Chapter 315: Chapter 274: Find Someone to Replace You_2
"So I asked him, what kind of phoenix pendant it was? He immediately took out paper and pen to sketch it for me, and as soon as I saw it, the shape of the phoenix pendant was exactly the same as the phoenix-shaped marking your grandfather described to me in his letter."
Fu Zhen clenched his fist, "Such a coincidence?"
"Who says it’s not?" Mrs. Ning’s words were deep with meaning, "Your grandfather was such an intelligent and capable person, with connections all over Jiangnan and the court, yet he never hinted a thing to me about this matter. Until the end, he insisted it was just an accident, which shows he was apprehensive."
"How did Mr. Feng know about the phoenix pendant?"
"Because someone was secretly inquiring about it. The Feng family’s power is not weak either. Everyone knows he has a good relationship with your grandfather, so someone must have spread the word to him."
Fu Zhen held her breath for a moment, furrowing her brows, "Did Mother investigate after seeing the appearance of that phoenix pendant?"
"Of course, I didn’t investigate further. Even your grandfather dared not act recklessly, and I was too busy taking care of myself back then, how could I dare to touch this matter?
I believe your grandfather didn’t tell me because he definitely didn’t want me caught up in this vortex."
Fu Zhen looked at the somewhat scribbled handwriting on the yellowed letter paper, unable to suppress the tightening of her throat.
A few months ago, when she woke up, Mrs. Ning was still struggling in the Fu family, obviously having no spare energy to take risks.
She picked up this letter paper, where the old man wrote with emphasis, the person coming to the capital would certainly aid Mrs. Ning and the Fu Zhen siblings, and might even support Fu Yun. Now thinking back, this benefit must have been the reason he decided to let Mrs. Ning interact with this father and son duo.
But the old man did not expect that the plan he crafted for his daughter and grandchildren would result in such an outcome later.
"This is naturally the reason I have kept this from you all along," Mrs. Ning said, "The great achievements of the Pei and Liang families were made with flesh and blood. I don’t know what those two people’s identities are, nor do I know what the phoenix represents, but I know that although my Ning family is wealthy beyond measure, not an official household, we have certain respect in the Great Zhou Court. Your grandfather preferred to uphold this secret even at the cost of his life, which means it must be of great significance.
If the Pei and Liang families suffer losses due to being implicated in this dispute, it would be truly undeserved."
Under such words, Fu Zhen’s fearless nature was tightly restrained.
When bringing up this blood case before, Mrs. Ning had already mentioned this half of the letter, and Fu Zhen had gained a certain understanding of the importance of those two people’s identities.
Now, with the addition of the phoenix-shaped marking and phoenix pendant, the matter has grown even more significant!
Although one is a birthmark and the other is a jade pendant, both are associated with the old man. These two items must both concentrate on the same person, and the man who died tragically in Baiyu Lane must have a more extraordinary identity!
It turns out that even before he came to the capital, someone was already searching for him in secret. This makes Mr. Ning’s meticulous arrangements understandable.
If it weren’t for his caution, even his daughter’s name was not disclosed, they might have already encountered misfortune on their way to the capital!
And Xu Yin wanted to get that fan from Prince Rong’s Mansion, which turns out to be related to the deceased!
So who is this person who died? Why did Ning Pochi keep this matter a secret? Who exactly is secretly investigating that phoenix pendant?
She looked at Mrs. Ning, "Mother, did you ever speculate who he might have been?"
Mrs. Ning replied slowly, "It ultimately must be within the realm of the court."
...
Fu Zhen did not stay at the Ning family residence after all.
Upon returning to the manor, Pei Zhan was already comfortably lounging on his couch, having washed up.
Even before Fu Zhen spoke, he glanced over with a sideways look, "Weren’t we arguing? Didn’t you say you’d return to your family home? Why are you back in the middle of the night?"
Fu Zhen had just raised the cup to her lips when she heard this and looked around, "Has Jia Ge’er been here?"
Pei Zhan let out a light snort, "You’ve really got some nerve. Going back to your family home acting like a thief, and you still try to pin it on me."
Fu Zhen walked to the door holding the cup, "Where is he? What did he say to you?"
"He came running to me all sweaty, asking what I did to upset you. I was puzzled. Normally, when I talk to him, he acts as tense as a bowstring, and now you tell a little lie and go back to your family, and he immediately rushes over to confront me. Is he brave or timid?"