies, “Young Master Pei, you misunderstand. I was not the one who harmed your parents.”

“Then what did you mean by what you just said? If you didn’t harm my parents, then who did?” Pei Che glares at him angrily.

“The events of that year are complicated, but I can assure you I did not harm your parents.”

Pei Che sneers coldly, clearly doubting his words. If Zhao Wei isn’t involved, why does he feel the need to atone?

“What is your relationship with the Imperial Consort Xian?” Pei Che abruptly changes the subject.

Zhao Wei is stunned, shooting to his feet. “What did you say?!”

“Heh,” Pei Che smirks with disdain as he looks at him. “If you didn’t want anyone to know, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place. Did you think cutting ties with them would keep others from finding out? That Consort Xian—didn’t you once have a marriage agreement with her?”

“Young Master Pei, watch your words!” Zhao Wei’s expression changes drastically. He glances around, relieved to see no one else nearby. “There’s nothing between me and Imperial Consort Xian. Don’t make wild accusations. If you tarnish her reputation and incur the Emperor’s wrath, what good will it do you?” Zhao Wei lowers his voice, his tone laced with warning.

“I didn’t know that Master Zhao has such deep feelings. You haven’t taken a wife or concubine even now—still holding on to those past affections, I suppose?”

Zhao Wei looks embarrassed. “I don’t know how Young Master Pei learned about that matter, but I ask you not to speak of it further. The past is like dust—there’s no point in stirring it up again.”

Pei Che observes how Zhao Wei seems to age several years in an instant. He knows Zhao Wei hasn’t forgotten that relationship from years ago, just as he has suspected.

It is purely by chance that Pei Che learns of this matter.

At the time, he was investigating the Zhao family’s household registry and found the name of Zhao Wei’s mother. Tracing her name, he discovered her connection to the Li family. The Lis had originally been a minor official family. Master Li had strengthened ties with the wealthy Zhao family by marrying his younger sister to Zhao Wei’s father. When Zhao Wei was about seven or eight, his father passed away, and his mother took him to the Li family for support. It was there that Zhao Wei became acquainted with the current Consort Xian.

The two grew up as childhood companions, spending their days together. As they matured, Zhao Wei developed feelings for his cousin. Although the Zhao family had lost its patriarch, it was still immensely wealthy. Zhao Wei, being intelligent and capable, was expected to take over the family business upon reaching adulthood, possibly expanding it even further. After some deliberation, Zhao Wei’s mother brought up the idea of a match with her brother.

Master Li, feeling pity for his widowed sister and nephew and seeing the Zhao family’s wealth, agreed. They made an informal agreement to formalize the marriage proposal once Zhao Wei took over the family business.

However, not long after the Zhao family moved out, Master Li was promoted for his meritorious suggestions. With his new position, the family began mingling with influential and powerful figures. Li Madam gradually grew dissatisfied with the previous marriage arrangement.

Although the Zhao family was rich, wealth alone could not compare to the influence of nobility. Li Madam believed her daughter, who was beautiful and talented, deserved a more advantageous match. Why should she marry into a merchant family and become the wife of a mere businessman?

With this in mind, she took her daughter to social events. At one of these gatherings, the Li daughter caught sight of Pei Shijie, the heir of the then Duke of Zhongguo. His status, character, and appearance were unmatched. She fell for him at first sight.

Unfortunately, before she could act, Pei Shijie and Feng Anxue became a celebrated couple, publicly declaring their lifelong devotion to one another. Heartbroken, Li’s daughter soon had another opportunity when her father was introduced to the Third Prince. For the sake of the family’s future, she entered the Third Prince’s residence as a concubine. Later, as Master Li was promoted again, her status was elevated to a secondary consort.

Meanwhile, Zhao Wei eagerly worked to better himself, hoping to marry his cousin. Instead, he received news that she had become another man’s wife.

Master Li, feeling guilty, proposed marrying his illegitimate daughter to Zhao Wei. However, Zhao Wei refused, and the illegitimate daughter found another advantageous match, marrying the illegitimate son of the Duke of Zhongguo, Pei Shiyuan.

The relationship between the Zhao family and the Li family gradually grew distant, though Zhao Wei continued sending gifts during holidays to maintain a semblance of familial ties. However, a business conflict a few years ago severed their relationship completely.

Pei Che had pieced these details together from elderly members of the Zhao and Li families. Because the Third Prince was now the emperor, people were reluctant to speak of these matters. If not for someone drunkenly letting slip details, Pei Che would never have learned of it.

Ever since he figured out Zhao Wei’s line, Pei Che’s mind was filled with suspicions. Many individuals involved seemed highly suspicious.

First, there was the Third Prince and Consort Xian. During the imperial succession struggle, Pei Shijie had sided with the Fourth Prince. Would they not have acted against him?

Second, there was Pei Shiyuan and his mother. They coveted the heir’s position. Eliminating Pei Shijie would have paved their way to control the Duke of Zhongguo’s estate. Wouldn’t they be tempted?

Third, there was Zhao Wei. could his deep feelings for his cousin have motivated him to help clear obstacles from her path?

No matter how Pei Che analyzes it, he can’t make sense of everything. In the end, he decides to question Zhao Wei directly, as he is the only person who was present at the events back then.