After all, with the death of the Guan family, the Grand Tutor in the capital is not to be trifled with. Killing her only nephew, this debt will ultimately fall on Jing Huan and her husband.

—

After planning the major affairs in the capital with the Grand Tutor, it was already the hour of Zi (11 pm-1 am).

Pei Yuanshao rode his horse at full speed back to Xiqiao Village. As the night deepened, the entire village was so quiet that only the sound of his horse’s hooves kicking up dust could be heard.

When he arrived home, there wasn’t a single light in the old house.

Pei Yuanshao tied his horse to a tree in the moonlight.

He walked straight to the wooden door of the woodshed and pushed it open.

She had already gone to bed. In the moonlight, her face appeared particularly pale.

He lay by her bedside, silently gazing at her, his eyes unblinking as he etched her features deeply into his heart.

He opened his mouth and soundlessly asked, “I have to leave, Changning. Do you want to come with me?”

The person on the bed had her eyes tightly shut. She slept very quietly, her breathing long and even.

“You definitely don’t want to come with me. I saw it, the divorce paper you wrote a month ago, which you carefully kept close to your chest.”

“It’s because I have feelings for you that you want to drive me away, right?”

“In my life, I’ve never liked any woman before. I originally thought I would never love anyone in this lifetime, and didn’t understand love. Who would have thought I’d fall for someone as cold as you.”

“You must think I’m filthy and loose. That night when I offered myself, what a shameful man I must have seemed. But what can I do? I can’t control myself. Since I realized I like you, I’m no longer the calm and composed person I used to be. You must be extremely annoyed by a man like me.”

“I’m leaving now. Is this fulfilling your wish? Tomorrow when I talk to you about divorce, what if you ask me to stay?”

“Please don’t ask me to stay. I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back my tears. A man shouldn’t cry easily, lest I lose your respect again.”

“Huh? As I’m talking to you now, it seems some sand has gotten into my eyes. Hmm… this small mud-brick room of yours really needs to be changed. There’s so much dust… it’s not good for the eyes.”

“I’ve left you a thousand taels of silver, hidden under the wooden pillow in the bedroom. Why don’t you buy a piece of land in the west of the village and build a small courtyard to rest in? The old house is too damp, and your health isn’t good. If you keep living here, I’m afraid your body won’t be able to take it.”

“Don’t worry, the silver all comes from my legitimate business. Feel free to use it. I’m not the kind of person you… well, think I am. I haven’t had the chance to tell you, but I’m actually quite pure. If you don’t believe me… well, if I come back to find you after I’ve dealt with my affairs, how about I lift my robe and show you the cinnabar mole on my lower body?”

His gaze grew distant, as if he had thought of something interesting. He laughed self-mockingly, “You must be about to scold me for not being a proper husband again. Changning, I regret it so much now. If I hadn’t ruined my reputation so terribly back then, I could have properly married you…”

Liu Changning narrowed her eyes, taking in all his words. He rambled on with his farewell speech, his voice deep and melancholic, each word striking her heart neither too lightly nor too heavily.

Liu Changning vaguely felt that she had heard this farewell voice before.

In her mind, a similar voice seemed to say to her, “Liu Cangyun, shall I send you away? I’ve found a way, but I might not be able to accompany you anymore! My soul will fly and my spirit will… Pah! Pah! Pah! What’s with that expression? My sword grandfather is returning to the divine realm! Before I leave, can I hug you? Just one hug?”

The voice in her mind grew lower and lower, hopeful yet despairing.

Liu Changning suddenly felt she couldn’t bear to listen anymore. An inexplicable sense of frustration welled up in her heart. With her eyes closed, she reached out and pulled the man beside her into her embrace, saying flatly, “Noisy. Shut up!”

Pei Yuanshao, suddenly pulled onto the bed, stiffened. He struggled slightly and raised his head to ask softly, “Did I wake you up?”

After waiting for quite a while, she didn’t speak again. She held him, her chin resting on his shoulder. The pleasant scent of grass and wood from her body filled his nostrils, her warm breath brushing against his long neck.

Pei Yuanshao was stunned for a moment, then relaxed his body and hugged her back. As he closed his eyes, a tear slid down the corner of his eye.

The moonlight was bright and clear. In the quiet night, only their black hair intertwined, with lingering warmth.

—

The next day, at the break of dawn.

Pei Yuanshao got up very early and went to the kitchen.

He spent a full half hour preparing breakfast.

The breakfast wasn’t elaborate, but it was exceptionally delicious. The porridge was soft, sticky, and thick, with the fragrance of rice wafting up. In the porcelain dish were meat buns from the bun shop in the west of Huashi Town. The buns from that shop had thin skin and rich filling. Taking a bite would scald your tongue with the hot soup inside, making them particularly delicious.

Pei Yuanshao had bought these yesterday, taking a detour through town on his way back. She liked eating them. When she ate food she liked, her eyes would narrow, the corners lifting up.

He had once found it strange why such a person would have such an obsessive love for meat dishes. Later, he belatedly realized that she didn’t actually like the meat inside the buns, but only loved the delicious soup within.

After finishing breakfast, Pei Yuanshao stood in the middle of the main hall, struggling for a while. Looking at the woman sitting at the head of the room in the distance, he couldn’t bring himself to say the words of departure.

Liu Changning glanced at him sideways. She sighed and said softly, “Go then. Last night… I heard everything.”

“If you ask me to stay… I… I… I…” He met her intense gaze, opened his mouth, but couldn’t make a sound.

This journey ahead was not a path of splendor, but a shallow, muddy one. He could disregard his own life, but her? He couldn’t gamble with that.

Liu Changning straightened up from her chair, walked over to him, reached into her bosom, took out a divorce paper and stuffed it into his chest, saying gently, “We were strangers to begin with, so there’s no need to stay. Take care!”

Pei Yuanshao’s gaze fixed on the divorce paper. He gripped the corner of the paper tightly and turned his gaze away.

Afraid that he might shed tears if he wasn’t careful, his expression must have been unsightly. Even in leaving, he wanted to present the most proud Long Emperor Qing in her eyes.

He controlled himself as he turned around and stepped out of the door.

The morning light was particularly dazzling that day. Pei Yuanshao stepped on the rustling dead leaves, his eyes hurting so much he could barely keep them open.

He walked away resolutely, step by step. In his ears was the crackling sound of crushed leaves. He felt as if he wasn’t stepping on leaves, but on his own fist-sized heart.

The pain was overwhelming!