Chapter 149
The one who rebelled was the daughter of the reigning Great General, Jian Ninghua.
Jian Ninghua was a male disguised as a female.
Military power was in Great General Jian's hands, so the Emperor was naturally wary of him. However, with foreign tribes eyeing their borders and the Pei Dynasty valuing civil matters over military ones, there were no other capable generals in the court besides Great General Jian.
Although the Emperor was wary of General Jian, he also knew that as long as the general was alive, those covetous foreign tribes wouldn't dare to make a rash move.
But knowing was one thing; the Emperor was still quite worried that General Jian would rebel if he had a son.
Thus, before Jian Ninghua, General Jian had two other sons, both of whom died after a series of "accidents."
To say they didn't know it was the Emperor's doing would be highly unlikely.
Yet, General Jian was somewhat blindly loyal. Even knowing the truth, he remained devoted to the Pei Dynasty.
General Jian's wife, however, was not like him. She was filled with resentment toward the Emperor who had killed her two children, and her hatred extended to the entire Pei Dynasty.
Jian Ninghua was her third son. Not wanting her child to die again due to the Emperor's suspicions, she announced to the world that he was a girl.
After the Emperor confirmed that the child was indeed a girl, he made no further moves. Only then did Jian Ninghua grow up safely.
And Madam Jian, of course, told Jian Ninghua all about her resentment for the Emperor and the Pei Dynasty.
Although he was presented as a girl, he was taught what a boy should learn. He was even indoctrinated with his mother's hatred for the Pei Dynasty. Madam Jian also hired tutors to teach him the ways of a ruler, with the clear intention of overthrowing the Pei Dynasty.
When Pei Siyi was fifteen, Jian Ninghua was twenty.
The twenty-year-old Jian Ninghua had not married, which rather pleased the Emperor. After all, the Emperor would be displeased no matter which court official's family the Jians allied with through marriage. And as for the families the Emperor would approve of, the Jians would likely be dissatisfied. That being the case, it was better not to marry at all.
When Pei Siyi and Jian Ninghua met, Pei Siyi was dressed as a woman and Jian Ninghua as a man—their true selves.
They both harbored a deep dislike for the Emperor and the Pei Dynasty. The two of them hit it off immediately.
What Pei Siyi longed for most was freedom. The imperial palace was too restrictive for her. Her greatest dream was to walk out of the imperial city and see the world outside.
Jian Ninghua didn't know what he longed for most. From a young age, his mother's hatred had been instilled in him. If his mother said to take revenge, he would take revenge. If his mother said to overthrow the Pei Dynasty, he would overthrow the Pei Dynasty.
But what about his own thoughts? He didn't know.
Jian Ninghua didn't know that Pei Siyi was the current Crown Prince, but Pei Siyi knew that Jian Ninghua must be General Jian's son, and that the revenge he spoke of was revenge against the Pei family.
It wasn't that Pei Siyi was exceptionally clever, but Jian Ninghua bore a slight resemblance to General Jian. Combined with the story of his two deceased older brothers, it was easy for Pei Siyi to connect the dots.
She was the Crown Prince, after all, and knew more than Jian Ninghua, who was confined to the inner chambers.
Pei Siyi was thrilled when Jian Ninghua spoke of revenge.
Whether the Pei Dynasty existed or not was unimportant. General Jian served the country and its people. If he or his son were to take the throne one day, they certainly wouldn't mistreat the common folk. That being the case, what did it matter if the Pei Dynasty was destroyed?
After parting with Jian Ninghua, Pei Siyi contacted him in her identity as the male Crown Prince. She took the initiative to show goodwill, saying she would help him succeed.
At first, Jian Ninghua was naturally wary and refused to admit anything, but Pei Siyi was sincere.
Furthermore, she used the bits of information she gleaned from Jian Ninghua during their interactions as a woman to help him in her identity as a man.
Even though Jian Ninghua remained vigilant and wary, he began to trust Crown Prince Pei a little.
The first time Pei Siyi met Jian Ninghua in men's clothing, she wore a mask.
Jian Ninghua asked what he sought in return. Pei Siyi only said that she hoped he would spare her life and send her out of the imperial city after he succeeded.
It was such a simple request that Jian Ninghua had no reason to refuse.
With Pei Siyi as an inside agent, Jian Ninghua's progress advanced by leaps and bounds.
The Tanhua Lang, however, discovered the issue with Pei Siyi's identity. But Pei Siyi threatened him: "If you reveal my identity, I can easily brand you as someone suffering from hysteria and spouting nonsense. Whether they believe it or not, you, your family, and your beloved will surely not live."
"Even if they question my identity, this is still the Pei family's domain. If a physical examination is required, it's not impossible to muddle through. I'll be fine, but the same can't be said for you, your family, and your beloved."
"You'd better think carefully. Will you be a good Prince Consort and live happily with your beloved, or will you insist on seeking death? If so, your whole family can reunite in the underworld."
The Tanhua Lang came from a humble background, with no complex network of power behind him. Faced with Pei Siyi's threats, he was furious but helpless.
Everything was proceeding according to Pei Siyi's original plan.
But the Emperor had a penchant for courting disaster.
Pei Siyi had already changed back into women's clothes to get married, yet the Emperor still wanted her to take a wife in men's clothes.
Even though the Emperor was her father, she wanted to kill him.
Pei Siyi did end up taking a wife while dressed as a man. She married the "unmarriageable" Jian Ninghua from the Great General's family.
On the day of the wedding, Pei Siyi was not the only one with complicated feelings. So were Jian Ninghua and the Tanhua Lang, who knew her identity.
The Tanhua Lang still disliked Pei Siyi and was quite rude to her. But seeing her, clearly a woman, having to dress as a man to marry a wife, he felt a complex mix of emotions. When he looked at Pei Siyi, his gaze couldn't help but carry a trace of pity.
Pei Siyi really couldn't be bothered with the Tanhua Lang's pity.
After marrying Jian Ninghua, Pei Siyi either avoided him or wore a mask at all times.
However, after marrying Jian Ninghua, it became much more convenient for them to carry out their plans.
Jian Ninghua wasn't an idiot. If he hadn't noticed anything at the beginning, how could he still be oblivious after marrying Pei Siyi?
Pei Siyi was also on guard against Jian Ninghua.
The two could be said to be countering each other's moves, but in the end, Jian Ninghua still discovered Pei Siyi's secret.
Once discovered, Pei Siyi was direct: "The two of us are in the same boat. When this is all over, just let me leave. Don't worry, I will definitely not come back to bother you."
Pei Siyi was frank, her only desire to leave the imperial city and rush toward freedom.
But Jian Ninghua was not so straightforward.
There was a bit of ambiguity in their relationship.
But Pei Siyi didn't think they could be together. Besides, she truly detested the imperial city. So, even if she liked Jian Ninghua, she desired freedom more.
As for Jian Ninghua, it was one thing when he didn't know Pei Siyi's identity, but now that he did, his feelings were exceptionally complicated.
He liked Pei Siyi and didn't want to let her go. But his mother was filled with hatred for the entire Pei family and would never agree to him being with Pei Siyi.
Yet, he still didn't want to let her leave.
Jian Ninghua's rebellion succeeded, and the Pei Dynasty was overthrown. But Pei Siyi, who should have been free, was imprisoned by Jian Ninghua.
The soaring eagle now had its wings broken. Pei Siyi never gave Jian Ninghua another kind look.
But Jian Ninghua didn't care. He simply followed his own desires and kept her by his side.
But even though he kept her by his side, the two of them still did not have a happy ending.
General Jian could not accept that his son had rebelled. He wanted to atone for the crime with his death, but with no other capable military commanders in the court, he went directly to the border, vowing never to leave. He even refused to acknowledge Jian Ninghua as his son and insisted on divorcing Madam Jian.
Madam Jian was furious enough with General Jian to die of anger. After learning of Pei Siyi's existence, she couldn't resist tormenting her.
Jian Ninghua couldn't protect Pei Siyi. He had grown up under Madam Jian's oppression, and she was accustomed to controlling every aspect of his life.
Pei Siyi had been an unexpected element in her control, but now, that exception no longer existed.
Pei Siyi was a person with her own pride. She had been trying to find a way to escape. Later, after Madam Jian discovered her, she was even prepared to negotiate a collaboration with Madam Jian.
But because of what happened with General Jian, Madam Jian only wanted to torture Pei Siyi.
After realizing that she might never be able to escape and would be trapped in the imperial city for the rest of her life, Pei Siyi very decisively ended her own life.
Jian Ninghua was a failure.
He couldn't protect Pei Siyi when she was alive, and he couldn't even protect her body after she died.
In the end, it was the Tanhua Lang who buried Pei Siyi. He took her body out of the imperial city, in a way fulfilling her wish to leave.
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