Chapter 64 Worse Than Death

Stepping out of the Li family residence and just as he descended the stone steps before reaching the carriage, Pei Jingxing stood his ground with a sullen face, refusing to walk another step.

Madam Liang glanced at him, uttered a cool "Chirang," and boarded her own carriage directly without paying him any mind.

"Mother..."

"Did you really think third aunt's distress for our cousin could fall short of yours?" Pei Yanzhou cut him off, calling out in a deep voice, "Do you feel fifty thousand taels is insufficient to appease our cousin's grievance, and that third aunt and I acted far too inconsiderately today?"

Pei Jingxing had been holding back his frustration. In front of Li Mingshan and his wife, he had said nothing, and after leaving the main hall, he endured it all the way until they cleared the Li estate's gates, where he finally snapped.

Now that he was questioned, he immediately nodded: "Just now I wanted to..."

"You don't need to say anything. Are you planning to discuss this right at the Li family's doorstep?" Pei Yanzhou shot him another sideways glance and stepped up into the carriage, leaving Pei Jingxing standing alone.

Pei Yanzhou sat in the carriage for a brief moment, yet hearing no movement outside, he clicked his tongue, lifted the soft curtain, and called out to him in a low voice, "What are you waiting for?"

Pei Jingxing took several deep breaths, taking a long moment to steady himself before he could finally bring himself to board the carriage.

The entire journey was spent in silence. When the carriage stopped outside the General's Manor, Pei Jingxing was the first to leap down.

Madam Liang noticed him the moment she alighted, still wearing that indignant expression, and her heart was actually quite complicated.

She beckoned him over: "Standing up for Chuchu?"

Pei Jingxing was a dutiful son and could not bring himself to reprimand her, so he simply remained tight-lipped and sullen.

His attitude actually amused Madam Liang, who patted him on the shoulder: "Very well. Once we see Chuchu in a moment, you speak first, and the rest of us will listen."

Beside them, Pei Yanzhou's brow twitched sharply upon hearing this: "Third Aunt, I'm afraid cousin might misunderstand..."

"Let him speak first." Madam Liang unconcernedly smiled and walked into the mansion, not forgetting to tease Pei Jingxing along the way, "I want to hear how you plan to explain this to Chuchu."

When they arrived, Zhou Shen was already there with Liang Shanru.

He had previously dispatched men who followed the party to Yangzhou to join in the search. Later, upon receiving word of Liang Shanru's safe return, he could no longer sit still at home and hurried over, pressing for every single detail.

Initially, he had been furious enough to storm over to the Li residence for bloodshed, and it took all of Liang Shanru's persuasion to talk him down.

Upon seeing Madam Liang return with the Pei brothers, before anyone could even take a seat, he sprang to his feet, strode over to Pei Yanzhou, and demanded, "What did the Li family say? Are they exiling that scoundrel Li Ziyang or throwing him into the dungeons?"

Instead, Pei Yanzhou stepped aside and offered no reply.

Zhou Shen's expression darkened, and even Liang Shanru's face changed.

She looked toward Madam Liang, but Madam Liang seated herself in the main chair of honor as if nothing were amiss, and then called to the third young master: "Since Lord Zhou is here, you tell them."

Knowing Zhou Shen was present, Pei Jingxing had initially intended to keep quiet, but the conversation had backed him into a corner. After a brief hesitation, he simply blurted out: "I don't understand, and after thinking about it the entire way back, it still makes no sense."

If a degenerate like Li Ziyang were to die, it would merely be us ridding the people of a pest. Given what he did to our cousin, why did Mother and eldest brother let him off so lightly?"

The moment the phrase "let him off lightly" left his lips, Liang Shanru could barely remain seated.

She had previously asked whether Li Ziyang would be let off lightly because of the Chai family, and it was Pei Yanzhou himself who had assured her that was utterly impossible.

Even her aunt had gone along, so how could the outcome still be a lenient one?

Her voice grew taut: "Aunt, what does cousin mean by... letting him off lightly?"

Madam Liang smiled slightly: "Sanlang, continue."

Pei Jingxing had actually noticed Liang Shanru's grim expression, which only made him more confused.

Why wasn't his aunt, who doted on their cousin so, rushing to explain? Why was she having him do the talking instead?

Clueless and unsure whether he ought to continue, he had no choice but to glance sideways at Pei Yanzhou.

The genuine worry in Pei Yanzhou's eyes was unmistakable.

He roughly grasped his third aunt's intentions, yet could not help but feel anxious.

Liang Shanru already held a remarkably poor impression of him; should she misunderstand, things would become infinitely more troublesome in the future.

