Yan Zheng’s eyelids twitched, and sure enough, he heard his wife’s suspicious voice: “Miss Pei? Which Miss Pei?”

“The eldest granddaughter of the Pei clan of Yuzhou, Pei Bingqing. Weren’t their family unwilling to rebel? I had no choice but to capture the Pei family members in Yuzhou, and she was the most troublesome among them.” After saying this, he quickly added, “If Madam is willing, could you make this trip for me?”

This was a clear display of loyalty.

The smile on Chu Ruoyan’s lips widened further: “How dare I disobey your command, my lord? Nanny Zhou, let us go.”

Nanny Zhou assented. Yan Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and turned to give orders: “From now on, matters in the military camp are absolutely not to disturb Madam, especially those concerning women!”

He had once specially consulted Old Divine Doctor Qin, who said that women are sensitive and prone to overthinking during pregnancy and must be carefully attended to.

Although his Ayan was not of such an affected temperament, if any misunderstanding were to arise, it would be a case of the gain not being worth the pain!

In front of another tent, quite a few people were gathered, craning their necks and peeking.

It wasn’t until a soldier shouted at them that the crowd dispersed, watching Chu Ruoyan enter the tent.

“Heavens, which family’s young lady is this? She’s too beautiful!”

“I thought Miss Pei was already the number one beauty of Yuzhou, but this one seems to surpass her!”

“Shut up! This is the General’s wife! Do you want to lose your heads?”

“The General’s wife? But she doesn’t seem like it at all, not putting on any airs…”

Amidst the whispers, Chu Ruoyan entered the tent and only then realized many people were being held inside.

She didn’t recognize most of them, but a father and son pair bore some resemblance to Mei Fangru; they were likely Mei Sheng and Mei Hexuan.

There was also a large group of people wearing identical blue-green uniforms, probably members of the Yuzhou Pei family.

They were all trembling with fear at the moment, gathered around a corner on the right side…

“Move aside, all of you move aside!” The soldier shouted, clearing a path. In the corner, a fair-faced young girl held a shard of wood she had found from somewhere, pressed against her own neck.

Her hand was trembling, her small face feigning composure: “Has General Yan arrived?”

Chu Ruoyan raised an eyebrow. The number one beauty of Yuzhou indeed lived up to her reputation.

“He will not come. You can tell me whatever matter you have.”

Pei Bingqing looked at her suspiciously, then her gaze met someone else’s, and she said, “Alright, then please come closer…”

Chu Ruoyan didn’t move, only smiled at her: “Miss Pei, if you wish to feign suicide to lure me closer so you can take me hostage and escape, then it’s unnecessary.”

“You… how did you know?” Panic flashed across Pei Bingqing’s face. A trace of pity passed through Chu Ruoyan’s eyes. “After all, a lady from a great family… you can’t even deceive people properly…”

As soon as the words fell, a figure burst from the crowd and lunged straight at her.

Chu Ruoyan didn’t dodge or avoid. With a thud, the man was kicked to the ground by a soldier beside her.

Several soldiers swarmed over and grabbed him. The man roared angrily, “That spineless scoundrel Third Yan! If you have the guts, fight me face to face, man to man! Using all these underhanded tricks, does he think the Pei family will submit to him like this? I spit on him!”

The soldiers immediately raised their fists to strike, but Pei Bingqing cried out in alarm, “Little Uncle, stop talking!”

Chu Ruoyan was startled. Little Uncle?

No wonder the voice sounded familiar. So it was actually him!

“Don’t hit him! Bring him here!”

The man was dragged forward, still cursing nonstop. Chu Ruoyan said helplessly, “Little Tyrant Pei, it’s been a while?”

Pei Zhuo was taken aback. When he saw her clearly, he exclaimed, “Sister Chu? How can it be you?”

He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‍immediately thought of something, and his face instantly turned ashen: “Did that Third Yan kidnap you too? Good, what a heartless beast! After all you’ve done for him, he actually…”

“No, I came willingly.”

Those five simple words caused everyone in the tent to look over.

Mei Sheng couldn’t help but speak up: “County Princess Changle, what are you saying? Do you know Yan Zheng intends to rebel!”

“I know.” Chu Ruoyan met their gazes fearlessly.

Pei Zhuo’s eyes widened: “You know and you’re still helping him? You… how could you…”

After all, she was a woman he had once fancied; harsh words were truly hard to utter.

Chu Ruoyan calmly surveyed them and said in a grave voice, “General Mei, Little Imperial Uncle Pei, you are either in Yuzhou or far in the Southern Barbarian lands. You are not aware of the situation in the capital. Just before I escaped, the Emperor, merely on suspicion of Yan Zheng, wanted to kill my father and also arrested the Yan family to try and threaten him. He had no choice but to rebel.”

Everyone was stunned. A handsome young man, bearing a sixty percent resemblance to Pei Zhuo, said, “Even so, he should have presented his case to the Emperor, not raised an army in rebellion. This is the act of a treacherous minister and will surely leave his name in infamy!”

Chu Ruoyan guessed he must be Pei Zhuo’s seventh brother, the Prefect of Yuzhou.

“According to Prefect Pei, if the Emperor wants to kill him, Yan Zheng can only submit and not defend himself?”

Prefect Pei declared proudly, “If the sovereign demands the minister’s death, the minister has no choice but to die!”

Mei Sheng also said, “Yes, County Princess Changle, please go back and advise the Chief Minister not to persist in his error! It’s not too late to lay down the butcher’s knife and turn back. This humble official guarantees I will plead for mercy on his behalf with the Emperor!”

Looking at these people, each so righteous and stern, Chu Ruoyan couldn’t help but curl the corner of her mouth: “Is that so? What if I told you that the Emperor not only did this but also raised his blade to kill Empress Pei, and in the process severely wounded the Second Prince? Would you still react this way?”

Silence fell in the tent. Pei Zhuo’s eyes reddened with fury: “What did you say? He dared to kill my second sister?”

Prefect Pei was also frightened: “The Second Prince? Is the Second Prince alright?”

Seeing their anxious desperation, the mockery at the corner of Chu Ruoyan’s mouth became even more pronounced.

Indeed, the knife doesn’t hurt until it cuts your own flesh…

Hearing their own family was in danger, they immediately panicked.

Mei Sheng hurriedly said, “Don’t panic, you two! No matter what, the Emperor would never harm his own wife and child! And all of this is because of Yan Zheng! It was his false accusation that Yuzhou was rebelling that caused the Emperor to lose his composure…”

“The Pei family has been utterly loyal! Ever since my second sister entered the palace, aside from Seventh Brother’s position as Prefect which couldn’t be relinquished, all other male members of the family resigned their official posts! Even after all that, he could still believe Third Yan’s slander? He could still try to take my second sister and my little nephew’s life without distinguishing right from wrong?”

Pei Zhuo was not like his seventh brother; he had little affection for the imperial family to begin with and said whatever came to mind.

Mei Sheng’s face flushed red. The others also showed expressions of confusion.

Indeed, even loyal ministers and imperial relatives like the Pei clan couldn’t earn the Emperor’s trust.

Then those of them who were following Yan Zheng’s army—wouldn’t they also be doomed if they returned?

Mei Sheng roared in extreme anger: “Don’t lose your nerve! The Emperor is wise and will surely understand our difficulties! As long as we endure until we can return to the capital and see His Majesty, everything will naturally be clari—”

Before he could finish his words, a messenger rushed in and shouted loudly: “Madam! News from the capital! The Emperor, believing the Mei father and son have raised troops in rebellion, has beheaded all seventy-eight members of the Mei household at the vegetable market at noon today!!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep