Chapter 136: I cannot let my younger sister's reputation be harmed

The Crown Prince of the Splendid Stern Kingdom walked along, wondering whether to light a lamp, but in the end he thought it would be more atmospheric.

A woman curled up beneath the offering table seemed to be trembling, which was not what he had heard.

Didn't Lanting say she was very bold, unafraid in the face of danger?

How could she still be trembling with fear like an ordinary woman?

He felt doubtful, inevitably becoming a bit irritable, and raised his hand to lash out with a whip!

All she wanted was to hide, there was no sound, it was so boring!

The Crown Prince of the Splendid Stern Kingdom had no choice but to crouch down and unlock her mute point, then leisurely retidy the tangled ropes.

Even after unsealing the pressure point, her mouth stuffed with torn cloth could only emit whimpering sounds, her fearful sobs choking out as whimpers.

He hated this the most, so he stopped his actions and lit the illumination tool he carried to have a look.

"Are you Princess Yuanzhi?"

He had seen Mu Yuanzhi once up close; she didn't seem to have such a petty, small-town demeanor.

Could Lanting have deceived him?!

The Crown Prince of the Splendid Stern Kingdom narrowed his eyes at the pale, fearful, pitiful face before him; his anger surged, and he whipped out his lash, striking hard several times.

Although this whip was thin and soft, it hurt terribly when it struck a person—more than those thick whips that split skin and flesh—and he had recently taken a liking to it.

"Who exactly are you?!"

Pei Yunxi also very much wanted to speak, she protested with whimpering sounds.

Damn this pervert, is he pig‑brained? Didn't he see she couldn't speak with her mouth?!

Pei Yunxi was furious; the spot where the whip struck burned with pain, and she was on the verge of losing her mind.

I don't know which scoundrel ambushed her, swapping her for the crown prince in the "raccoon cat for prince" trick; that wretched Mu Yuanzhi has already fled!

Is it Lanting? Is that vile woman colluding with Mu Yuanzhi to trap her?!

As Pei Yunxi thought maliciously, she was whipped again several times on her body!

It hurts to death!

Yet she could neither dodge nor shout, only able to sob with whimpering sounds.

Does this pervert even know who she is or not?!

How dare he treat her like this!

Upon realizing he had been deceived, the Crown Prince of the Splendid Stern Kingdom flew into a rage and lashed out wildly with his whip.

Hiding outside and hearing the terrifying slap‑slap‑slap sounds from within, Princess Lanting felt a lingering dread; hearing those noises reminded her of her own ordeal and of the concubine who had been beaten to death.

"Sorry, Mu Yuanzhi, it's because you refused to help me that I had no choice but to drag you down with me," Princess Lanting murmured.

She didn't want to either; otherwise she would eventually be beaten to death!

"Just a simple apology and that's it?"

A sudden sound behind her startled Princess Lanting!

She jerked her head around in fright and came face‑to‑face with a radiant visage.

A face that ought not to appear here.

"Mu, Mu Yuanzhi?!"

How could Mu Yuanzhi be here?!

Who is in there?!

"What's wrong with you, Lanting? What were you just saying?" Behind Mu Yuanzhi, Pei Shangyan approached, saying, "Why are you apologizing to my younger sister, and what do you mean by dragging her down?"

He stared at Princess Lanting, utterly baffled.

Princess Lanting panicked: "I, I..."

Why is the Crown Prince also here?

At that moment, Pei Shangyan finally heard the whipping sounds from inside; he furrowed his brows sternly and demanded, "What's happening in there? Why are you eavesdropping here?!"

The truth was about to be exposed, but Princess Lanting lacked the courage to admit it, and she dared not imagine what consequences would follow if the door were opened.

The emperor would not spare her, nor would her husband, the Crown Prince, let her off!

Mu Yuanzhi kindly explained to Pei Shangyan: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is unaware, but inside are precisely the Crown Prince of the Splendid Stern Kingdom and your precious little sister."

"What?!" Upon hearing this, Pei Shangyan immediately kicked the door in anger, but the door, locked from within, didn't budge at all.

The door of the Gratitude Temple offered nothing else but to withstand the blow; even a kick from Pei Shangyan at sixty percent strength failed to topple it.

All that could be done was to call for help.

"Come on! Hurry and open the door! Princess Yunxi is trapped inside!" The Qilin hiding not far away shouted at just the right moment.

He had been waiting here all along, just for this moment!

All of this was thanks to Gu Rongjin, who had already noticed and guarded against them when Xueer approached Princess Lanting; they had no idea of the mantis‑capturing‑cicada, with the oriole lurking behind.

Right after Pei Yunxi dragged the little Taoist boy away, they appeared and knocked her unconscious, repaying her in kind with her own methods!

All that remained was to wait, and the show could begin.

I never expected that we would actually wait for Princess Lanting and the Crown Prince of the Splendid Stern Kingdom, and that the Crown Prince would truly be this depraved!

The Qilin was astonished, yet all the more grateful that Gu Rongjin had detected them in time; otherwise we truly wouldn't know if we could evade these scoundrels' schemes.

Pei Shangyan wanted to stop it, but it was already too late; the people inside the Gratitude Temple rushed over to rescue.

He could not stand by and watch his younger sister's reputation be harmed; whatever the matter, they should close the door and discuss it privately!

"It's just a misunderstanding; Princess Yunxi isn't even inside." Pei Shangyan stood in the doorway with an indisputable expression.

Regardless of whether the little sister and the Crown Prince of the Splendid Stern Kingdom were inside, he had to ensure absolute safety.

Although he now harbored too many doubts, it did not hinder his resolve to make decisions.

Yet the crowd that arrived at the scene clearly heard the whipping sounds from within.

If it's not Princess Yunxi, then who is in there?

No matter who it is, we have to save them!

Who dares to act so violently in the royal temple?

Everyone was talking at once, but Pei Shangyan just stood there, bewildered; no matter how obvious it was now, in short, it was absolutely impossible for anyone to see what was happening inside.

But just then, the door opened!

The Crown Prince of Huangli State finally noticed the outside commotion and came over to open the door!

Besides a few insiders, everyone was curious why the Crown Prince of Huangli State would come out from inside, and who the other person was—could it really be Princess Yunxi? One is a married woman, the other a married man; what could an unmarried man and woman be doing alone inside?

Besides, there was the sound of whipping… better not think too much about it!

Seeing the Crown Prince of Huangli State emerge, Pei Shangyan could already confirm that his sister Pei Yunxi was still inside.

Little Sister Zhi is right, but… what on earth is going on?!

Now is not the time to investigate; he understands that, but should we just let the Crown Prince of Huangli State get away if we don't pursue it?

"What a lively scene—what happened? Oh dear, I somehow picked up Princess Yunxi under the window!" At that moment, Gu Rongjin came over, smiling narrowly, holding the tear‑stained, panicked Princess Yunxi; she was already weak and swaying, on the verge of fainting.

Pei Shangyan felt a pang of heartache, then angrily glared at the Crown Prince of Huangli State; despite his chest heaving violently, he forced himself not to speak.

With so many people watching, he couldn't allow his little sister's reputation to be harmed!

But anyone who isn't blind knows that Pei Yunxi was the one being whipped inside just now.