Denghuangtai

"Grand Commander, spare my life!"

Despite the woman's repeated kowtows and pleas for mercy, the servants of the Grand Minister's mansion did not hesitate for a moment. They grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the side hall.

The woman's wailing and heart-wrenching cries still echoed in the side hall, while the other women in the hall were terrified, their faces pale, and they stood there with their necks shrunken.

"Raise your heads, everyone."

Hearing Yun Zheng's cold voice, the women couldn't help but tremble. The woman who had her eyes gouged out earlier had met that fate because Yun Zheng saw her face after she looked up.

Who knows, if they raise their heads, will they anger this person just the same way?

"Raise your head." Yun Zheng repeated coldly, threateningly, "Raise your head, turn around, you choose."

Upon hearing this, the delicate women in the side hall felt even more fearful, but under Yun Zheng's intimidation, they still tremblingly raised their heads.

A pair of timid eyes looked at Yun Zheng.

Yun Zheng's gaze swept across everyone's faces, and the anger churning in his dark eyes grew even stronger.

Seeing Yun Zheng's increasingly gloomy face, the remaining women in the side hall felt hopeless. Some of the more timid ones couldn't bear it any longer, their knees buckled, and they collapsed to the ground, covering their mouths and sobbing.

"Send them all back."

Upon hearing this, the chief secretary was taken aback, looked at Yun Zheng, and cautiously advised, "My lord, no one sent from Jianzhang Palace has ever been sent back..."

"It came after me." Yun Zheng said coldly before the chief secretary could finish speaking.

"But..." The chief secretary still hesitated. He could see that these women were more or less similar to the one in the imperial prison. But according to common sense, shouldn't the lord treat these women differently because of that one? Even if it's not about loving the house because of the house, shouldn't he be so heartless?

The Grand Minister's mansion isn't short of people who can't afford to support idlers. So why is it that those who are different from that person are allowed to stay, while those who look similar to that person are sent back?

"never mind."

Upon hearing Yun Zheng's words, the chief clerk's eyes lit up, thinking that Yun Zheng had suddenly changed his mind. However, Yun Zheng's next words instantly extinguished the light in his eyes.

Yun Zheng said, "Prepare the car. I'll personally take them back. And take that one with us too."

"Your Majesty, the Grand Minister of Works and the family members who were sent this morning are waiting outside the gate."

Inside Jianzhang Palace, Empress Dowager Yun was reviewing memorials in the Jade Hall. Upon hearing this, she paused, the vermilion pen in her hand tracing a line of vermilion onto the memorial. Empress Dowager Yun frowned, her expression displeased.

"Let him in."

The palace servant who delivered the message left, and a moment later Yun Zheng walked in.

"Greetings to my aunt."

Yun Zheng brushed his robes and kowtowed.

Empress Dowager Yun continued reviewing memorials at her desk. "Did the servants sent to your residence not like them?"

"Yes," Yun Zheng replied truthfully, "I find these people utterly repulsive."

"If you don't like it, just leave it in the backyard and ignore it. Why make such a fuss to send it back?" Empress Dowager Yun paused, then said in a teasing tone, "Your aunt hasn't mistreated you. Can't you even afford to support a few idle people in your household?"

"My aunt has been incredibly kind to me, and my family has always been well-fed and clothed. But..." Yun Zheng's tone turned slightly somber, "but I don't like the way these people look. When I see them, I can't help but want to kill them."

Empress Dowager Yun was slightly surprised. She put down the vermilion pen in her hand, looked at him for a while, and said in surprise, "I thought that when I saw you and them, I would think of Pei Qingyan. You and Pei Qingyan are destined to be mortal enemies, but it is good to keep a few people in the mansion who look similar to her as a consolation."

Yun Zheng frowned slightly. "Does Aunt want me to use them as substitutes?"

"Why not? There are thousands of women in the Great Zhao. Time is too short. We have only found some who resemble Pei Qingyan in terms of eyebrows and eyes. But if we put in some effort, we might be able to find someone who is eight or nine parts similar to Pei Qingyan."

Upon hearing this, Yun Zheng's expression became complicated. Admittedly, he was deeply in love with Pei Qingyan, but his love was unrequited. However, he loved Pei Qingyan as a person. Whether she was tall or short, fat or thin, beautiful or plain, it didn't matter. As long as she was Pei Qingyan, he loved her.

No one but Pei Qingyan could ever enter his eyes or his heart.

Even someone who resembles Pei Qingyan won't do.

Seeing them, possessing them, would bring him neither the joy of fulfilling a wish nor any solace. He would only feel disgust and resistance. He could imagine that if he truly kept these people in his mansion, every time he saw them, all he would think about would be his unrequited love for Pei Qingyan.

He would hate his own powerlessness, hate the reality that prevented him and Pei Qingyan from being together, and hate these substitutes who were constantly reminding him of this.

His lover must be the most unique person in the world, and he would rather have none than someone of bad character.

Of course, he could not explain this reason to Empress Dowager Yun.

Yun Zheng composed himself and said, "Aunt, I hate the person in question to the core, let alone someone who resembles her. To be honest, when I saw the woman who looked most like Pei Qingyan, I couldn't help myself and had her eyes gouged out."

"Nonsense!" Empress Dowager Yun rebuked in a stern voice. "It's one thing to send them back in such a grand manner, but how could you injure one of them? If word gets out, aren't you afraid the censors will accuse you of disrespecting the Emperor's grace?"

At this moment, Empress Dowager Yun no longer doubted Yun Zheng's deep and unforgettable love for Pei Qingyan; she only felt that Yun Zheng's actions were becoming increasingly absurd.

It was nothing new for the palace to bestow women upon members of the imperial family and high-ranking officials; which noble family hadn't received women as gifts from the palace?

But which of these households would send someone back? Even if they didn't like them, they would keep them in their backyard.

Of all these people, only Yun Zheng, that idiot, would be so reckless.

"This isn't the first time the censor has impeached me. Let him impeach me if he wants." Yun Zheng said dismissively, and then added, "Even if I'm fined or stripped of my official rank, I can't keep anyone who gets in my way in my residence."

He kowtowed, "Please grant my request, Aunt."

Now that things have come to this point, what can Empress Dowager Yun do?

"Leave the person here and get out!" Empress Dowager Yun said irritably.

"Yes." Yun Zheng quickly got up from the ground and left, but before he could leave, Empress Dowager Yun suddenly remembered something and called him back.

"What happened last night?"