Denghuangtai

"I also gleaned some information from Yun Zheng today," Pei Qingyan said thoughtfully. "He said he hadn't been involved in any military supplies or preparations. If we simply didn't attract his attention by acting secretly, then this information is plausible."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Man's eyes lit up. He put his arm around Pei Qingyan's shoulder and laughed, "That's great, my Lord."

"And these are some other things." Pei Qingyan handed all the letters he had obtained from Yun Zheng to Yuan Man. "Help me confirm whether these are forgeries from recently. If not, Yun Zheng will basically be cleared of suspicion. If Yun Zheng is innocent, then only Empress Dowager Yun remains. You'll probably need to put in more effort for that." Pei Qingyan said.

"Don't worry." Yuan Man reached out and took it, patting his chest. "Everything is going according to plan. In a few more days, we'll definitely have results."

"Okay, I'll wait for your news. If I find an opportunity, I'll also inquire with Yun Zheng about this matter. Then we can do what we're doing now, with both sides verifying the truth."

"Your Excellency has a brilliant idea!" Yuan Man clapped his hands and laughed.

"Stop joking around. Coming over so late, is anyone keeping you company?"

"Wu Da Ge is outside," Yuan Man said.

Hearing this, Pei Qingyan felt slightly relieved. "The outskirts are remote. You came here so late at night. Do you have a place to stay? If not..."

Pei Qingyan wanted to suggest that if there wasn't one, the two of them could make do here for the night.

However, before she could finish speaking, Yuan Man waved his hand and said, "No need. I have an old acquaintance in the suburbs of Beijing. I'll take Wu Da Ge over there later."

Hearing her say that, Pei Qingyan didn't bring up the idea of ​​spending the night there again. He watched as Yuan Man stood up and walked towards the door.

However, Yuan Man walked to the door and then turned back once again.

"My lord, I came here in a hurry today because I heard that you have been having a close relationship with that person recently. Although I know that you are a man destined for great things and would not be swayed by matters of the heart, but..."

He paused, his tone filled with worry, "My lord, emotions are sometimes beyond our control. Even if you have a clear plan, you may not be able to be ruthless when it comes to feelings. Even if the Grand Minister of Works is not the culprit who betrayed the general, Empress Dowager Yun is most likely involved. In that case, what stands between you two will be the lives of three blood relatives and the souls of thirty thousand soldiers."

These words struck Pei Qingyan like a thunderbolt.

Her mind went blank, and all she could hear was Yuan Man's calm, emotionless voice, "Even if that Grand Minister of Works can let go of the past and stop dwelling on our general killing his father, what about you, my lord? Can you abandon your father and brothers without any resentment? Can you abandon the 30,000 unjustly killed soldiers for the sake of sentiment? My lord, you can't. You will ultimately seek justice for these people from Empress Dowager Yun. At that time, how do you think that Grand Minister of Works will view you?"

"There is no possibility for you two to rekindle your past relationship. I have said all I have to say, my lord. I hope you will think it over carefully. It is fine to play along and deceive the other party, but please do not take it seriously. Otherwise, you will only fool yourself."

Even after Yuan Man left, these words continued to echo in Pei Qingyan's ears.

Yes, actually, she had already realized while acting yesterday that when she was pretending to deceive Yun Zheng, she was also taking the opportunity to reveal her true feelings.

The tears and heartache that followed were all genuine emotions, stemming from the heart.

To lure others into the game, you must also get involved yourself; otherwise, without genuine feelings, how can you deceive others?

This is what Ronghua told her.

Those who frequent the entertainment industry must always be adept at navigating social circles and cultivating relationships with various people. If a person is unmoved by emotions, their eyes will appear empty. Only by showing emotions, or rather, feigning emotions, can they make men truly believe they are irresistibly charming and willing to spend money on them.

Pei Qingyan drew inferences from this example and privately believed that if one wanted to use others' feelings, one should first expose one's own hidden feelings.

It's true that she loves Yun Zheng, and it's also true that she uses Yun Zheng.

However, Yuan Man's words also make sense; feelings are not something that can be manipulated at will, summoned and dismissed at will.

She had only been pretending to "rekindle" her relationship with Yun Zheng for two days, but she was already deeply in love and almost unable to extricate herself...

Pei Qingyan thought about it in a daze for an unknown amount of time before finally falling into a deep sleep.

The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, she slowly woke up. Unlike the feeling of being refreshed the day before, she felt dizzy and weak all over this morning.

"General." The beggar heard the commotion inside and pushed the door open to enter.

"General, would you like to wash up?"

"Okay, thank you." Pei Qingyan managed to utter three words, only to find that her throat was extremely sore. She sat up, intending to wash up, but as soon as she sat up, she felt dizzy and could only hold onto the edge of the bed.

Upon seeing this, the beggar quickly stepped forward, "General, what's wrong...?"

She touched Pei Qingyan's arm halfway through her sentence, and even through his undergarments, she could feel its burning heat. "General, you have a fever!"

The beggar exclaimed in surprise.

Upon hearing this, Pei Qingyan belatedly realized, "No wonder I feel so weak, it turns out I'm sick again... I really need to take good care of my body."

With the beggar's help, she lay down again. The beggar went out to call the old doctor, and in just a few moments, the old doctor came running back with his medicine box on his back.

Pei Qingyan couldn't remember what happened after that.

She only remembered that, in a daze, Yun Zheng seemed to be beside her, coaxing her to drink her medicine in a gentle voice, just like the time she returned to Beijing after falling off the cliff.

She took the medication and fell into a deep sleep.

In my dream, it was another bizarre and fantastical scene.

She felt as if she had returned to the battlefield of Yixiantian. This time, she was not late; she successfully rescued her father, brothers, and 30,000 soldiers.

Her father was still robust, patting Pei Qingyan's shoulder with his large hand and laughing loudly, "My son is brave and capable, able to turn such a crisis around. From now on, the mountains and rivers of Da Zhao will be protected by my son. Our Pei family has a worthy successor."

Her brother was no longer missing his arms and legs. He held up the "Pei" flag and laughed heartily. "My sister is indeed one of the few female rulers of the Great Zhao Dynasty. In military campaigns, she has never lost to the men. From now on, your brother will have to rely on your glory."

Pei Qingyan looked at the two of them and laughed along, but as he laughed, tears welled up in his eyes like a burst dam.

The dream was so beautiful, yet she was acutely aware that she was dreaming.

All beauty is but a mirage, vanishing once the dream ends. Pei Qingyan's hand trembled as she reached for her brother's arm, but found it empty; her hand slipped through his skin.

The older brother was stunned, staring blankly at his arm for a long time before finally asking in a trembling voice, "Where's my arm?"

He turned to look at their father, Pei Xuan, "Father, where's my arm?"