Chapter 134: Only You Would Drive Me to Jump into a Fire Pit

Mu Yuanzhi and the Qilin played off each other; even though the Lanting Princess, who had a request, was so angry her teeth itched, she couldn't lash out.

"Mu Yuanzhi, I want to cooperate with you," said the Lanting Princess.

"Cooperation?" Mu Yuanzhi instantly understood, "You want me to help you come back here?"

"Exactly," the Lanting Princess nodded solemnly.

"You're overestimating me—you're going on a marriage alliance, a matter of state between two countries; how could I help you?" If she had that ability, she'd help herself first.

The Lanting Princess didn't care about that: "You definitely can do it—you're so amazing, even the Son of Heaven now ignores Pei Yunxi for your sake."

Mu Yuanzhi: "I don't know where you heard that useless intel. First, the Son of Heaven hasn't ignored Pei Yunxi. Second, it's not for me—it's for face. Do you think Pei Yunxi today has made a huge blunder?"

Upon hearing that, the Lanting Princess's eyes flickered; she looked at Mu Yuanzhi without committing, silent until Mu Yuanzhi was about to leave, then she said: "Do you know what kind of life I've had there?"

Mu Yuanzhi wasn't really interested; playing the victim in front of her? She's been flayed and sliced alive—who could be worse off than her?

The Lanting Princess began to mutter to herself: "Every day I tremble, treading on thin ice; one slip and I get beaten. That crown prince is a violent maniac! He has a perverse hobby—he likes to beat people!"

Mu Yuanzhi raised an eyebrow: "That's pretty perverse—innocent folks suffer for it."

The Lanting Princess seemed not to catch the sarcasm in Mu Yuanzhi's words; she appeared to recall something horrifying, her expression panicked, eyes full of fear: "He has many whips, all kinds—if he's displeased, he lashes out. Once, I saw a concubine beaten to death by him!"

Mu Yuanzhi frowned tightly: "He's truly a scoundrel, but with him so arrogant, your Son of Heaven must know about it."

"Naturally, lots of people know—it's practically an open secret. But he's the heir apparent, the future Son of Heaven; how could he be punished for whipping a couple to death? He's supremely talented and capable of leading armies, the future reliance of Huangli State!"

Huangli State seems doomed—the prince and the future Son of Heaven, each trying to outdo the other in depravity, Mu Yuanzhi thought.

"You're the crown princess—surely he wouldn't whip you to death, would he?"

Whether Mu Yuanzhi's words were sarcastic or sincere, the Lanting Princess heard them and her dread didn't lessen: "Hard to say, hard to say—he's hitting me more and more..."

"I can't help you—go tell the Son of Heaven about it," Mu Yuanzhi said.

The Lanting Princess shook her head: "No way, the Son of Heaven won't agree—this is a marriage alliance!"

"Then I really can't do anything, can I?"

"Please, Mu Yuanzhi, help me and I'll help you! You don't want to see Pei Yunxi, right? I'll help you get rid of her?!"

"You make it sound easy—if you were capable, you wouldn't need to sweet‑talk me into a trap here. Listen, Lanting Princess, I can't and won't help you, because you deserve it." Having said that, Mu Yuanzhi left with the Qilin.

Rather than anger, the Lanting Princess felt mostly fear—no one to help her, what should she do?!

"Isn't that the Lanting Princess?"

The Lanting Princess turned, seeing a familiar face: "Xueer?"

"Why are you just standing there, Lanting Princess?"

"No need to report to you!"

Xueer had originally come to find the Lanting Princess; her master had ordered her, while returning to Changle Palace to tidy up, to look for the Lanting Princess.

"Princess, don't be like that—our master really cares about you, knows you've been off since you returned, and wanted to talk to you alone. Too bad, she was punished by the Son of Heaven to reflect at the Gratitude Temple." Xueer said.

"She can barely look after herself, yet she cares about me?" The Lanting Princess twitched the corner of her mouth.

Xueer pressed her lips and said: "Princess, you must have listened to some petty gossip and misunderstood our master; our master has always been concerned about how you're faring in a foreign land—we're like sisters, if you're in trouble, our master will surely help!"

The Lanting Princess frowned, didn't rebut Xueer; Xuee brightened and pressed on: "If someone's in trouble and another person shares the burden, isn't that enough?"

She hinted at something.

Someone to share the burden?

If that perverse crown prince gained another interested concubine, then...

She knew his peculiar fetish—the more someone can endure a whipping, the more he likes them; those who faint at a single strike hold no interest for him.

But where could she find such a person?

Mu Yuanzhi?

Yes! Mu Yuanzhi!

Mu Yuanzhi can endure pain like no other!

Whether it was the kidnapping incident, being struck in the head by Consort De, or the rumored blood‑exchange, Mu Yuanzhi bounces back right away—she's incredibly tough; he'd surely like her!

But how to let him know?

The Lanting Princess thought she needed a plan!

At that moment, Mu Yuanzhi returned to the banquet scene; although she was nominally one of the protagonists, she knew she was just an add‑on, her presence here was only due to protocol—fortunately the Son of Heaven wasn't present, so she didn't have to be overly formal.

"Little sister Zhi!" Pei Shangyan finally had a chance to seek out Mu Yuanzhi.

Mu Yuanzhi turned and walked off; the Qilin blocked Pei Shangyan: "Your Highness Crown Prince, it's obvious my senior sister doesn't want to see you."

"I just want to say a few words to my sister, that's all." Pei Shangyan tried to ingratiate himself with Mu Yuanzhi, and naturally spoke kindly to the Qilin as well.

Mu Yuanzhi: "I have nothing to say to Your Highness the Crown Prince; today is your consort‑selection banquet—you should focus on building feelings with those future crown‑princess candidates."

"Compared to that, I'm more concerned about your marriage," Pei Shangyan said.

"No need to trouble yourself, my prince consort treats me well."

"With so many foreign princes here, don't you have even one you fancy?" Pei Shangyan asked.

"Although he doesn't either, if my sister took a liking to one, settling for them would be fine."

Mu Yuanzhi chuckled: "Are you all right, Pei Shangyan? You're talking to me about marriage after I've wed? Do you think I'm some casual woman?!"

No wonder last time he used such despicable means to force her to become Xiao Yichen's concubine!

"Of course not!" Pei Shangyan exclaimed anxiously, "I just don't want you to keep being Gu Rongjin's wife!"

How could she not understand his painstaking intentions?

"This is my affair—stop meddling with this senseless concern of yours."

"I could never just watch you leap into a fire pit!" Pei Shangyan was very agitated.

"Only you lot would drive me to jump into a fire pit," Mu Yuanzhi sneered.

Who "you lot" refers to goes without saying.