Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 199

“How could I dare do such a thing?” Zhao Wei forces a bitter smile. “The Pei family is known for their integrity and honor. Just a single glance at them makes me feel ashamed of myself. How could I possibly harbor any ill intentions?”

On that day, after Zhao Wei agreed to Li Huanyan’s request, he immediately set off towards the direction of Ciji Temple. It was widely known that Pei Shijie and his wife, along with the little immortal child, had come to repay a vow, but what people didn’t know was the exact location of the temple. Zhao Wei, however, was clear on it. It was a small temple he had casually discovered on his way back home, and Zhao Wei had briefly visited it. However, being someone with few desires, he had no personal requests, let alone promises.

Zhao Wei set off a little later, and by the time he arrived at Ciji Temple, Pei Shijie and his wife had already been there for some time. The discussions about the temple’s restoration had been finalized, and work had already begun. Ciji Temple was a small temple, located in a remote area. It rarely received visitors, and its survival had already been quite difficult, let alone repairing the temple. This large sum of money was truly a rare blessing for them.

Just as the temple was nearing completion of its restoration, Zhao Wei arrived. Pei Shijie and his wife were both happy and surprised by his arrival.

“Brother Zhao, didn’t you say you’d stay in Liangjing to care for your mother? Why have you come out now? Has there been some problem with your business?”

Faced with Pei Shijie’s sincere concern, Zhao Wei felt a slight sense of guilt. But thinking about the promise he made to Li Huanyan, he still spoke with difficulty.

“Brother Pei, I didn’t come for business. I came here for you.”

“Come for me?” Pei Shijie shook his head and said, “Brother Zhao, I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“…Now that the situation in the court is unclear, I see that you have great ambitions, Brother Pei. Why not choose a wise ruler to serve? If you gain merit by assisting him, you could help the Duke of Zhongguo’s family rise even further.””

Pei Shijie’s smile, which had been on his lips, faded slightly. His once-gentle gaze now scrutinized Zhao Wei. “Brother Zhao, are you here to lobby for someone? I’ve never had great ambitions. My daily wish is simply to travel with my wife and children through the mountains and waters of Daliang. I don’t desire anything else. As for the title of Duke, it’s already enough. One must know the principle that it’s lonely at the top. “

Such a direct refusal left Zhao Wei unsure of how to proceed. He hesitated before continuing to persuade, “Brother Pei, can you truly bear to let your talents go to waste? You have excellent literary talent, great insight, and are capable in both government and the well-being of the people. How could you not consider serving the country?”

“Brother Zhao, you flatter me. As long as one has the people at heart, anyone can do better than I. Besides, serving the country is for the country, not to become a pawn in the infighting among brothers. Such internal struggles benefit neither the country nor the family. The current emperor is diligently governing, and I’m sure he has already planned the heir. Why rush to pursue that illusory merit of assisting the dragon?”

“…Brother Pei, you truly understand the greater good, and I, Zhao Wei, am deeply ashamed.” Zhao Wei cupped his hands toward Pei Shijie. “Let me be honest with you—I’m merely a businessman, and I have no ability to intervene in court affairs. It was an old friend who entrusted me with this matter, so I shamelessly came here to act as a lobbyist. Now that I understand your thoughts, I will never bring this matter up again.”

Pei Shijie replied, “Brother Zhao, there’s no need to dwell on it. But may I ask, who is the one trying to recruit me?”

At present, the one who is gaining the most power in the court is the fourth prince, followed by the third prince. The other contenders are weaker in influence, though they still have the potential to compete.

Zhao Wei raised one hand, then bent two fingers. 

Pei Shijie nodded. So it’s that person. He had thought that person disliked him, but it seemed they were more flexible than he expected.

The two did not mention the matter again. Since they were in a temple, they did not drink wine and instead brewed a pot of tea, setting up a chessboard to pass the time leisurely.

A few days later, the temple’s restoration was complete. One day, Pei Shijie and his wife suddenly came to bid farewell to Zhao Wei. They had received word from home urging them to return to the capital quickly, so they came to say their goodbyes and ask if Zhao Wei wanted to return with them.

Zhao Wei, feeling that he had returned without accomplishing anything and fearing it would be difficult to explain to his cousin upon returning to Liangjing, decided to stay a few more days, claiming that he enjoyed the scenery here.

“Why the rush, Brother Pei? Is there some urgent matter at home?”

Pei Shijie replied, “It’s nothing major. It’s just that my mother hasn’t seen her little grandson in a long time. She’s worried that he’s suffering outside, so she wants us to return sooner. After I go back, I’ll stay for a few days, then take my wife and children on a trip. Brother Zhao, if you’re interested, you can join us.”

Zhao Wei smiled and shook his head. “Brother Pei, your family is so harmonious, while I, on the other hand, am a lonely bachelor. I won’t trouble you this time. Once I get married, we can travel together.”

Pei Shijie laughed heartily and made an agreement to travel together in the future.

The next day, Pei Shijie and his party packed their things, preparing to head back. Zhao Wei went to see them off and noticed that the sky was a little overcast. For some reason, he suddenly felt uneasy and said, “The weather’s not great today. Brother Pei, perhaps you should delay your departure. This road is quite long, and there aren’t any places to rest along the way. If it rains, wouldn’t that inconvenience your wife and little nephew?”

If it was just Pei Shijie himself, he certainly wouldn’t care. But when his wife and child were mentioned, he couldn’t help but hesitate.

