Chapter 12

Did you see it with your own eyes?

"I have never seen it with my own eyes." Linglong shook her head, she bit her lip, "But, it was the Crown Prince who carried the master back."

Such a flustered Crown Prince, she rarely sees him; the last time was when the little princess was injured.

So Linglong naturally assumed it was the Crown Prince who saved Mu Yuanzhi.

Hongdou chimed in from the side: "Everyone says the Crown Prince saved you."

Everyone says? That means no one saw the person who saved her?

Mu Yuanzhi stubbornly believed it must be someone else, because Pei Shangyan doesn't have such a jade hairpin, and he never wears one.

Who saved her without leaving a name? Is it unwilling or inconvenient?

Mu Yuanzhi fell into contemplation.

The Emperor holds a family banquet every month, a rule left by the former Emperor, symbolizing a harmonious and loving family.

There are many imperial relatives; the family banquet is unusually lively, aside from the Third and Fifth Princes who are abroad and haven't returned, basically no one is absent.

Mu Yuanzhi arrived neither early nor late, not wanting to draw too much attention; unlike the beautifully dressed noble ladies, she wore a simple white martial outfit, her hair tied high in a ponytail, neat and capable, spirited and vigorous.

Is that Princess Yuanzhi?

Really? It feels like she's become a different person.

So cool and full of aura!

Many were stunned by Mu Yuanzhi's seemingly reborn appearance.

In memory, this willful and spoiled princess would only trail behind the princes like a little tail, yet now she gives off the feeling of an unreachable high mountain flower.

Truly fresh!

Pei Shangyan stared blankly at Mu Yuanzhi walking over; this sister he usually spent time with made him feel very unfamiliar.

Although she is worlds apart from the sister in his memory, he feels no discord; in fact, he thinks such a Zhizhi sister is truly the real Zhizhi sister.

This strange thought made Pei Shangyan inexplicably anxious.

Actually, Zhizhi never got close to him; it was all his wishful thinking, she was always out of reach.

Pei Shangyan shook his head, dispelling this ridiculous illusion.

Mu Yuanzhi's arrival caused quite a stir, which greatly displeased the Lan Ting Countess, who planned to curry favor with Pei Yunxi; she never liked Mu Yuanzhi, for she adored Xiao Yichen, making Mu Yuanzhi a rival she wished dead.

But Mu Yuanzhi is a princess, so the Lan Ting Countess naturally wouldn't dare act out; yet now it's different—everyone knows Mu Yuanzhi has lost favor, merely an ignored adoptee, while she is the prince's daughter!

"Mu Yuanzhi, how did you come? This is a family banquet; haven't you already been removed from the Jade Register?"

The Lan Ting Countess's words drew everyone's attention back to Mu Yuanzhi.

The Jade Register is the imperial genealogy; being removed from it means one is no longer considered part of the imperial family.

Mu Yuanzhi was never part of the imperial family to begin with, so being removed from the Jade Register is not unreasonable; she just never imagined that her father had removed her so early, thinking instead that he would do so only after her relationship with Pei Yunxi became irreparable and angered him.

In fact, from the moment he announced to the world that she was merely an adoptee, she should have known.

The Father Emperor only wanted a daughter; it didn't matter if it wasn't her, anyone would do, but Pei Yunxi is his biological child, so naturally it's different.

Mu Yuanzhi adjusted her breathing, not letting her heart grow weak again.

She ignored the Lan Ting Countess and walked straight past her; the Countess seethed, and her good friend Thus line: Xiao Chuchu, who had long disliked Mu Yuanzhi, chimed in: "Hey Mu Yuanzhi, I'm talking to you! How dare you show your face? Are you even worthy?!"

Thus line: Xiao Chuchu deliberately emphasized the 'Mu' syllable, reminding Mu Yuanzhi that she does not bear the surname Pei.

Only then did Mu Yuanzhi properly look at Thus line: Xiao Chuchu, her nominal future sister-in-law; they had never gotten along since childhood, because Thus line: Xiao Chuchu always claimed she was trying to steal her brother, and later, because Xiao Yichen didn't like her, Thus line: Xiao Chuchu grew to hate Mu Yuanzhi even more.

"And you, Thus line: Xiao Chuchu, what gives you the right to be here? It's only because you're my future sister-in-law; ultimately, you're here only thanks to my connection. If I'm not worthy, you're even less qualified—you should just get out right now," Mu Yuanzhi said with a mocking smile.

Because of her, how many benefits has Thus line: Xiao Chuchu gained? All kinds of rare and precious tributes, items only imperial family members are entitled to, she sends them in piles to the Prime Minister's residence, all to curry favor with Xiao Yichen.

The Zhu hairpin she wears to show off, a treasure of the Chechi Kingdom, the Western Regions' golden swaying hairpin, the Southern Border's snow-region night pearl— which of these isn't thanks to her?

"You!" Thus line: Xiao Chuchu, both angry and embarrassed, her face alternating between green and pale, raised her hand to slap Mu Yuanzhi in frustration.

Mu Yuanzhi, quick-eyed and quick-handed, seized Thus line: Xiao Chuchu's wrist and said bluntly: "Before I tolerated you for your brother's sake, but if you provoke me again, I won't be polite!"

"Let go of me! Mu Yuanzhi, how can you hit someone?!" Thus line: Xiao Chuchu played the victim first.

Pei Shangyan looked disapprovingly at Mu Yuanzhi: "Zhizhi, Chuchu is younger than you; she doesn't understand things, and you don't either?"

"Are you blind? She was the one who moved first to hit me; laying hands on a princess, I didn't even punish her with caning—already kind." Mu Yuanzhi didn't even glance at Pei Shangyan.

All he does is say she doesn't understand, when clearly it's not her fault.

She never cared much about being a princess, but status shouldn't go to waste—being one rank higher can crush people.

Pei Shangyan pressed his thin lips together and fell silent.

Before, when he said that, Zhizhi would surely calm things down; now...

Just thinking of Mu Yuanzhi's earlier angry glare filled him with sorrow.

He just didn't want the banquet to descend into chaos, lest the Father Emperor blame her.

Thus line: Xiao Chuchu truly feared Mu Yuanzhi would wield a chicken feather as a command arrow; she was about to call Xiao Yichen to back her up, when her wrist loosened and Mu Yuanzhi flung her away hard!

Fuming, Thus line: Xiao Chuchu suddenly pretended to be unsteady, grabbed the palace maid holding hot tea without a trace, the maid stumbled toward Mu Yuanzhi, the tray in her hands about to smash into Mu Yuanzhi, the hot tea spilling—

In the flash of an instant, gasps rose and fell, Thus line: Xiao Chuchu screamed and dodged.

"Zhizhi, be careful!" Pei Shangyan, who had been reaching to pull Thus line: Xiao Chuchu, shouted anxiously.

Before Mu Yuanzhi could react, a hand crossed her waist, firmly pulling her aside; the incoming teacup was caught by another hand swift as a fleeing shadow, and the hot tea about to pour on her was likewise wholly deflected, splashing onto the ground nearby.

She suddenly bumped into a broad chest, Mu Yuanzhi's heart still pounding; she lifted her gaze to meet a pair of bright peach-blossom eyes, the person frowned at her: "Tsk tsk, your reaction is far too slow—without this young master, what could you do?"