Chapter 131

"Princess Mu Yuanzhi! Qilin is also here, great, old servant finally found you." Chief Eunuch hurried over, "The Emperor orders you to go to Xuanshi Hall."

Mu Yuanzhi and Qilin exchanged a glance, then said to the Chief Eunuch: "Understood, thank you for your trouble, sir."

Sure enough, the Emperor wants to summon them all.

Upon arriving at Xuanshi Hall, Mu Yuanzhi saw Pei Yunxi kneeling in the main hall, Pei Shangling also kneeling, and Pei Yunxi had already bathed and changed clothes.

How strange, Pei Yunxi actually has to kneel as well.

The Emperor's expression was very displeased, but upon seeing Mu Yuanzhi and them arrive, it softened a bit, though he himself didn't realize he was actually now more pleased to see Mu Yuanzhi.

Pei Yunxi glanced at Mu Yuanzhi and Qilin out of the corner of her eye, feeling resentful; the Father Emperor had punished her and Brother Ling to kneel here without saying a word, then ordered someone to summon Mu Yuanzhi and Qilin, not knowing if he wanted to hear their excuses.

"Mu Yuanzhi, how is your junior disciple?" the Emperor asked.

Qilin didn't understand; he was right here, why not ask him directly?

"Father Emperor, although Qilin needs to rely on consuming large amounts of precious medicinal herbs, he has basically recovered well, just a bit slow," Mu Yuanzhi said.

Qilin thought, "Where is it slow? I'm clearly about to jump around lively, but my senior sister saying this must have her reasons; otherwise the Emperor might think his gu poison isn't that bad."

The Emperor heard that the recovery was good, nodded, and said: "As long as the recovery is fine, that's good, but I'm asking you: is he alright today?"

One look and he's fine, able to eat and drink; Qilin thus answered himself: "Your Majesty, this commoner has no issues, not a single one!"

Don't think he wants to slander Pei Yunxi; it's actually Pei Yunxi who wants to slander him!

Anyway, he didn't succeed, so it's as if he didn't do it!

"You're certainly fine, you wanted to use gu poison to harm me, and even made me fall into the pond! You've disgraced the imperial family!" Pei Yunxi couldn't help but accuse.

She wanted to remind the Father Emperor that all this was Qilin's fault!

Who knew that upon hearing this, the Emperor instantly flew into a rage: "You still know you've lost face?!"

Pei Yunxi, who had never been scolded like this before, was frightened until her face lost color; she pursed her lips unwillingly, feeling wronged as she lowered her eyes.

"Yunxi, I thought you would know your mistake and change, and I gave you a chance to reform; who knew you would be so vicious, still scheming to harm Qilin?!" the Emperor pointed angrily at Pei Yunxi: "Do you think I will indulge you to the point of lawlessness?!"

Pei Yunxi's eyes were filled with panic, but more so with incomprehension: "Father Emperor, I have done nothing! This time it truly isn't my fault; it's Qilin who wants to harm me!"

"You still dare to make excuses!" the Emperor's chest heaved with anger: "In front of so many envoys today, you have utterly disgraced me, and you still show no remorse?!"

Mu Yuanzhi rarely saw the Emperor fly into such a rage; in her memory, only in her previous life had he considered her unrepentant and wanting to harm his precious daughter, and only then had he displayed such loss of composure.

Usually composed, the Emperor who never showed joy or anger suddenly flew into such a great rage; back then she was just as terrified as Pei Yunxi is now.

Who would have thought that now the tides have turned, and she could also see Pei Yunxi wearing such an expression.

"Father Emperor, it's true! Qilin intended to use gu poison on me, but instead ended up poisoning Brother Ling as well!" Pei Yunxi said, looking at Pei Shangling: "Brother Ling, say something!"

Putting gu poison on an imperial prince is a capital crime punishable by beheading, confiscation of property, and extermination of nine clans!

She looked at Mu Yuanzhi, wondering how she could still be so arrogant!

Even if this little devil Qilin can't die, no, Mu Yuanzhi can't bear to see her precious junior brother suffer; she will surely think of every method, and provoking the Emperor's wrath will eventually happen, killing two birds with one stone—anyway, as long as Mu Yuanzhi ends up dead in the end!

Just imagining that satisfying scene made Pei Yunxi feel delighted; her current grievance is not in vain, for once the Father Emperor realizes he wronged her, he will surely doubly compensate her kindness.

Pei Shangling met Pei Yunxi's gaze, then turned his head to look at Qilin and Mu Yuanzhi, and finally met the Emperor's scrutinizing stare.

"Old Four, is what Yunxi said true?"

Pei Shangling hesitated, his words seeming uncontrollable: "No, Qilin did not use gu poison on your servant."

If he said yes, the Father Emperor would certainly not spare Qilin; even if they didn't take Qilin's head, they would make his life worse than death, and then Mu Yuanzhi would definitely not forgive this brother of hers, so he cannot confess!

Pei Yunxi nearly exclaimed: "Brother Ling, what are you saying!? Are you afraid that if he dies you'll die too? So you're covering for him?"

She didn't understand, was he gone mad?

As long as the Father Emperor doesn't kill Qilin, that would be fine, right?

Pei Shangling still shook his head: "Little sister, you must be mistaken."

Speaking of it, all this is the little sister's fault; if she hadn't wanted to harm Qilin, Qilin wouldn't have thought of revenge, and he actually can't wholly blame that little devil.

Pei Yunxi tightly shut her eyes, wishing she could slap Pei Shangling a few times to wake him up; does he even know what he's saying? Even if he doesn't want to take revenge on Qilin, has he considered what consequences saying this would have for her? This is tantamount to putting her on a fire to roast!

As expected, upon hearing Pei Shangling's words, the Emperor's anger surged in his chest, and he immediately flung the object in his hand—clang! —the precious thousand-year jade cup shattered on the floor.

The shards almost splashed onto Pei Yunxi's feet, frightening her into flinching.

"Yunxi, you have disappointed me too much; you actually dare to dream of dragging your brother into this, lying together with you?!"

"Father Emperor, I have done nothing! Brother Ling is definitely protecting his sister's junior disciple, which is why he doesn't intend to expose him!" Pei Yunxi wept as she spoke.

"How many more people do you want to drag down? Why do you always target your sister—what has she ever done to you?!" the Emperor angrily demanded of Pei Yunxi.

Exactly, Mu Yuanzhi also wanted to ask, what has she done to Pei Yunxi that she must be put to death?

Pei Yunxi, eyes brimming with tears, secretly glanced at Mu Yuanzhi and thought: Mu Yuanzhi has indeed done nothing to her, but still, Mu Yuanzhi's very existence is a threat to her!

She's merely a replacement; what right does she have to divide her affection? If it weren't for her having wandered among the common folk for years, how could a mere general's daughter ever rise to that position?

These should have been hers—her parents, her elder brothers, her fiancé!

Pei Yunxi buried her hatred deep inside, continuing to sob: "Father Emperor, I truly have done nothing! You must believe me! You can call the imperial physician to examine Brother Ling's body—he really is poisoned with gu!"

"Doesn't he himself know whether he's been poisoned with gu? Moreover, how could someone so lively and jumping about be gu‑poisoned? Are you treating me like a fool to toy with?!"

Perhaps because he lost face before the foreign envoys today, the Emperor's great anger has not subsided, his temper explosive, and Pei Yunxi has been frightened several times into forgetting to cry.