"Master …"
Meng Heng was about to bow, but Jiang Pengji stopped him.
"There are no outsiders here. You don't have to call me Cousin Heng in private."
Meng Heng shook his head and said sternly, "Etiquette cannot be ignored. Although Heng is the lord's cousin, he cannot easily overstep his boundaries."
No matter how good their relationship was, it could not withstand the slightest neglect and rudeness. Meng Heng did not want today's intimacy to become "rudeness" in the future.
Jiang Pengji secretly rolled her eyes and sighed. "Cousin Heng is good in every aspect, but he's too cautious."
Meng Heng did not say anything. This cautiousness and politeness were deeply ingrained in his bones. It was not something that could be changed in a short time.
If he hadn't been careful and meticulous, he probably wouldn't have lived to this age.
Jiang Pengji grabbed a table and leaned half of her body on it. She asked casually, "What does Cousin Heng want to know?"
Meng Heng was definitely not looking for him for official business. It was most likely related to the dungeon incident.
"I'm very happy that Cousin Heng still chose to trust me." Jiang Pengji smiled. If Meng Heng was unhappy, he could ask Nie Xun, but he didn't. Instead, he waited until Meng Zhan's funeral was over. "Since cousin Heng treats me with sincerity, I can't lie to you."
Meng Heng sat upright, like a green bamboo that would not bend in the face of wind and rain. His tenacity and integrity were what Jiang Pengji admired.
"Nie Chengyun — he, he's the Meng Family Patriarch's lost pearl in the vast ocean?"
Meng Heng had already guessed that Nie Xun was related to him by blood, but he had not guessed that Nie Xun was his younger brother from the same mother.
Jiang Pengji sighed. "It's a long story. I'm afraid that Cousin Heng doesn't know that Meng Liang isn't my aunt's child."
"What?" Meng Heng widened his eyes in shock.
Jiang Pengji said, "Back then, my aunt and Meng Zhan's concubine were pregnant at the same time. They gave birth to a son almost at the same time. Meng Zhan didn't want to mistreat the concubine's child, so he allowed the concubine to swap the concubine. The shu aunt's real child was replaced by a concubine and died in less than two days. The maidservant buried the baby carelessly. Luckily, a passing maidservant dug it out and sold it to Zhongzhao. "
Meng Heng's clenched fists trembled uncontrollably. At that moment, he was almost speechless.
"Nie, Nie Xun — he's that child?"
No wonder —
Meng Zhan, Meng Liang, and the concubine were like a family. However, Meng Heng had always wondered why his father let the concubine raise his second son.
This was the crux of the problem!
"I think, shu aunt probably didn't want your situation in the Meng residence to become more difficult, so she didn't tell you these old matters." Jiang Pengji took a sip of the sake. The bland taste of the wine spread in her mouth, carrying a tinge of bitterness. "At first, I didn't recognize Nie Xun's identity. I just felt that his silhouette resembled someone, but I couldn't remember who that person was. After that, I heard that Nie Xun was very close to you and took good care of you. Nie Xun came to Dongqing to look for his family. Only then did I confirm his identity. He was the real Meng Liang! "
Meng Heng shook his head.
"No — Nie Xun is Nie Xun. How can the name Meng Liang tarnish him?"
Meng Heng could not remain calm after receiving too much information in such a short period of time.
"My lord, you already knew of Nie Xun's identity. Then, did you also deliberately facilitate the dungeon incident?"
Jiang Pengji smiled.
"Cousin Heng, are you bitterly disappointed? Are you suspecting that I deliberately pushed you into a dead end?"
Meng Heng shook his head weakly. He looked listless, as if he had been drained of all his energy.
"My lord, you are highly skilled in martial arts. You were not far away at that time, but you were watching from the sidelines. It shows that you were confident. Meng Liang's sudden outburst was not something that could be controlled by an outsider. I'm just not sure. Did you want me to kill Meng Liang in your plan? "
Jiang Pengji frowned. "Let you kill him? What's the difference between that and crippling you myself? "
Meng Heng was different from Nie Xun. If Meng Heng accidentally killed Meng Zhan, he might be depressed for the rest of his life.
"My lord, you want to cripple Nie Xun?"
"Cousin Heng, are you softhearted?"
"Humans are not plants. How can we be emotionless?"
Meng Heng did not deny it.
He really had a good impression of Nie Xun. Nie Xun looked very similar to his mother, which made them feel closer.
Meng Heng was surprised and happy to hear that Meng Liang was his biological brother. He could not bring himself to do it.
Meng Heng's lips moved. His eyes were filled with complexity and struggle.
Although they were not brothers, Meng Heng could not cripple Nie Xun as soon as they met.
Jiang Pengji sneered. "Nie Chengyun is not cousin Heng. His heart is much colder than you think. As a father, he gave birth to him but did not raise him. To him, Meng Zhan was not only not his father, but also his mortal enemy. He offered advice to Bogao many times and made trouble for me many times. This incident in the dungeon can not only end the grudge between me and Meng Zhan, but it can also serve as a warning to Nie Xun. I have done this with a clear conscience. If I had to apologize, it would be cousin Heng … No matter how bad he is, he is still your father. "
Was Nie Xun allowed to plot against her, but she was not allowed to?
Moreover, Jiang Pengji's real purpose was to let Meng Zhan die with everlasting regret. Nie Xun was just a convenience.
How could Meng Heng agree?
What Meng Zhan had done was not just about personal grudges. It was about the country. It was enough to drag the entire Meng's into eternal damnation. Even if Meng Heng still had a trace of father-son relationship in his heart, he would not lose his head and plead for Meng Zhan.
The lord was willing to be honest with him. It was already a rare trust.
Jiang Pengji did not force him. Meng Heng would think it through.
After a while, Meng Heng said, "Lord, what about the previous arrangements …"
He had wanted to sow discord between Huang Song and Nie Xun. He wanted to use Nie Xun as a breakthrough point to split them from the inside and cause discord between them.
Now that this had happened …
"Of course it has to continue. But I am not a cold-hearted person. If cousin Heng is unwilling, I will not force you."
Meng Heng shook his head. He did not bring up this matter to quit midway.
"It is most appropriate for Heng to handle this matter. The lord has given Heng an important task, and Heng will repay it as a national hero. "
Meng Heng was not stupid. The struggle for hegemony was not a child's play. One careless move and he would lose everything.
Feng Jin and Feng Jue parted ways because of this. What did he and Nie Xun count for?
Meng Heng's side was solved, but Nie Xun's troubles had just begun.
After that day in the dungeon, Feng Jue told Huang Song about his speculation.
Huang Song was stunned.
"You mean … Chengyun is from the Meng's, and he is Meng Heng's younger brother? Why would he hide such an important matter from me? "
"Most likely."
It would be fine if Nie Xun was not in the know, but Yuan Xin had told Huang Song that Nie Xun called Meng Heng "elder brother"!
Considering Nie Xun's reaction in the dungeon, Meng Heng obviously knew about it, but he did not want to make it public.
What was his motive?
"Song is happy for Chengyun that he has found his family. Is there a need to hide it like this?"
The more he thought about it, the more Huang Song felt uncomfortable.
Feng Jue said, "Lord, this matter is of great importance. Please make a conclusion after further investigation."
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