Twisting his fingers, he caught Pei Jingxing's gaze and took half a step forward without hesitation: "Cousin, actually..."

"Chirang," Madam Liang called out in a deep voice, stopping him, "let Sanlang speak."

Pei Yanzhou's brows knitted tightly, while Liang Shanru let out a nearly imperceptible gasp.

Even Zhou Shen sensed something was amiss. Retreating to the chair of honor, his gaze shifted back and forth among them: "What medicine are you selling in your gourd?"

Pei Jingxing had no choice but to bite the bullet and press on: "Granted, cousin received fifty thousand taels in compensation from the Li family, but is Li Ziyang simply going to be let go like this?

He is a dissolute profligate, accustomed to a life of luxury. Confining him to a Daoist temple for half a year to cultivate himself would be unbearable suffering for him, but compared to everything cousin endured today, it is far too lenient.

Mother, I truly do not understand.

Does our family fear the Li family? Do we fear the Chai family?

Even if we wish to avoid a massive uproar and protect cousin's reputation from being tarnished, surely we shouldn't brush the matter aside so lightly?"

"Fifty thousand taels?" Zhou Shen was startled.

Taking the cue, Liang Shanru turned to her aunt: "Compensated to me?"

Only then did Madam Liang acknowledge it with a hum: "The silver will be delivered to the General's Manor today; it is all your personal property.

Much of what the Liang family owes you is rightfully yours, but one can never have too much silver. With this extra fifty thousand taels, once we return to the capital, I will consult with your maternal aunt to purchase some lucrative storefronts for you.

To put it bluntly, relying on these assets, even if you were to sit idly and eat away your fortune, it would be enough to support ten of you."

"But..."

"There are no buts, and Li Ziyang will not be spared." Pei Yanzhou timely intervened, largely guided by Madam Liang's subtle signal.

He cut off Pei Jingxing's questioning and turned the tables on him: "Do you really think third aunt's temperament would let this rest? Think about it—why were Li Mingshan and Madam Chai willing to fork over tens of thousands of extra taels just to keep Li Ziyang confined at home, and why did third aunt and I insist he must be driven out of the city?"

Having experienced it firsthand, Liang Shanru understood almost immediately.

A single person's life was of so little consequence.

To Pei Yanzhou, treating human life like blades of grass was not an empty boast; he possessed the capability and the means to back it up.

Let alone him, her aunt was likely no different.

Zhou Shen clearly realized it as well, and deeply believing it to be inappropriate, he protested: "If you truly manage to have him killed inside a Daoist temple, even if the Li family lacks evidence, they will pin the blame entirely on you. Do you expect them to simply swallow their pride and let it go?"

He could not help worrying on Liang Shanru's behalf: "Today's affairs are already unfavorable to Shanru's reputation. Should the Li family grow desperate and make a massive scene, how is Shanru supposed to face society in the future?"

"That is why Li Ziyang will not die." Pei Yanzhou smiled and addressed his paternal uncle: "Uncle, having a military background and being accustomed to swift, decisive executions, perhaps you find it difficult to grasp the notion of giving a minor punishment as a warning—that there are fates worse than death.

I am leaving Li Ziyang with his life, and the Li family will not dare to make a peep.

Li Mingshan is a sensible man; naturally, he knows I hold his entire family's lives in the palm of my hand.

As for Madam Chai—whether it is third aunt or myself, we naturally have ways to handle the aftermath. We will never allow our cousin to find herself trapped or besieged by malicious gossip."

A shock ran through Liang Shanru's heart, and she gazed at him fixedly.

Only then did Pei Jingxing catch on: "Eldest brother had already discussed this with Mother beforehand? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a meeting of minds, not a prearranged plan." Pei Yanzhou shook his head as he looked at him: "As I said before, you still need more seasoning, to think and observe more when facing matters. Do you now realize how childish and ridiculous your righteous indignation sounded just a moment ago?"

Unable to save face, Pei Jingxing instinctively scratched the back of his head: "Mother did that purely to watch me make a fool of myself in front of cousin."

Madam Liang rolled her eyes at him and turned to take Liang Shanru's hand: "You don't need to worry about the rest. I originally intended to handle it myself, but since Chirang's thoughts aligned with mine, he will leave men behind to clear everything up and ensure you get your full revenge.

Since we've also gained tens of thousands of taels of silver, we should be happy and put this matter behind us. Next, we will settle accounts with the Liang family and return to the capital as soon as possible, never again paying heed to these rotten, filthy affairs in Yangzhou."