Chapter229

The coldness spread from his fingertips. Elara didn't know how much more coldness Minister Old Pei would carry in his heart after hearing these words. But thinking about how Mathias had seemed like he had no will to live just over a month ago, she sighed quietly, and her heart softened a little more toward this man.

She pulled him close, gently rubbing his cold fingers as if trying to warm them, and said in a calm voice,

"Mathias came to the Princess's residence back then for a reason. At that time, Plumera was under the control of treacherous men like Lord Gregory, and the country was in chaos. I myself was still at a reckless age and did make many mistakes. But Mathias... from beginning to end, everything he did was for the Pei Family."

Hearing Elara openly admit that she had once been "reckless," the expressions of those present shifted slightly.

Elara sat in the main seat, rubbing Mathias's fingers while revealing the entire deal he had made with the original body.

She also spoke about the hardships Mathias had endured within the Pei Family over the years.

Halfway through, Madam Pei, unable to bear it any longer, broke into tears. No longer caring about the others in the hall, she stood from her seat and tightly hugged the son she hadn't touched in many years.

Her Mathias... the one she had cherished most since he was little... how much he must have suffered over these years!

Mathias stiffened for two seconds when his mother hugged him, then slowly raised his arms to return the embrace.

Minister Old Pei's expression was no longer as hard and cold as before. He breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling, and his grip on the armrest was tight. After Madam Pei had cried while holding Mathias for a long time, he suddenly stood up and strode to Mathias, shouting:

"Our Pei Family has stood strong for so many years! Do we really need you to sacrifice yourself to protect our honor? I, Pei Liujing, have lived nearly fifty years! Can I still not protect our family on my own? Must I rely on sacrificing my own son just to keep the ancestral hall intact?!"

Always proper and rarely ever making mistakes, Minister Old Pei finally lost control and yelled at the son he had missed for so many years.

But his anger was no longer about shame from Mathias damaging the Pei Family's reputation. It was filled with sorrow and scolding.

He scolded Mathias for making that decision on his own without discussing it with the Pei Family. And he grieved for his eldest son, who after being driven away, still had to endure so much injustice.

From behind, Maurice also looked at Mathias with red-rimmed eyes.

After Minister Old Pei vented his anger, he gradually calmed down and noticed Elara sitting silently beside him.

He suddenly knelt down. Maurice, Madam Pei, and the rest of the Pei Family followed and knelt together.

"Your Majesty, forgive us... we lost control before the hall. Please punish us."

His voice was still trembling slightly, but Elara couldn't possibly punish them for this.

She had remained here only to confirm the Pei Family's attitude toward Mathias.

If they were still stubborn and thought Mathias had shamed the family, refusing to let him return, Elara wouldn't let him suffer again.

She would stand by him and take back everything that belonged to him.

But from how things looked, the Pei Family truly were kind-hearted at their core. No matter how angry they looked, many of them still loved Mathias deeply.

Even Minister Old Pei, after learning the truth, though furious, felt more sorrow over Mathias sacrificing himself for the family's sake.

With that, Elara felt reassured.

"I understand. I just couldn't bear to see him give everything he had and still be resented by his family. Now that the truth is clear, I won't disturb you any longer. You must have many things to say to Mathias. He also hasn't returned to the Pei residence for many years. I'll go take a look around the place. No need to accompany me."

After speaking, Elara turned to look at Mathias once more.

Compared to the emotional reactions of Minister Old Pei and Madam Pei, Mathias remained the calmest. His expression barely changed, only revealing a rare touch of warmth in his pale green eyes when his mother hugged him and cried.

Elara looked at him and gently squeezed the fingers she was holding. "Uno is always by your side. If anything happens, call for me directly."

The fingers she held moved slightly, as if responding to her.

Elara gave him a reassuring smile. She held his hand again, now slightly warmed by her touch, then turned and walked out of the main hall.

Back courtyard of the Pei Family residence

Elara walked through the entire Pei Family estate and even visited the room where Mathias had lived since he was born.

When she saw that the room still held many of Mathias's childhood toys and books, she smiled. She stayed in Mathias's former quarters for a long time and played with those small items for a while before finally leaving and heading to the small pavilion in the back courtyard. There, she waited while Uno helped her bring out the state documents she needed to review for the day.

One by one, the young servants of the Pei Family brought the finest food and drink to the pavilion where Elara sat. Eventually, Maurice was also sent out of the main hall early to serve Elara in the pavilion.

Maurice felt awkward and conflicted toward Elara. His heart was tangled and hard to express. He didn't know what to say, so he just quietly helped her pour tea and serve water.

Elara glanced at him but didn't reject the service of the second young master of the Pei Family. She continued calmly reviewing the documents.

When she came across something related to the Ministry of Education, she simply handed it to him and told him to handle it directly.

Having actual work to do helped Maurice shake off some of his discomfort. He quickly focused and efficiently handled all issues related to the Ministry.

As night fell, Elara had already gone through most of the documents.

She looked up at the dimming sky, hesitating over whether she should head back to the imperial palace.

After all, the Pei Family had always been a knot in Mathias's heart. Bringing him back today had fulfilled his long-held wish. Once Minister Old Pei and Madam Pei accepted him, he might want to live here again.

Elara felt a light sense of regret. When Mathias lived in the palace, she could find him anytime, more useful than her most trusted secretary in her past life.

If he wanted to move back here, Elara wouldn't stop him. She just felt it would be a pity not to be able to consult him directly in the palace when issues arose.

But it wasn't a big problem. The Pei estate wasn't far from the palace. If she needed to find Mathias, she only had to issue a decree. Besides, they weren't officially anything, so living in the rear palace was never proper anyway.

Elara settled her thoughts and made up her mind. She put away the documents and was about to ask Maurice to inform Minister Old Pei and Mathias that she would be leaving.

But just as she stood up and before she could speak, she saw Mathias walking toward her from a distance, accompanied by a few servants.

When he reached her, his dark green eyes quietly looked at her. His expression didn't seem much different from when they first entered the estate.

Elara looked at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.

"What's wrong? You finally returned to the Pei estate and cleared up the past. Are you still not happy?"

Mathias shook his head without saying a word.

Just as Elara looked at him and was about to ask what was wrong, Mathias suddenly leaned forward slightly and raised his hand, hidden beneath his long sleeve, to hug her.

He gently pressed his face into the crook of her neck. This was the same position he took every time they slept together over the past month.

Mathias's tall and slender body wrapped around her just like he always did when they rested.

Sensing no resistance from her, he gradually tightened his arms. His low, hoarse voice sounded next to her ear. The tone remained cool and free from any desire.

"I want to go back with you."