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

Chapter 151 The Xiangguo Temple Incident (Part 2)
The other court officials were somewhat surprised to hear the young emperor's words, but they did not dare to linger.

After a whole day of rituals, everyone was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

At that moment, all I wanted to do was go back and rest; I couldn't care less about anything else.

The young emperor walked in front, with Pei Yanzhi following behind him.

Although the young emperor is not very old, his demeanor is somewhat similar to that of the late emperor.

Empress Dowager Feng, acting on the late emperor's edict, ruled from behind the curtain, but she did not control the government. She entrusted the affairs of state to the young emperor.

He was also intelligent and had no bad habits; for his young age, he was quite mature.

"Li De just told me that my elder sister was discovered to be alone in a room with Sang Ruifeng."

The young emperor paused here, then turned to look at Pei Yanzhi: "However, there is one more thing. Someone saw Princess Huihe, who was disheveled, with a man."

"Lord Pei, did you already know about this?"

The reason for asking this question is that Li De, the young emperor's personal eunuch, saw Chenghua.

"Yes, Your Majesty does know."

Pei Yanzhi didn't hide anything and agreed.

Upon hearing this, the young emperor sneered, "Lord Pei is so frank, I'm not quite sure how to punish you."

“Yesterday, Sang Ruifeng came to see me and told me about Your Highness’s intentions.”

After Pei Yanzhi finished speaking, the young emperor turned to the side and smiled: "So, Lord Pei is thinking of using someone else to do his dirty work?"

Thinking about it carefully, it's most likely that Lu Jiamin was the one who did it, but for some reason, she ended up getting herself involved instead of succeeding.

Now things are all set up; the marriage between the Imperial Sister and the Sang family is a done deal.

As for Lu Jiamin, although she didn't know who the man was, being seen together with him in disheveled clothes would surely cause a lot of gossip.

"Your Majesty, I am a knife left by the Empress Dowager."

"The Pei family only wishes to wholeheartedly assist Your Majesty; as for other matters, they are not within the scope of this humble servant's consideration."

Pei Yanzhi replied in a deep voice, and only then did a smile appear on the young emperor's face: "Lord Pei is a smart man."

After saying this, the young emperor turned around and continued walking forward.

Empress Dowager Feng was his birth mother, so he shouldn't have had too many concerns.

Compared to his elder sister, who was bedridden from birth, he didn't actually receive much affection from a young age.

Therefore, upon hearing his elder sister's plan, he felt a sense of panic.

What would he do if his mother actually granted his elder sister's request?

Fortunately, Pei Yanzhi didn't have that thought, and everything was still in time.

When the group reached the side room, they heard Lu Ruoyao crying inside. Sang Ruifeng stood at the door with a furrowed brow.

Upon seeing the young emperor arrive, he quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Get up."

The young emperor said something, then walked to the door of the side room and called out "Royal Sister".

The door was suddenly opened, and Lu Ruoyao came out: "Brother, I was framed."

"Elder sister, this matter has already been reported to the Empress Dowager. Why don't we return to the palace first?"

The young emperor spoke up to comfort Lu Ruoyao, and when Lu Ruoyao looked up and saw Pei Yanzhi standing behind the young emperor, her face turned deathly pale.

"This humble servant will escort Your Highness back to the palace."

After Sang Ruifeng learned about this incident, Lu Ruoyao would only despise him even more, but since things had come to this point, there was no turning back.

Hearing Sang Ruifeng's words, Lu Ruoyao glared at him fiercely: "I don't need you to take me."

After saying that, she turned and left, and Sang Ruifeng hurriedly followed her.

"I will handle this matter. Since Lord Pei knows what path he has chosen, I will naturally not say anything more."

The implication was that he wouldn't hold Pei Yanzhi accountable for failing to report the crime.

Pei Yanzhi watched the young emperor leave, his eyes turning cold.

If he didn't want to be discovered, no one would have seen him. It was Pei Yanzhi's order to deliberately let Li De see Chenghua. The throne was in the hands of the young emperor; only by making the young emperor understand his current thoughts could he achieve a permanent solution.

Even if Lu Ruoyao returns to the palace and cries to Empress Dowager Feng, the young emperor will find a way to stop it.

"Let's go back."

After saying something to Chenghua beside him, the two walked towards the front mountain of Xiangguo Temple.

At this moment, in Wen Caifu's residence on the back mountain, Duan Zhuo held her hand and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Killing someone is punishable by death."

Upon hearing this, Wen Caifu chuckled: "You, a bandit, would care about human lives?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Duan Zhuo snatched the knife from her hand: "You have already achieved your goal, there is no need to take another life."

"Besides, you can't kill her."

Duan Zhuo easily took the dagger, but Wen Caifu stepped forward unwillingly: "My affairs are none of your business."

As she spoke, she reached for the dagger again, but Duan Zhuo dodged her movement, saying, "It's not good for a young lady to be always fighting and killing."

Taking advantage of his height, Duan Zhuo raised the dagger high in his hand. Wen Caifu stood on tiptoe to reach it, but bumped into his arms.

"You're throwing yourself at me?"

"You talk a lot."

Wen Caifu pushed Duan Zhuo away, knowing that she had lost her chance to make a move and had no way to do anything to Lu Jiamin anymore.

She sat down to the side and poured herself a cup of tea.

"I'm the one who told you the news, so you should thank me."

Duan Zhuo turned his wrist and tucked the dagger into his waistband as he sat down.

Before Wen Caifu could even put the tea in her hand to her mouth, Duan Zhuo stopped her halfway: "It's delicious."

Without any hesitation, he drank it down in one gulp, his posture elegant and graceful. The way he drank tea at that moment was completely unrelated to the word "bandit."

"Can you leave now?"

Wen Caifu clenched her fists slightly, unable to contain herself any longer, and uttered those words.

"You used me and then threw me away. Miss Wen, you are truly heartless."

"My second son almost got his face scratched by Lu Jiamin."

Duan Zhuo raised his eyebrows slightly, his face full of heartache.

"so?"

Do you want me to give you more money?

Wen Caifu spoke up, and Duan Zhuo suddenly laughed: "With such great hostility towards me, I'm really doing all this for nothing."

"We're even now. Don't come looking for me again."

Upon hearing Duan Zhuo's words, Wen Caifu spoke coldly.

He ruined her marriage, yet he also helped her deal with Lu Jiamin.

After this incident, there will be no further entanglement between them.

Duan Zhuo's gaze turned somewhat oppressive before he looked away.

If anyone else had spoken to him like that, Duan Zhuo would have been angry.

He doesn't get angry with women, and besides, Wen Caifu is right; he was the one who hurt her first, and he admits it.

Wen Caifu watched Duan Zhuo get up and leave, then looked away.

Once you get to know him, you'll find that he doesn't have that many bad intentions.

But the first meeting was so terrible that she couldn't forget it.

From now on, the bridge will remain a bridge, and the road will remain a road; they will never meet again.

That's fine too.

(End of this chapter)