Chapter 100: Will you someday be moved by him?

Xiao Yichen's voice came from outside, but Mu Yuanzhi pretended not to hear.

"He really is impossible to shake off, huh, Little Yuanzhi? Do you regret it?" Gu Rongjin asked sourly from the side, where he was helping.

"What I regret most is having once liked him! How disgusting!" Mu Yuanzhi said expressionlessly.

Upon hearing that, Gu Rongjin's mood brightened a bit, but soon returned to normal, and he continued: "But he's so shamelessly persistent—won't you someday be moved by him?"

"Gu Rongjin, if you bring up this disgusting thing in front of me again, I'll ignore you!" Mu Yuanzhi angrily shoved a huge bundle into Gu Rongjin's arms.

Gu Rongjin staggered exaggeratedly a few steps: "Oh, you want to murder your husband!"

Mu Yuanzhi knew that not even a measly bundle, let alone a big rock, could hurt him, so she showed no reaction at all.

"You black-hearted lotus, you're utterly unmoved, despite them constantly thinking of you, enduring countless hardships and near-death just to return to the capital." Gu Rongjin rubbed his own little heart, "Who knew they'd be wrapped around the finger of a heartless woman."

Mu Yuanzhi suddenly turned around, and Gu Rongjin instinctively made a defensive move, holding the bundle up to guard.

There's nothing to be done; after all, a habit formed over more than ten years is hard to change.

Mu Yuanzhi pressed her lips together and asked him: "How exactly did you manage to escape?"

Gu Rongjin's expression turned serious as he sat down and said: "I exchanged two cities from neighboring Fusang Country, so His Majesty has temporarily left our Pingnan Wangfu alone."

"Two cities from Fusang Country?!"

"Hmm."

"You say 'hmm' so lightly—where did you get two cities to trade?" Mu Yuanzhi thought it absurd, "Gu Rongjin, just what kind of person are you?"

"Didn't my father give you the family letter?" Gu Rongjin said: "I'm a member of Frost Descent."

"I'm talking about cities." Can cities be taken without fighting?

"Never mind that—anyway, I used the cities to exchange for our safety and peace."

Mu Yuanzhi looked at Gu Rongjin for a moment, then withdrew her gaze and silently packed up.

"Are you angry?" Gu Rongjin got up and went over, leaning close to the obviously puffed-cheeked Mu Yuanzhi, and poked her.

Mu Yuanzhi swatted away that hand, still saying nothing.

"You really are angry." Gu Rongjin changed to lying opposite Mu Yuanzhi, "Don't be like this, Little Yuanzhi, pay attention to me."

"You won't say this, you won't say that—get lost!"

"Fine, fine, I'll talk." Gu Rongjin surrendered.

Mu Yuanzhi kept a cold face and still didn't speak.

Gu Rongjin understood—this was a test of his performance.

"The cities were certainly taken by force, but not by me." Gu Rongjin lowered his voice, speaking in a volume only the two of them could hear: "I can only tell you this much—not because I don't want to, but because I promised someone else. Lady, you're so smart, figure it out yourself."

He placed a tall hat on Mu Yuanzhi's head.

Only then did Mu Yuanzhi look at him again: "Is……"

"Shh! Even if you've guessed, don't say it!" Gu Rongjin reached out to make a silencing gesture toward Mu Yuanzhi.

His fingertip rubbed her soft lips, making him reluctant to leave, but the next instant he was ruthlessly pushed away.

"I haven't guessed yet!" Mu Yuanzhi gave him a roll of the eyes.

Isn't Fusang Country right beside where Qi Shihuai is campaigning this time? Those cities were taken by Qi Shihuai!

Qi Shihuai captured two cities, yet instead of reporting to the court for merit, he gave the credit to Gu Rongjin?

What about the others in the army? Isn't anyone speaking up?

Furthermore, what does Qi Shihuai have to gain by helping Gu Rongjin? Could it be that Qi Shihuai is also a member of Frost Descent?

Then why is he leading troops back in triumph to the capital to guard the emperor at this very moment? If he stayed put, the Prince of Pingnan would have a much better chance!

Mu Yuanzhi was truly baffled, but Gu Rongjin again said he'd promised someone else and couldn't speak.

"Fine, you can't talk about that, but what are you doing now? You must be able to say something. I don't want to live in constant anxiety—I have to weigh whether to stay with you or leave."

"No way! Not allowed! You married me, so you're mine!" Gu Rongjin's voice was through gritted teeth as he lunged forward, pulling Mu Yuanzhi close, his strength great, both hands tightly gripping her shoulders.

Mu Yuanzhi winced in pain and also struck out.

But she was no match for Gu Rongjin—in an instant her acupoints were sealed and she fell into his arms.

"You!" Mu Yuanzhi snapped: "What the hell has gotten into you all of a sudden?!"

"Who told you to say you wanted to leave?!" Gu Rongjin ignored Mu Yuanzhi's anger and held her tight.

So soft, so fragrant!

He truly longed for the feeling of holding her, not wanting to let go.

"You, a former imperial convict, can't you have some self-awareness?!" Mu Yuanzhi fumed, "Who knows if one day I'll wake up and have to collect your corpse, then bury you with me?!"

Gu Rongjin laughed: "You really do care about me."

"Who cares about you? Get lost! I'm only worried about my own life." Mu Yuanzhi turned her head away.

"All right, all right, it's my fault." Gu Rongjin began to apologize in a meek voice: "I've told you everything I can, so don't be angry."

Mu Yuanzhi snorted from her nose, noncommittal.

"Originally, I didn't want to tell you because these matters are too dangerous." Gu Rongjin said seriously, "Frost Descent is what kind of agency? You must have heard from my father that we only obey the Son of Heaven, but now we obey the former emperor."

"Why?"

"What else could it be? Because the current Son of Heaven, your father, ascended the throne illegitimately, so he fundamentally lacks the tiger talisman to command Frost Descent."

The Qilin guessed correctly!

This is a major matter; Mu Yuanzhi was originally unwilling to believe it.

"So you're planning to rebel?!" Mu Yuanzhi almost said it with lip movements.

"What are you thinking?" Gu Rongjin tapped Mu Yuanzhi's head, "The existence of Frost Descent is to safeguard the stability of the Pei realm's land and rivers and to clean out the trash the court cannot make public."

"But since you don't obey the Son of Heaven's orders, in his eyes you're also trash that destabilizes the Pei realm." Mu Yuanzhi cut to the chase.

Gu Rongjin nodded in deep agreement: "So the Son of Heaven has always wanted to find us and wipe us out in one sweep—too bad surviving in the dark is our forte, and he doesn't know that."

"He doesn't doubt you at all?" Mu Yuanzhi didn't believe.

"He's doubtful, so I gave him two cities to earn some trust."

"I don't get it; this way he won't also suspect Qi Shihuai?"

"There's nothing we can do; let's just treat it as a game between us, see who wins."

Gu Rongjin held Mu Yuanzhi tightly: "Don't be afraid, Xiao Yuanzhi, I said I'd protect you, and I will definitely do it."

"Protect me?"

"Mm!"

"You unsealed my acupoints!"

"No, if you unseal me I'll definitely hit you right away."

"I won't." Mu Yuanzhi gritted her teeth in anger, but her acupoints suddenly released, and she instinctively raised her hand.

"You still say you won't!"