“My Lord, don’t worry. I’ve checked the weather. It’s just cloudy for now, but it will clear up soon,” a coachman suddenly spoke up.

“I still think it’s unwise. The official road is empty; maybe we should wait until the rain stops before we continue?” Zhao Wei suggested.

“My Lord, I know another route. There’s a mountain path ahead, and just twenty miles further is Shui Bo County. If it rains, we’ll easily find shelter. Madam sent word, saying that you should return immediately. She and the eldest young master are waiting for you at home.” The coachman, seeing that Pei Shijie seemed to be swayed, quickly added his suggestion.

Zhao Wei recognized him. The man was a coachman from the Pei family, usually responsible for driving Pei Shijie around, and had also married one of Feng Anxue’s maidservants, making him a trusted confidant of theirs.

Suppressing the unease in his heart, Zhao Wei said, “Brother Pei, since that’s the case, you should hurry up.”

After Pei Shijie and his group left for about half an hour, the sky became even darker, with more clouds gathering, heavy enough to feel like it might pour down at any moment.

Before long, the rain began to fall, the raindrops as large as beans, followed by a thunderclap. The sound of the rain drowned out all other noises, and the courtyard quickly turned into a vast pool of water, startling anyone who saw it.

Zhao Wei felt some regret. He should have insisted more firmly on persuading Pei Shijie to delay their departure, at least to wait for the mountain rain to pass. He wondered if they had found shelter by now. The mountain road was already difficult to navigate, and it would be even worse with the rain.

The rain lasted for a long time before it stopped. It was nearly evening, and Zhao Wei, staring at the dark trees ahead, felt increasingly uneasy.

“… Early the next morning, I set out with my men, thinking I could catch up with your parents, but I never expected… I never expected…” Zhao Wei’s eyes filled with tears, and his face twisted with pain. Every time he thought back to those events, he blamed himself for not insisting more strongly to persuade them.

Pei Che remains silent. What Zhao Wei meant was that he hadn’t directly harmed his own parents. His guilt stemmed from not succeeding in his persuasion, causing his parents to suffer such a disaster?

It didn’t seem right to Pei Che. Was Zhao Wei really so guilty that he never remarried and even severed ties with his maternal uncle because of this?

“Master Zhao, the five hundred taels of incense money were donated after this incident, right?”

“Yes, I heard about the incident, and my heart aches for it. I had intended to accompany the spirit all the way, but when I arrived at the city gates, someone was already waiting there, telling me that my mother had suddenly fallen seriously ill while visiting relatives outside the city, and was now unconscious. I was urged to hurry and see her one last time… In the end, I had to choose to go and see my mother, even though filial piety and righteousness were in conflict. After that, I never dared to step into the Duke of Zhongguo’s mansion again. I only secretly went to their tombs to pay my respects and then instructed people to donate money for incense oil at Ciji Temple, holding a memorial service for them each year. When the money ran out, I would add more.”

“So, you’re saying my parents’ death was truly just an accident?”

Zhao Wei pauses for a moment, neither nodding nor shaking his head, but simply sighs deeply.

Pei Che scrutinizes him, asking, “Then why did you cut ties with your maternal uncle’s family afterward? Don’t tell me it was because of a business deal. You, who could donate silver and goods for the suffering people, would never betray your family over a bit of money.”

Zhao Wei’s expression is filled with complexity, and there is even a hint of panic in it.

“It was Consort Xian and her family who conspired to kill my parents, didn’t they?!”Pei Che shouts suddenly, his loud voice making Zhao Wei blurt out the words in his heart. 

“No, no, it wasn’t them. They didn’t have time to make a move before your parents… left.”

“You’re hiding something! Speak!” Pei Che urges.

Zhao Wei’s face turns ashen, and after a long silence, he finally speaks, “I heard it by chance. After my cousin came to me, she secretly sent someone to follow me. They had made preparations, deciding what to do if your father sided with them, and what to do if he refused to cooperate.”

“After learning that my persuasion had failed, the people they sent decided to take action against your father to sever the Fourth Prince’s right-hand man. But when they lay in ambush outside Shuibo County, they waited but saw no convoy leaving. Suspicious, they decided to inquire and learned that there had been a cliff fall on the mountain road, and both the son and his wife had died, leaving only a young child.”

“But although they were not directly responsible for your parents’ deaths, the coachman who falsely relayed the message was one of their hired men. If that coachman hadn’t urged your father to travel in the rain, they wouldn’t have been pushed off the cliff by the fallen tree. Ultimately, it’s my fault for leaking the news, which gave them the opportunity.”

Once Zhao Wei reveals the last bit of his secret, he feels somewhat relieved. All this time, because of this matter, he has been unable to sleep or eat in peace, but now that the dust has settled, he no longer feels worried.

“All the blame is mine. If Young Master Pei seeks revenge for his parents, let it be directed at me.”

Seeing Zhao Wei so calm, as though ready to accept death, Pei Che’s anger surges. He almost wants to do exactly as Zhao Wei suggests and kill this foolish man in a fit of rage. But deep down, he knows that if it is truly as Zhao Wei says, this matter would have to be settled as an unfortunate accident.

However, there is still one lingering question.

“Did you know that the large tree that fell onto the carriage was not an accident, but was caused by someone? Are you sure the conversation you overheard didn’t conceal anything?”