After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 87 It turns out I was the fool.

Qin Rui's words immediately brought his subordinates, who were still somewhat stunned, to their senses.

The group hurriedly went to launch the small boat. After Qin Rui boarded the small boat, they saw Pei Yanzhi boarding the boat.

His expression also showed a hint of confusion. She came so quickly; it seemed that Pei Yanzhi really liked this concubine.

"Sir, there's blood here."

When Chenghua saw the bloodstains on the deck, a bad feeling immediately arose in his heart.

If I were to see this...

Upon hearing Cheng Hua's words, Pei Yanzhi felt a jolt in his heart. He walked over and saw the bloodstains leading all the way to the railing.

"We've already sent men to chase after the small boat that just escaped, sir, don't worry."

Cheng Hua offered Pei Yanzhi a word of comfort.

"Send men to search the water, no matter what..."

"You want to see people alive, you want to see corpses when you're dead."

Pei Yanzhi leaned on the railing and said something, his dark eyes gazing at the endless river.

He didn't know if Xiang Ning had fallen into the water or if she had been taken away by that person.

Pei Yanzhi would prefer the latter, so that at least Xiang Ning would have a chance to live, but if it were the former...

Pei Yanzhi closed his eyes, and after a long while, he opened them again, turned around, and left the boat.

Qin Bijun was resting in the courtyard when she suddenly heard Liao's mother knocking on the door in a hurry.

"Ma'am, something happened."

Upon hearing this, Qin Bijun opened her eyes somewhat dazedly, and just as she got up, she heard a loud bang outside.

"Young Master, what are you doing?"

Liao's mother's words instantly brought Qin Bijun back to her senses. Why was Pei Yanzhi back?
"Please ask Madam Liao to invite the First Madam out."

Pei Yanzhi stood in the courtyard and said something. Chenghua brought a chair from somewhere and offered it to Pei Yanzhi.

After he sat down, he found a comfortable position, crossed his legs, and looked up at the closed door.

Hearing Pei Yanzhi's words, Liao's mother sighed helplessly.

Just as they were about to go in and invite the First Madam out, they saw Qin Bijun already dressed and walking out.

"Why hold such a grand banquet?"

Qin Bijun looked as if her sweet dreams had been disturbed. When Pei Yanzhi saw Qin Bijun come out, he asked in a low voice, "I wonder where the First Madam took Xiang Ning?"

Upon hearing Pei Yanzhi's question, Qin Bijun gave a prepared answer: "Xiang Ning came to me herself, saying that she wanted to leave the Pei residence."

"She said she was afraid you would find out and not let her leave, so she didn't even ask for a contract of indenture and left in a hurry."

“I sent someone to see her off because I thought she had served you. Yanzhi, as you know, she is now just your maid. If she wants to leave the manor, in principle, our Pei family can consider it.”

Qin Bijun walked down the steps and sighed, "That child was crying with tears in her eyes, and it really made me feel bad. Besides, she also took the money to redeem herself."

As she spoke, Qin Bijun silently observed Pei Yanzhi, seemingly trying to glean something from his reaction.

However, Pei Yanzhi was always a person who never showed his emotions.

Hearing Qin Bijun's words, he smiled and said, "Mother, you know my temper. I don't kill people easily, especially not my own people."

After Pei Yanzhi finished speaking, Cheng Hua stepped forward and said, "Madam, Qin Sanlang and Qin Rui came to the mansion twice a day. I just went to the place that Qin Sanlang often goes to."

"The madam there said that Qin Sanlang said he has important business to attend to tonight, and if it succeeds, he will redeem the girl from the brothel later."

With each word Cheng Hua spoke, Qin Bijun's face darkened further.

"I'll ask one last time, where is Xiang Ning?"

Pei Yanzhi's patience had run out. He withdrew his leg and stood up.

"I told you, Xiang Ning wanted to leave on her own. How would I know where she was going?" In the past, Qin Bijun might have been intimidated by Pei Yanzhi's attitude, but now she had to insist that Xiang Ning left on her own.

If Xiang Ning really dies, judging from Pei Yanzhi's attitude, he might even make her pay with her life.

"Very well, Madam had better remember what you said today."

After saying this, Pei Yanzhi gave Qin Bijun a meaningful look and left.

Qin Bijun seemed to have lost her balance in an instant and collapsed to the ground.

Madam Liao quickly went over to support her, saying, "Madam, why are you doing this? If you tell the young master where Xiang Ning is, he might do you a favor."

Hearing what Liao's mother said, Qin Bijun shook her head: "You don't understand."

The issue is no longer where Xiang Ning will go; what she knows must stop before Xiang Ning leaves the manor.

"Send someone to find a Sanlang, quietly."

Qin Bijun patted Liao's mother's hand, and Liao's mother nodded in agreement before turning and leaving.

At this moment, in Mosong Garden, Chenghua looked at Mingxiang walking towards him and suddenly had a bad feeling.

"What did I ask you to investigate?"

Upon hearing Chenghua's question, Mingxiang sighed, "This time, the master is going to be furious."

After saying that, Mingxiang went inside. Chenghua's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly followed Mingxiang's footsteps.

"Sir, what you want."

Mingxiang stepped forward and placed the paper on Pei Yanzhi's table.

Pei Yanzhi reached out and picked it up, glanced at it only once, and then looked up at Mingxiang.

“Miss Xiang Ning did deposit money in a money shop before. This money was withdrawn after you went to the military camp. However, the person who withdrew the money was not Miss Xiang Ning.”

"As for Xiang Ning's ancestral home and land, the villagers said that no one has contacted them."

As soon as Mingxiang finished speaking, the teacup that Pei Yanzhi had placed beside him shattered instantly, and some scalding tea dripped from his hand onto the ground.

The room fell silent instantly, with only the sound of tea dripping.

"go on."

After a long while, Pei Yanzhi finally uttered these three words.

Mingxiang swallowed hard and then told the rest of the story all at once.

This includes Xiang Ning searching for someone, wanting to leave the capital, and sending someone to prepare a carriage and travel permit for herself.

She had planned everything out perfectly, even arranging her future.

Pei Yanzhi leaned back, raised his hand to cover his eyes, and suddenly smiled.

Mingxiang and Chenghua exchanged a glance, unsure of what to say.

"Turns out I was the fool."

Pei Yanzhi never imagined that offering her his sincere heart would result in a deception that he knew from beginning to end.

He knew it all, but he still gambled, betting that she might feel a moment of attraction.

"Master..."

"Chenghua, take her indenture and go to the government office to change it to a death contract. Mingxiang, take my token and mobilize troops to chase after her. Tell them that the Dali Temple has lost a fugitive."

Pei Yanzhi withdrew his hand, crumpled the few pages of paper into a ball, and threw them on the ground.

When she lied to him, she said she was sincere and had no regrets, and that she would stay by his side for the rest of her life.

When he left, he was quick and decisive, and even borrowed the hand of the First Madam in fear that he would catch up.

Xiang Ning, don't even think about tying your debts to each other.

(End of this chapter)