Meng Heng stayed behind to collect Meng Zhan's body. Jiang Pengji left with the others, leaving Meng Heng alone.
Everyone left except for Nie Xun.
Meng Heng knelt until his knees were numb. It took him a while to regain his composure. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Nie Xun whose expression he could not see clearly.
"Chengyun, your arm is still injured. It's not suitable for you to stay in the damp and cold dungeon —"
He put Meng Zhan's cold body on the ground, opened his hands that were holding the sword, and uncurled his fingers one by one.
Only then did Nie Xun return to his senses. His throat emitted a sound like that of a wild beast, as if he was suppressing a strong emotion.
"Wow —"
Nie Xun supported himself against the wall with his uninjured right hand and retched in discomfort.
Meng Heng raised his hand and closed Nie Xun's eyes. He didn't seem to notice Nie Xun's abnormal reaction.
"What's your relationship with the Meng family?"
Nie Xun wiped the remaining stain on the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and panted. "I'm from the Nie Family of Zhongzhao's Bian Prefecture. How could I be related to the Meng Family?"
"The head of the Meng Family committed suicide, and Chengyun accidentally injured him in order to protect him. None of this is your fault." Meng Heng's hand paused as if he was relieved. "It's all thanks to Chengyun's help today. Otherwise, the one lying on the ground right now would be Heng."
Nie Xun looked at Meng Heng's back with a complicated gaze. His usually straight back was now slightly bent.
It was sad to see him all alone.
"I thought that Liu Prefecture Magistrate was a sentimental person, but after this incident, I realized that I was wrong, very wrong." Nie Xun left the dungeon and was not surprised to see Jiang Pengji. He stepped forward and said, "Magistrate Liu, aren't you afraid of falling out with Shijiu by doing this?"
"This is already the best situation. Cousin Heng is a smart man. He knows what's best for him." Jiang Pengji smiled. "Meng Zhan's life can't be saved. If his death can be exchanged for the rest of the Meng's, wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Logically speaking, even if Meng Heng didn't hate her, there would still be some animosity between them.
What was the price of doing so?
The Meng family had no one to protect them!
Meng Heng was generous and gentle, but that didn't mean he was a sentimental person.
On the contrary, he was calm and rational.
"Meng Zhan is cousin Heng's biological father, but the father-son relationship between them has been eroded by Meng Zhan." Jiang Pengji looked at Nie Xun calmly and smiled. "People's hearts are complicated, but they are also simple. If Cousin Heng wants to blame me, I have nothing to say. "
When Nie Xun heard this, his Adam's apple bobbed a few times. He looked at Jiang Pengji with some shock.
"Y-you've guessed my identity, haven't you?"
Nie Xun was almost sure that Jiang Pengji knew the truth.
"I'm afraid you don't know, but your face is very similar to my shu aunt's. Many years ago, my aunt told me that her son, who died prematurely, was born with a cinnabar mole between his eyebrows. "Jiang Pengji smiled." When I first saw you, I thought your face looked familiar. Later, I heard from Bogao that you came to Dongqing to look for your relatives, and I began to suspect you. But I don't have any evidence, so I'm not sure. It wasn't until cousin Heng escaped from Cangzhou and you took extra care of him that I could be sure. What? Do you admire Meng Zhan? "
Nie Xun gritted his teeth and said, "How is that possible?"
Meng Zhan didn't raise him, and he was cruel enough to let his illegitimate son take over his identity. He buried him, who was less than a month old, in the cold underground.
If he had been a little unlucky, he would have lost his life long ago.
To him, Meng Zhan was just a stranger who was related by blood.
Jiang Pengji sneered. "If that's the case, isn't it even more unreasonable for you to blame me?"
Nie Xun choked and couldn't speak.
After a while, Nie Xun looked at his hands. The blood on them had dried up.
"You plotted to kill your father. Isn't the magistrate of Liuzhou afraid of revenge?"
Jiang Pengji said, "You and I are on opposing sides. I have so many enemies. It doesn't matter if you're here or not. The winner is the king, and the loser is the bandit. If one day I become your prisoner, you can take my life as you wish … "
After saying that, Jiang Pengji walked past Nie Xun and left without looking back.
She didn't walk far before she saw a familiar figure standing at the end of the long street from afar. Warmth rose in her heart.
She didn't need others to understand her, but if someone was willing to open their hearts to her, that would be the biggest gain.
It was a special time, and Meng Zhan was a prisoner. His funeral had to be simple.
But when Meng Zhan's coffin was buried, Meng Heng had lost a lot of weight. His clothes that fit him looked empty.
In order to avoid arousing suspicion, no one from the Meng's came to the funeral. The funeral procession looked sparse and desolate.
If Wei Ci, Feng Zhen, and the others hadn't attended the funeral for Meng Heng, it would have been even more desolate.
Jiang Pengji didn't attend, but without her secret support, Meng Zhan's mourning hall would have been smashed by the people of Meng County.
"I wonder what good things Meng Zhan did in his past life. He's done so many bad things in this life, but he still has a good son to send him off."
Meng Hun's revenge was avenged, but the knot in his heart wasn't so easily resolved.
If nothing had happened to his wife and daughter, he would have a grandson by now and become a happy and peaceful father-in-law.
Feng Zhen smiled as he poured wine for Meng Hun and filled up his own goblet. "Officer Meng, why don't you have another wife? You've already avenged your wife and niece. It's time for you to move on. The dead are gone, but the living are like this. They can only rest in peace if you live a good life. "
Meng Hun shook his head. He didn't want to have another wife.
He just wanted to be loyal to his lord and repay him for saving his life.
Feng Zhen said casually, "Meng Zhan is dead. The grudge from back then has finally come to an end."
Meng Hun snorted and put down the goblet.
"Zi Shi, you don't have to beat around the bush. I'm a rough guy. Just say what you want to say."
Feng Zhen didn't feel awkward. Instead, he smiled. "Since Officer Meng has spoken, I'll speak the truth. The trouble Meng Zhan caused shouldn't involve his children. My lord will treat the Meng's branch family lightly. I'm letting you know about this in case you feel uncomfortable. Plus, Shijiu is my lord's cousin. He's talented and will be put in an important position in the future. Officer Meng and him … "
It was a big taboo to not be on good terms with each other.
Meng Hun was silent for a while and asked, "Is this what my lord wants?"
Feng Zhen smiled. "No, my lord. I'm just guessing."
Meng Hun downed the wine in the goblet and snorted. "Meng Shijiu has been with my lord for a while. Have I ever made things difficult for him?"
Feng Zhen cupped his hands and said respectfully, "Officer Meng is broad-minded. You're thinking too much. I'll drink this as a punishment."
Meng Hun raised his hand to stop him and said angrily, "There's only one jar of good wine. How much do you want to drink?"
After the funeral, Meng Heng immediately changed out of his mourning clothes. He wore plain clothes with a plain white belt around his waist.
That night, he went to look for Jiang Pengji.
"I thought Cousin Heng would come looking for me earlier …"
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