The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 873 - 189: Daughter for Son

Chapter 873: Chapter 189: Daughter for Son

Xiao Guangbi had arrived.

Pei Qin furrowed her brows and returned to bid Pei Yuan farewell, "I’ll come to see you and Happy in a few days."

"What has happened?" Pei Yuan asked worriedly.

"Xiao Yi is being sent away." Pei Qin reassured her.

Upon hearing this, Pei Yuan immediately felt relieved, "It’s good that he is being sent away!" She then asked Pei Qin to send a message if anything came up. Xiao Yi was held hostage, and even if Prince He Qing himself had orchestrated it, he would still deliberately blame her elder sister.

Pei Qin agreed, then said goodbye to Mrs. Zhao and Old Master Zhao, taking Xixi with her.

Grandma Fang stayed behind to take care of Pei Yuan and did not return.

Zhao Xiaochen escorted Pei Qin and the others out of Qinghe Town.

When Pei Qin returned home, the house was solemn and silent.

Pei Qian hurriedly approached, "Elder sister!"

Pei Qin nodded, following her into the hall.

In the hall, sat Xiao Guangbi in plain clothes, having exchanged his imposing, dragon-patterned python robe for a yellow brocade robe embroidered with square patterns, which further accentuated his handsome, yet somber face.

Pei Qin quickly stepped forward and deeply curtsied, "Lady Pei pays her respects to the Prince! I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness!"

Xiao Guangbi did not immediately allow her to rise, "Pei Qin! I entrusted the Junior Provincial Official to you because I trusted you."

Xiao Yi, sitting properly to one side, grew smug when he saw Xiao Guangbi starting to blame Pei Qin, thinking inwardly with delight. You mistreated this Commandery Prince and even let someone kidnap me. Now that Father has come to reproach you, do not expect me to speak a word in your favor!

Zhang Gengshan, watching anxiously from outside, felt frustrated; being a servant, he couldn’t just barge in to speak.

Pei Qian, lips tightly pressed, felt inwardly angry. Had it been their enemies, Jiujiu would definitely have been taken away. Kidnapping Xiao Yi was clearly aimed at Prince He Qing—it was their own enemy. Their own appointed guards were useless, yet they came to blame them! No emperor should allow this man, who appeared effeminate yet was Prince He Qing, to ascend!

"This subject is guilty, please punish me, Your Highness!" Pei Qin solemnly requested.

"You are guilty! The crime is that the Junior Provincial Official was kidnapped right under your watch! The crime is in daring to block the news to me when the Junior Provincial Official was kidnapped! The crime is in not actively searching for clues to rescue the Junior Provincial Official! Pei Qin, you have great audacity! You even suppressed the news to prevent informing me!" Xiao Guangbi’s voice grew increasingly cold as he spoke.

Pei Qin’s expression changed, and she knelt down in genuine fear, "Please, Your Highness, forgive me!"

Seeing that she was finally scared, Xiao Guangbi’s expression slightly cleared, "The Junior Provincial Official was kidnapped while under your care, chopping off your head wouldn’t be excessive!"

"Please spare my life, Your Highness!" Pei Qin earnestly begged.

Pei Qian and Zhang Gengshan outside also knelt down, "Please spare our lives, Your Highness!"

Xiao Yi scoffed smugly.

Xiao Guangbi, seeing that he had intimidated them, waved his hand, "I came here not just to accuse you."

Pei Qin immediately breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at him earnestly.

Xiao Guangbi paused then said, "You may all rise."

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!" Pei Qin, grateful to the point of tears, stood up and volunteered, "This subject is also fortunate to have Your Highness’s fair decision, which allowed my husband and me to be released from death row. Even the Decree on my body was petitioned for by Your Highness. To be frank, I am but an unsophisticated country woman. I truly cannot teach the Junior Provincial Official, nor can I bear the responsibility of teaching him. Please, Your Highness, take the Junior Provincial Official away!"

Xiao Yi displayed a matter-of-fact expression. His father had rushed over, and he was definitely going to leave with his father! To think they made him a hostage here—they deserve to die!

However, Xiao Guangbi did not agree, "You are being modest. You have taught your younger siblings very well. I am reassured by your teaching of the Junior Provincial Official."

Xiao Yi widened his eyes, "Father! I don’t want to stay here! I want to go home with you!"

Xiao Guangbi gave him a stern look and, seeing Pei Qin’s incredulous disbelief, added, "This kidnapping incident was also due to my negligence in consideration, as the people I assigned were insufficient. This time, I will leave more people here."

Pei Qin’s eyes grew cold as she continued to insist that he should take Xiao Yi away, otherwise she would send him back herself. No matter what, she was not going to take care of this troublesome child any longer.

Xiao Yi was also unwilling to stay and strongly requested to go home.

Yet, Xiao Guangbi could not possibly take him away at this moment. Mo Heng had gone to Xining Guard, which was a critical part of his plan. Being naturally suspicious, he intended to bring Xiao Yi to himself. The kidnapping incident had occurred, and if he took the person away now, Pei Qin, as a woman of the house, might not suspect much, but Mo Heng might suspect that the kidnapping was orchestrated by him.