My elder sister forced me to become a concubine; I was reborn and remarried into the emperor's

What surprised everyone even more was that Pei Yuyan appeared.

He was dressed in a bright red wedding gown, riding a tall white horse, his face covered in dust from the journey, but he still made it there, only to find the bride in such a disheveled and absurd state.

Man Xinghe was the first to react. As if he had touched something unclean, he quickly let go and jumped aside.

During this time, he wiped his palms and called out from afar, "Cousin, you're finally back."

Pei Yuyan nodded slightly, and then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, dismounted and strode over. The crowd automatically parted to make way for him.

At the end of the road stood a panicked Wei Mingzhao. Every bride should be the most beautiful, but she knew she wasn't looking well today. She had just cried again, and her eyes were slightly swollen. To cover up the traces of her tears, she had applied a heavy layer of makeup.

Even so, under the magnificent phoenix coronet and wedding gown, she would never be ugly. It was Manxinghe's comment, "Not as beautiful as rumored," that completely shattered her confidence.

She didn't even dare to look up at Pei Yuyan, nor listen to the sounds around her; she had become a laughingstock.

She hated the good-for-nothing lecher in front of her, and hated herself even more for not being more composed.

Every step Pei Yuyan took felt like a blow to her heart, making it hard for her to breathe. Never before had she felt so unwilling to see him.

When that tall figure finally stopped in front of her, she nearly fainted, and tremblingly called out, "Your Highness..."

He didn't utter a single word of blame, but instead gently covered her head with the veil, saying, "It's my fault for being late."

After saying that, he bent down, picked her up by the waist, and carried her step by step to the bridal sedan chair.

Someone in the crowd spoke first: "His Highness the Crown Prince truly dotes on the Crown Princess! He rushed back as soon as he finished his business. They are truly a match made in heaven, so enviable!"

Man Xinghe realized he had made a mistake, so he quickly shouted at the top of his lungs, "Cousin and his wife are a perfect match, a match made in heaven!"

Amidst the cheers and applause, it seemed that the farce had just passed, and even Wei Mingzhao thought so.

All her apprehension vanished in Pei Yuyan's gentle gaze, and all her unease turned into sweetness. Beneath the veneer of peace, she remained the incomparably noble Crown Princess.

This beautiful dream lasted until night.

She is almost two months pregnant, and sitting for long periods of time causes her back to hurt and makes her feel very tired.

But for the entire afternoon, no matter how much the maids tried to persuade her, even though her back ached and she felt uncomfortable, she maintained a dignified posture sitting on the wedding bed, waiting for her husband.

It wasn't until late at night that Pei Yuyan returned, reeking of alcohol.

He dismissed the servants in the room, did not lift the veil, and his first words to her were: "Where have you hidden the person?"

Wei Mingzhao's smile froze completely: "This concubine does not know who Your Highness is referring to."

"Don't play dumb, I don't have time to waste on you."

"I truly do not know..."

Before she could finish speaking, she felt a hand tightly gripping her neck. Her whole body tensed, her hair stood on end, and she could hardly breathe.

The red veil slipped to the ground again, and no one cared.

Just as she was about to pass out, Pei Yuyan released her, and she collapsed to the ground, trembling and gasping for breath.

He showed no pity whatsoever, and said coldly in a devoid of emotion, "Tell me, where is Wei Nanxun?"

"She...she only asked me to help her leave, but as for where she's going, I really, really don't know..."

Pei Yuyan's eyes were bloodshot. He had chased after them to Xi County yesterday, only to find that the so-called master and servant were just a facade. It was too late for him to chase them back.

If he doesn't return to Beijing soon, he'll miss his wedding ceremony.

At first, he thought Wei Nanxun was just an insignificant woman, but after leaving the capital, he found himself thinking about her every night, wanting her to give in and marry him sincerely.

He was willing to tolerate the fact that she was not innocent, and even planned to prepare a wedding dress and sedan chair for her on their wedding day, so that she could enter the palace from a side hall.

To his surprise, the person who was supposed to greet him was gone.

