Chapter 115: I Am a Married Woman

No way, where would they have any old place?

Something's off, there must be a problem!

Mu Yuanzhi thought it over and still decided to ignore it, just do what she ought to do.

First go to Wuming Palace to see the Qilin, then go to the Grand Empress Dowager's Grand Moon Palace.

After making up her mind, Mu Yuanzhi turned back.

Just as she was about to reach Wuming Palace, a hand suddenly reached out from the fake mountain and grabbed her without warning.

Mu Yuanzhi struggled in vain; before she could see clearly what shadow was looming over her, she was pressed against the fake mountain.

With her mouth covered, Mu Yuanzhi instinctively opened her mouth and bit down; the attacker winced but didn't let go, and she finally saw who it was—Xiao Yichen!

What does he want?!

Between the two fake rocks there was barely room for two people; they were almost pressed together. This realization made Mu Yuanzhi feel nauseous—her mouth was already covered, making breathing difficult, and now she felt even more chest-tight and short of breath.

Xiao Yichen lowered his head, staring at the fiercely glaring Mu Yuanzhi, and at that moment he still had the thought to praise her cuteness in his mind, like a little wildcat baring its teeth and claws—fierce but lacking real attack power.

But the next instant, that supposedly harmless little wildcat lifted her leg and kicked at his crotch.

In such a narrow space there was nowhere to dodge, so Xiao Yichen had to use his leg to forcibly restrain Mu Yuanzhi's restless movements.

"Don't make trouble!" he said in a low, hoarse voice that echoed against the fake rock, oddly sexy and alluring.

"Make trouble?!"

"Who the hell is making trouble with you!"

Mu Yuanzhi suppressed the sourness in her mouth and bit down hard again; although Xiao Yichen's flesh was disgusting to the extreme, this time the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth made her feel a bit better.

"If you don't let go, I'll bite you to pieces!"

"Hiss!" Xiao Yichen finally let go this time, he gave Mu Yuanzhi a dark look, then his gaze returned to his bitten palm—sure enough, it was bleeding!

"Are you a dog?!" Xiao Yichen stared coldly at the panting Mu Yuanzhi.

She's truly all thorns; her former gentleness and obedience seemed merely his illusion.

Mu Yuanzhi curled her lip in a cold smile: "I specialize in biting perverts like you!"

"Me a pervert?" Xiao Yichen also sneered: "If I were a pervert, you'd be doing more than this right now."

"Sick in the head!"

Mu Yuanzhi wanted to leave, but couldn't; Xiao Yichen blocked the way, his leg still pressing against hers.

"Get lost!" Mu Yuanzhi snapped angrily: "I'm a married woman, you shameless bastard—I still have standards!"

Xiao Yichen was provoked by those words "married woman"; his eyes instantly turned fierce and scarlet, as if he were suppressing something, his low voice tinged with teasing: "So what?"

"So what?"

"Indeed, shamelessness is invincible under heaven!"

"If I just shout, everyone will know that Princess Yunxi's prince consort behaves improperly!"

"Such matters concern women more; the world only judges women's conduct harshly." Xiao Yichen said dismissively.

Mu Yuanzhi chuckled: "You don't care about your reputation, but what if it reaches the emperor's ears? Will your career be ruined?"

She knew it wouldn't; the emperor holds Xiao Yichen in high esteem.

But Xiao Yichen could not possibly go so far as to truly rely on favor and act arrogantly; he couldn't afford to gamble.

As expected, the moment she finished speaking, Xiao Yichen's eyes flickered with something strange; he then withdrew his leg, his expression dark and unreadable, his breathing heavy as he stared at Mu Yuanzhi—clearly he was very angry.

Mu Yuanzhi gave a scoff and started to walk away, but Xiao Yichen immediately grabbed her arm again.

"Let go! You don't think I was just threatening you earlier, do you?!"

"I have something to say to you!" Xiao Yichen also grew a bit urgent.

"Speak!" she said, wanting to hear what nonsense he was spouting.

Xiao Yichen took a deep breath to calm himself, then said: "We really are in sync, Mu Yuanzhi—it was actually me who told you to go to the old place; I also guessed you'd be wary and not go, then come to Wuming Palace to find your junior fellow disciple, so I only needed to wait here for you."

"Done with the nonsense?" Mu Yuanzhi remained unmoved: "Say it and let me go!"

She had a blank expression, not even a flicker in her eyes; Xiao Yichen's face was full of reluctance, yet he could do nothing about it.

He let go somewhat dejectedly, and Mu Yuanzhi almost immediately started to walk away—only to be pulled back by him once again.

"You..."

"Shh, someone's coming." Xiao Yichen lowered his voice almost to a whisper, almost speaking with his lips.

Mu Yuanzhi, who had been struggling hard, instantly went quiet.

Although she had just threatened Xiao Yichen, saying she didn't mind calling for help, that was only in a desperate situation; if she could, she certainly wouldn't like being tangled with him here and becoming the subject of gossip.

After all, gossip about someone like him would only make her more irritable!

The speakers seemed to be passing palace maids, chatting and laughing as they walked slowly; Mu Yuanzhi was forced to stand face-to-face with Xiao Yichen in the narrow space, eyes locked, their breaths almost intertwining, making her scalp tingle.

After finally waiting for those palace maids to walk away, Mu Yuanzhi felt as if a burden had been lifted, and she gave Xiao Yichen a hard stare.

"I really have something to ask you." Xiao Yichen said with a serious expression.

"Just spit out all your nonsense at once!" Mu Yuanzhi glared at him angrily.

"What's the deal with Pei Shangling?" Xiao Yichen asked.

Mu Yuanzhi: "Go ask him yourself, or use your authority as a senior minister to pull him out of the Imperial Court of Justice and bring him to your cabinet for interrogation—do whatever you want."

Faced with Mu Yuanzhi's sarcasm, Xiao Yichen's expression worsened: "I'm asking you seriously."

"I'm answering you seriously, Senior Minister Xiao—you and your ilk keep asking how Pei Shangling is, how Pei Yunxi is; do you believe what I say? If not, why waste time here? You're just looking for discomfort, right?" Mu Yuanzhi mocked.

Xiao Yichen pressed his thin lips together, furrowed his brows, and said: "You haven't even said it yet—how do you know I won't believe you?"

"Senior Minister, why don't you reflect on whether your own past offenses are too many?" Mu Yuanzhi countered.

"I have reflected; you speak, and I will believe you." Xiao Yichen's eyes were earnest and firm, as if making a solemn pledge.

Mu Yuanzhi kindly told him: "Your wife Pei Yunxi used poisonous insects to harm my junior fellow disciple, and your brother-in-law Pei Shangling is covering for him, refusing to confess—so one is imprisoned and questioned at the Imperial Court of Justice, the other, unable to clear his suspicion, is confined to Changle Palace. I don't know if Senior Minister Xiao regrets what you just said."

Having finished speaking, she leisurely gazed at Xiao Yichen, watching how he would defend his kind little wife.

Xiao Yichen's expression was one of surprise, his pupils filled with disbelief; he almost instinctively wanted to refute for Pei Yunxi, but upon seeing the mockery in Mu Yuanzhi's eyes, he swallowed the words that had risen to his lips.