After being reborn with my scumbag ex-husband, I became his sister-in-law.

Siqin naturally knew how serious the situation was.

She recalled the strangeness she had noticed yesterday and naturally believed Pei Yunyi's words without hesitation, while also understanding how dangerous her master's current situation was.

Siqin felt both worried and annoyed, hating herself for not protecting Song Xizhi.

“When the mistress returned yesterday, she was very affectionate with He Jingyan. The two held hands tightly, and the mistress even asked Wu Mama to make the bed so that He Jingyan could move back and live with her.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Yunyi's expression changed slightly: "Zhizhi had already disappeared by then."

Siqin nodded. "At that time, I also felt something was wrong, but who knew that my mistress would take the initiative to come to me and say that this was a scheme between her and you..."

"I had my suspicions, so I mixed the antidote for the human skin mask into the water and had her wash her face..."

Upon hearing this, Pei Yunyi immediately asked, "And the result?"

Siqin shook her head, her throat dry and hoarse: "The result was exactly the same, so I let my guard down, but who knew..."

Pei Yunyi closed his eyes tightly.

"Since she's not wearing a human skin mask, she must have used the same thing as the fake He Jingyan."

“Zhizhi has already been replaced in the carriage. Qing Tong, immediately send someone to track down the carriage they rode in yesterday.”

Qing Tong looked at him hesitantly: "Master, what will you do then? If you leave here, you will be on the run from the moment you commit a crime... I'm sure your reputation among the people will be ruined from now on."

Siqin gritted her teeth: "I am a guard by my master's side. I will go and explain things to the group at the door."

Pei Yunyi raised his eyes, gazing at the bright stars in the sky. His dark eyes showed signs of weariness, and even a hint of moisture: "My reputation is baseless."

…………

The news spread incredibly quickly; within half a day, it had become common knowledge.

The people surrounded the entire temple, demanding an explanation from Pei Yunyi.

But to everyone's surprise, Pei Yunyi disappeared from the temple without bringing anyone with him.

This not only enraged the people across the land, who said Pei Yunyi had fled to escape punishment, but also caused the officials who had initially chosen to believe him to become utterly disappointed.

Rumors and gossip were rampant, and a large number of memorials were sent to Emperor Guangqi's desk, all demanding that he depose the crown prince, arrest Pei Yunyi, and bring justice to Song Xizhi and He Jingyan.

Some even openly speculated in the court that Pei Yunyi was not the Crown Prince at all, but a spy from the Western Rong, who infiltrated the capital with the aim of killing officials of the Great Qian and undermining the Great Qian's motives.

Upon hearing these remarks, Emperor Guangqi was so enraged that he coughed up blood on his dragon throne.

Everyone says he was made sick by that treacherous Pei Yunyi.

Upon learning of this news, the Empress Dowager, who was at the temporary palace, rushed back to the palace.

In front of the assembled officials, she assured them that the emperor would depose the crown prince, thus appeasing all the angry officials and handing over command of the imperial guards to He Jingyan.

He ordered He Jingyan to "invite" the Crown Prince, who had fled to avoid punishment, back.

When He Jingyan took the Empress Dowager's decree to command the Imperial Guards, the leader of the Imperial Guards said that without the tiger tally personally bestowed by His Majesty, they would not obey anyone's orders.

In the past, the Imperial Guards only obeyed the emperor's orders and did not have any tiger tally.

Now, I don't know when it started, but a tiger tally has appeared.

After returning home, He Jingyan could only visit the Marquis of Anding's study once again.

At this moment, Marquis An Ding was sitting upright at his desk, looking very solemn. His eyelids looked red and swollen, as if he had secretly shed tears.

He looked weathered and exhausted, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

However, when Marquis An Ding saw He Jingyan, he still managed to put on a smile: "Jingyan, you've come?"

"you……"

Before Marquis An Ding could utter any words of comfort, He Jingyan suddenly knelt on the ground.

Marquis An Ding was startled and stood up from his chair.

Then they heard He Jingyan's deep, hoarse voice, as if every word was uttered with blood: "Father!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince has bullied and humiliated me! He stole my identity and slept with my woman..."

“Now Zhizhi is ready to accept me, and has even instructed people to move my bedding back into the main house…”

"But the Crown Prince... but the Crown Prince is still up to his evil intentions, wanting to rape me, and even killed me to silence me before I arrived! He framed me! This lecherous worm, this lecherous scoundrel!"

He Jingyan's voice was firm and resolute, his whole body trembling as he spoke: "If your son... if your son does not avenge him, it would be an outrage against heaven and earth!"

Upon hearing this, Marquis An Ding's expression slowly changed: "You...you mean to..."

He Jingyan spoke each word with gritted teeth: "I want to borrow my father's troops. If I fail to capture the escaped crown prince, killing someone will not be enough to quell my hatred!"

Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Anding's face turned sorrowful. He shook his head, as if struggling with a great inner conflict: "I cannot let you do this!"

Upon hearing this, He Jingyan had no chance to say anything when a loud bang came from behind him.

The study door was kicked open suddenly.

The two turned their heads and saw He Yunze with bloodshot eyes. He had probably just heard the news. His clothes were disheveled, his hair was messy, and he looked like a madman.

When he saw He Jingyan, his eyes suddenly reddened, and he knelt down beside He Jingyan with a thud, bursting into hysterical sobs again.

He Jingyan looked at He Yunce, and suddenly seemed to think of something, his eyes darkening for a moment.

Then she crawled to He Yunze's side, reached out and hugged his trembling head, and said in a trembling voice, "Good Yunze, good Yunze..."

“Brother is alright, brother didn’t cry… You’re already going to be the heir apparent, why are you still crying in front of your brother?”

He Yunze's chest heaved as he gasped for breath, his intense emotions making it seem as if he couldn't breathe.

"Zhizhi...zhizhi..."

His hoarse voice was like a rag, making it impossible for anyone to understand what he was saying.

He Yunze stubbornly repeated, word by word, "Zhizhi...zhizhi..."

His bloodshot eyes stared in the direction of Marquis An Ding. His throat, unable to utter a sound, struggled to speak, his words muffled and indistinct, only a few syllables clearly audible: "A life for a life... a life for a life..."

"If you don't send troops... I will go with you!"

Upon hearing this, He Jingyan paused, a slight smile playing on his lips, before turning to kowtow to Marquis Anding: "Father!"

"It's just sending troops to arrest the Crown Prince! This is the Empress Dowager's decree! Even the Empress Dowager treats him with such favor, how can you be so heartless?"

As he spoke, he raised the longsword beside him and held it to his neck: "If you don't agree, my brother and I will go with you!"

Marquis An Ding gritted his teeth, his clenched fists trembling almost uncontrollably: "Just to bring the Crown Prince back... that's all..."

He finally gave in.

He Jingyan's blood boiled at that moment.

The next moment, he heard He Yunze speak with great difficulty, tears streaming down his face: "Brother... before we go, I want you to come with me to see... my sister-in-law's body..."

He knew that Zhizhi hated him, and if he went alone, he was afraid she wouldn't want to see him.

He Jingyan's lips suddenly stiffened.