He couldn't tell what emotions were at play at that moment, and whether or not to punish her was no longer important. He just wanted to bring her back and make sure she couldn't go anywhere.

Pei Yuyan coldly stared at the woman on the ground, confirming that she was not lying, then turned around and strode away, stepping on the red veil on the ground.

It was as if this wasn't his new house, and tonight wasn't his wedding night.

"Your Highness...where are you going?"

Wei Mingzhao was frightened by his fierce appearance. Pei Yuyan had always been humble and polite in front of others. Even just now, after she had made such a fool of herself, he not only did not utter a word of blame, but also gently picked her up.

Everyone envied her, and she herself was also basking in the glory.

Seeing his true colors was something she couldn't accept for a moment, but tonight was their wedding night, and if the groom left, it would be a great disgrace to her.

Her only thought was that she couldn't let him leave.

Wei Mingzhao crawled towards him on all fours, clinging tightly to his legs: "Your Highness, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time, just for the sake of the child."

It would be better if the child wasn't mentioned; the moment Pei Yuyan heard about the child, he felt even more annoyed.

He was bound by his father's rule his whole life and hated being threatened. How dare a child expect him to obey her? She was unworthy.

Pei Yuyan leaned down and forcefully grabbed her chin: "If you behave yourself, I will continue to let you be the Crown Princess. But if I hear anything I don't want to hear, be careful of the lives of the entire Wei clan."

After saying that, he flung her arm away and kicked it off, then turned and left without looking back. Before leaving, he threw down the words: "Next month, I will take you as a concubine. You should prepare yourself."

Wei Mingzhao stared blankly at his back, lying on the ground in a daze, until the red candle had burned down more than halfway and her stomach started to hurt, at which point tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks.

"Help! Someone help me! My stomach hurts so much..."

At that moment, she seemed to understand why Wei Nanxun had run away.

But she still didn't understand what she was lacking that made Pei Yuyan dislike her so much.

Once she gave herself to him, there was no turning back. She was bound to the Wei family, and she had no choice but to accept the position of Crown Princess.

-

Pei Yuyan left the bridal chamber and went straight to the study, where someone was already waiting for him.

"Your Highness."

"explain."

"We've located the person you were looking for. He's extremely skilled and very alert, and he's never shown himself. Our people followed him for a month before we had a chance to make our move."

Pei Yuyan's haste to rush to Pingzhen was partly due to Wei Nanxun, but the more crucial reason was to find her. To avoid being discovered, he made a big fuss about searching for Wei Nanxun, both to cultivate a reputation for being a womanizer and to find her discreetly.

"Have you found out who this person is?"

"Your Highness, please forgive me. I failed to capture him, and he escaped. However, it is speculated that he is undoubtedly a member of the Communist Party."

Since his kind aunt and cousin came to the capital, all his plans have been disrupted. Whether it was his marriage with the Wei family, his interactions with other ministers, or even the confidants he had placed in the court, they were all investigated and imprisoned one after another due to various lawsuits.

At first, he thought it was a coincidence, since it only involved minor officials and low-ranking soldiers.

Until a month ago, it was discovered that Jiangnan's tax revenue this year was 40% lower. He had clearly made arrangements to ensure that no one would find out.

Now that such a huge vacancy has been filled, he not only has to fill it, but also avoid arousing his father's suspicion. This is no coincidence; someone is aiming their sword at his lifeline.

Pei Yuyan pinched his brow heavily: "How is the situation on Father's side?"

"The newly favored Lady Li is one of our people, and no one will doubt her. Your Highness, please give your instructions."

“Since that person is already injured, he can’t have gone far. I demand to see him dead or alive. As for Father…”

He originally didn't want to come to this point, but since his father already suspected him, he had to move the plan forward. His father had underestimated him. How could a married-out aunt and a good-for-nothing cousin stop him?

He raised his hand and poured hot tea into his teacup, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes, but his voice remained extremely calm as he said, "She can make her move now."

"In addition, send people to keep an eye on the *** government and Manxinghe."