CHAPTER 119: CHAPTER 119: WHERE’S THE WINE? WHERE’S THE MEAT?

Upon seeing the figure, Yu Wenye’s eyes lit up immediately, and he hurriedly walked forward to greet him.

Shang Ruyi quickly followed, only to see that the figures were getting closer. It was two government officers escorting a man in shackles, slowly walking towards them, and the man in shackles was none other than Pei Xingyuan, who had been drinking and reveling with them just a couple of days ago.

Just a couple of days ago, Pei Xingyuan was dressed in fine clothes, handsome and charming, completely the image of a refined gentleman. But now, he was in tattered clothes, with a desolate expression, each step so heavy, a stark contrast to before, like heaven and earth apart.

To fall from the status of a noble son to an exiled prisoner, isn’t it like falling from the clouds into the muck?

Just thinking about it made Shang Ruyi’s heart ache.

At this moment, they had already come face-to-face with them. Pei Xingyuan, originally staring numbly at the road beneath his feet, suddenly felt a familiar aura, looked up, and his eyes immediately brightened.

"Feng Chen?"

Yu Wenye looked at him with a solemn expression: "Xingyuan..."

The two met, but for a moment, were speechless.

But only for a moment, Pei Xingyuan suddenly smiled again, saying, "I knew you were a true brother. Even Lei Yu came to see me off, how could you possibly not care about me."

Then he said with a chuckle, "Where’s the wine? Where’s the meat?"

"..."

"You see me off, you can’t possibly send me away without a bite to eat, can you?"

"..."

"Even if there’s none of these, at the very least, give me some silver notes, so I can have an easier time on the road."

His words still carried a hint of humor and teasing, no different from when they were drinking and reveling before, but everyone knew, at this time, he was just trying to find joy amidst the sorrow, trying to hide his sadness behind a mask of nonchalance.

Yu Wenye quietly looked at him, yet did not break this facade.

He only said, "How much do you want?"

Pei Xingyuan was stunned for a moment, then immediately replied with a playful smile, "As much as there is."

Yu Wenye didn’t say much, taking out a stack of silver notes from his bosom, but did not hand them to him. Instead, he turned and gave them to the two government officers escorting him, saying in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, the road is long and far, if you have a piece of meat to eat, give him a piece of vegetable; if you have a cup of wine to drink, give him a sip of water."

Beside them, Pei Xingyuan shouted in dissatisfaction, "Why don’t you give them to me!"

But Shang Ruyi understood Yu Wenye’s meaning.

If the money was given to him, without his freedom, it would be useless and could easily attract trouble; if given to the two officers, at least for Yu Wenye’s sake, they might make his journey a little easier.

Sure enough, the two officers did not stand on ceremony, receiving the silver notes with a smile, then said, "Mr. Pei is indeed righteous. Just in the city, General Lei’s daughter also instructed us, rest assured, we won’t trouble Mr. Pei for the sake of you gentlemen and miss."

Yu Wenye nodded and said, "Could you two please wait nearby, we have a few more words to say."

The two officers politely stepped aside.

Yu Wenye then turned again to look at Pei Xingyuan, but the two looked at each other for a long time without saying another word.

Many emotions, at this time, really need not be spoken.

Finally, it was Pei Xingyuan who glanced at Shang Ruyi standing aside, smiling as he said, "Sister-in-law also came to see me off, it seems my face, Pei Xingyuan’s, is quite considerable."

Speaking of it, Shang Ruyi hardly knew him, not having a deep friendship, yet at this moment, looking at him like this, couldn’t help but feel a surge of sadness within.

She softly said, "Mr. Pei, take care of yourself."

Pei Xingyuan smiled.

After smiling, he again looked at Shang Ruyi: "Sister-in-law, have you also come to send someone off?"

Shang Ruyi nodded.

Pei Xingyuan sighed deeply, "That night, I only came to find Brother Fengchen because I didn’t want to drink with those old relics. Had I known what they were discussing, I would have caused a ruckus at home to ruin their drinking plans."

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but smile wryly.

But after laughing, everyone’s heart was left with bitterness—actually, even if Pei Xu and Shen Shiyan hadn’t been drinking together that night, those people, concerned about the state, would have certainly found a chance to petition the Emperor to stop attacking Liaodong. Some fates are unavoidable.

So she asked, "By the way, Mr. Pei, how about your father and them?"

Speaking of his father, Pei Xingyuan showed a faintly worried expression, "They were escorted away yesterday."

This was reasonable. Exiled criminals often held grudges against the court. To prevent them from gathering and causing trouble, the Ministry of War exiled at most two or three at a time, and young people like Pei Xingyuan were closely monitored, naturally separated from others for exile.

Shang Ruyi asked again, "Miss Lei also came to see you off?"

"Yes,"

Upon mentioning this, Pei Xingyuan gave a cold laugh, "In ordinary times, those who called me brother and borrowed money from me are nowhere to be seen now. Only her—I’ve finally seen people’s true colors in life’s highs and lows."

Shang Ruyi paused for a moment, then said, "Hardships reveal the heart of people."

Pei Xingyuan replied, "Indeed, and she even specially asked about sister-in-law’s family situation."

"Oh?" Shang Ruyi was a bit surprised; Lei Yu, who had never given her a good face, actually showed concern?

Pei Xingyuan laughed, "I told you long ago, she’s not a bad person, just a sour face. Don’t mind her, sister-in-law."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi smiled subtly, with deeper meaning.

In fact, she never minded Lei Yu’s attitude towards her, especially now that she knew who Yu Wenye’s heart belonged to. To mind Lei Yu’s attitude would be to find discomfort for herself.

She said plainly, "Why should I mind."

Seeing her slightly melancholic eyes, Pei Xingyuan said, "Actually—"

Before he could continue, Yu Wenye said, "I will send someone to make arrangements in Lingnan, you must bear it for now."

Pei Xingyuan turned back to look at him, teasingly said, "Rather than have me endure, better to wait for the Duke’s—"

At this point, he smiled.

He then looked up to check the sky, saying, "Alright, it’s getting late, as the saying goes, ’even a journey of a thousand miles must end in parting,’ you two need not linger on, I must get going."

Having said that, he turned to the two officers, "Gentlemen, let’s go."

The two officers immediately stepped forward, giving Yu Wenye and others a polite salute, then escorted him onward.

Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi stood there, watching Pei Xingyuan, though shackled, still swaying with a hint of his past free-spirited flair.

They kept watching until his figure disappeared, then Shang Ruyi turned to Yu Wenye, "He just said, waiting for father’s what?"