“Pianfu, take this letter and that jade pendant to the imperial palace. Say that it is this young master’s will!” Enduring the pain, Ji Keci wrote the letter. That jade pendant was the love token Yin Xi had given her back then.
Pianfu nodded woodenly, put away the letter and the jade pendant, closed the door to Ji Keci’s boudoir, and left with qinggong.
Pianfu’s qinggong was excellent; he did not alarm the imperial palace guards in the slightest, and easily arrived at the Yan Chao Great Hall of the Yidu imperial palace. At this hour, Yin Xi had not yet gone to bed, but was reading at the imperial desk (an old term for a writing desk). Yin Xi did not raise his head, but sensed the movement, and his voice sounded. “Come in, Pianfu.”
Pianfu walked to the doors of the Yan Chao Great Hall, opened them, and entered. The corners of his mouth curved in a smile that was not quite a smile, and his lips parted slightly. “Your Highness has such keen powers of observation. You even know who has come. Pianfu admires you!”
Yin Xi did not answer him directly, but changed the subject. “Is Keci feeling any better?”
Pianfu placed a letter and a jade pendant on the imperial desk, before Yin Xi’s book. The sight of that jade pendant made Yin Xi’s eyes flicker. Pianfu did not answer his question either, and likewise changed the subject. “The Young Master told Pianfu to give these to Your Highness. I trust Your Highness understands the Young Master’s meaning!”
Yin Xi picked up the jade pendant from the imperial desk. How could he not know the origins of this pendant?
Pianfu folded his arms across his chest and said with solemn conviction, “Your Highness already holds all power in your hands. Pianfu hopes Your Highness can return the authority over the Qiansha Sect to the Young Master. This is also the Young Master’s wish.”
Pianfu also knew that the current emperor still had the token of the Qiansha Sect’s vice sect leader in his possession. Naturally, Pianfu did not want the current emperor to meddle in the Qiansha Sect’s affairs again, nor did he want him to ruin the Qiansha Sect’s reputation once more.
Yin Xi lowered his head, and none of his expression could be seen. Only his words could be heard as he gripped that jade pendant in his hand. “Does she truly think this?!”
Pianfu answered sincerely, “Mm. The Young Master truly thinks this. I also hope Your Highness can fulfill her request.”
Yin Xi suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart, lifted the jade pendant, and shook it before Pianfu’s eyes. “And what is the meaning of this?”
Pianfu shrugged, pointed at the letter on the imperial desk, and said with a pout, “That letter may answer Your Highness’s question. Mm-hmm.”
Pianfu grinned like a smiling tiger, stretched out a hand, and waved it before Yin Xi without saying a word.
Yin Xi went around him and sat down behind the imperial desk, setting the jade pendant down. His cool tone made Pianfu feel a little afraid. “You may leave. As for the token of the Qiansha Sect’s vice sect leader, We will personally deliver it to her.”
Pianfu glared angrily at Yin Xi, who was seated behind the imperial desk, and stamped his foot, not daring to say anything too outrageous. After all, he was still the emperor of the Yidu Dynasty. They were companions who had grown up together since childhood, and Yin Xi was not too severe toward Pianfu’s behavior; only because of that did they dare to offend him.
Yin Xi stroked that jade pendant, looking at it thoughtfully. Ji Keci, do you truly wish so badly to sever ties with Us?
He opened that letter. Written in proper, formal seal-script characters, it read:
Your Highness, cancel that marriage decree!
Keci knows well that in Yin Xi’s heart, there has in truth always been that woman. That is why Keci wishes for Your Highness to give that woman a rightful status.
In addition, please do not blame Pianfu, Your Highness. This is Keci’s intention.
Keci already knows that Your Highness has successfully ascended the throne. Now the Qiansha Sect happens to lack a sect leader, and Keci hopes Your Highness can return the vice sect leader’s token to Keci.
The only thing Keci has is the Qiansha Sect. Keci has never wished to be Your Highness’s wife.
The world is vast; there will always be a path Keci ought to take.
Keci.
After Yin Xi finished reading the letter, his brows furrowed faintly in anger. His hands clenched into fists, and a moment later, he tore the letter to shreds.
The corners of his mouth lifted as he looked at that jade pendant, his eyes seeming to flash with a complicated air. “Keci, We can give you the Qiansha Sect’s vice sect leader token. But that marriage decree—We cannot do it!”