Chapter 133

「It has nothing to do with the Qilin, he's just playing with me, little sister you've misunderstood. 」 Pei Shangling still insisted, he cupped his hands and continued to plead to the Emperor: "Please Father Emperor allow this subject to take the punishment in place of Mother Consort and little sister!"

Pei Yunxi almost fainted; Pei Shangling truly had his brain knocked out! Or else he had his marrow eaten by gu poison!

Mu Yuanzhi also couldn't help but wonder, why had it come to this, yet Pei Shangling still hadn't confessed about the Qilin?

What on earth is he thinking?

The Qilin was also utterly baffled, what kind of madness has Pei Shangling gone mad with? Suddenly he's so kind-hearted?

The Emperor finally looked at Pei Shangling, after scanning him from head to toe, he chuckled and said: "Good, you are so filial, and for your sister you disregard everything, I will grant your wish—take him away, the Fourth Prince, to Yong Lane!"

"No! Your Majesty, spare him! This has nothing to do with Ling'er! You can't punish him! If you must punish, punish me instead!" How could Consort De bear to see her own son locked away in Yong Lane?

Last time she knelt at the Ancestral Temple, it almost broke her heart.

"Mother Consort, don't say another word." Pei Shangling worried that Consort De continuing to be unreasonable would anger the Emperor, and then locking all three of them up in Yong Lane would be a loss not worth the gain.

"Enough!"

The Emperor shouted angrily, and the three of them dared not make a sound, awaiting their fate.

"Why aren't you hurrying to take the Fourth Prince down?!" The guard standing there only then reacted, seizing Pei Shangling and leading him away.

As he passed Mu Yuanzhi's side, Pei Shangling looked over hopefully, wishing his sister would be grateful that he hadn't blamed the Qilin, and at least show him some concern.

But there was none, not at all.

Her coldness in her eyes remained unchanged, completely unmoved.

Pei Shangling left, dejected and absent-minded, being escorted away.

"As for Consort De, return to your palace to reflect!" the Emperor continued.

Consort De gave no thanks, nor dared she relax, not knowing how long her son would be confined in Yong Lane, and not knowing how her daughter would be punished.

The Emperor's gaze finally landed on Pei Yunxi, whose heart was about to jump out of her throat: "As for Princess Yunxi, go to the Gratitude Temple to cultivate for three months!"

The Gratitude Temple is an imperial temple; cultivating there would surely be better than going to Yong Lane, Pei Yunxi thought, and besides, as an imperial temple it shouldn't be so impoverished.

Thinking thus, Pei Yunxi hastily gave thanks.

She no longer wanted to call on Father Emperor to uphold justice; avoiding provoking the Emperor's wrath was paramount, other matters could wait—there would be plenty of time later—let Mu Yuanzhi and them enjoy their moment of triumph first.

Consort De also wasn't sure whether going to the Gratitude Temple counted as a major punishment, but it was certainly much better than going to Yong Lane; however, her Ling'er…

"Your Majesty, how long will you punish Ling'er by sending her to Yong Lane?"

"How long?" the Emperor snorted coldly, Consort De hastily lowered her head, knowing she shouldn't have asked.

But how could she bear to watch her son go in and suffer helplessly? Thus Consort De turned her gaze to Mu Yuanzhi: "Zhi'er, why don't you say a word for your fourth brother, beg your Father Emperor?"

Mu Yuanzhi gave a scoffing laugh, what, now she's trying to moral blackmail her again? When she first came in she looked at her with malice, and now she's pretending what?

"What are you saying, Mother Consort? Do you think Father Emperor punished wrongly?" Mu Yuanzhi blinked her innocent eyes and countered Consort De.

Consort De was startled, immediately feeling uneasy, she glanced at the Emperor, then hastily said: "Of course not, Your Majesty, your punishment is correct."

"All of you, retreat; I am also weary."

Consort De had no choice but to withdraw; she needed to think of another way to get her son out.

After leaving the hall, Consort De grew ever more furious, she intercepted Mu Yuanzhi: "You've been to that kind of place, Yong Lane, you know what a ghastly place it is—how can you bear to watch your own brother go in? He's doted on you since childhood!"

Mu Yuanzhi laughed and countered Consort De: "May I ask, Consort De, why was I originally sent there?"

Consort De was speechless; she already knew Mu Yuanzhi had been wronged.

Mu Yuanzhi gave a light sneer: "It seems Consort De already knows that all this stems from your precious daughter's jealous nature, vicious and deceitful!"

"How can you speak of Xier like that?!" Consort De couldn't bear to hear it.

"Why can't facts be spoken?" Mu Yuanzhi scoffed: "Let me tell you, your daughter's wickedness far exceeds your imagination; she is nothing but an evil spirit."

She watched Consort De, her lips trembling with rage, but restrained by being at the Xuanshi Hall doors and not daring to speak loudly, she could only hold in her breath, her mouth almost twisting from anger, which seemed utterly ridiculous, like a clown.

"Senior sister, ignore her, let's go." The Qilin snorted.

"Mm, let's go."

Today I watched a good show, my mood is fine.

"But senior sister, what will actually happen to her in that Gratitude Temple punishment, will it end up benefiting Pei Yunxi?" With great difficulty the Emperor was angry and about to punish Pei Yunxi; who knows, missing this chance might mean losing that opportunity forever!

Mu Yuanzhi said: "I don't know either, but I go to the temple to pay respects every year on my birthday; it seems to be under the National Teacher's jurisdiction."

National Teacher? The National Teacher seems to have a good relationship with Gu Rongjin, right? The Qilin instantly had an idea.

"Is what you're saying really true? Did the Emperor really punish Yunxi for Mu Yuanzhi's sake?!"

The Lan Ting Princess, who had bribed a palace servant with money, almost couldn't believe it upon hearing.

"Absolutely certain, although the palace servants inside are unaware, it is indeed because of Princess Mu Yuanzhi's junior disciple the Qilin that the Emperor flew into a rage; it shouldn't be the first time Princess Yunxi has tried to harm them."

How truly one can know a person's face but not their heart—she had previously thought it was the opposite, that Princess Mu Yuanzhi was everywhere targeting Princess Yunxi to harm her, never expecting it to be like this!

However, Princess Yunxi's kindness toward these servants is genuine, and that cannot be erased.

The Lan Ting Princess suddenly recalled those words Mu Yuanzhi had said to her.

Could it be that what Mu Yuanzhi said is true, that Pei Yunxi really incited the Emperor to let her go through a marriage alliance?!

But these are no longer the focus; past events have become fact, the focus is now!

The Lan Ting Princess, taking advantage of not yet being found, immediately set out to find Mu Yuanzhi.

She couldn't just enter the palace at will, so she could only wait for Mu Yuanzhi to come from the palace to Shanglin Park; the banquet hasn't ended yet, so Mu Yuanzhi will surely return.

Fortunately she hadn't waited long before seeing Mu Yuanzhi appear here, though the Qilin appeared at the same time.

"I have something to say to you!" the Lan Ting Princess glanced at the Qilin, adding: "Alone."

"If you have something to say, just say it here." Mu Yuanzhi replied lightly.

The Qilin crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow, and said: "I'm not an outsider, but you're definitely a bad person, which is why my senior sister won't speak to you alone at all."

"Besides, I don't have time to listen to nonsense."