Chapter 137

Having emerged already as a refined, elegant gentleman, the Crown Prince of Huangli never imagined that the person he had flung beneath the window would be picked up by someone.

But the heir apparent is the heir apparent; composed in crisis, facing this dire situation, he remained calm and self-possessed.

"Speaking of, Your Highness the Crown Prince of Huangli, why are you alone locking our divine hall from the inside?" Gu Rongjin asked, "Moreover, we hear the sound of whipping coming from within."

"Is there? You must have misheard." the Huangli Crown Prince said, "As for why the door locked from inside, I'd like to ask you the same. I originally entered to offer incense, but as soon as I went in the door shut and locked itself on its own; the Gratitude Temple really ought to be repaired, otherwise how could we not frighten other worshippers?"

Mu Yuanzhi really wanted to applaud him; he was so good at making excuses.

Even if she remained silent, the Huangli Crown Prince noticed her, but he now had no mood left; that earlier scene had completely drained his good spirits!

His gaze then turned to Princess Lanting, who dared not meet his eyes, keeping her head lowered, her fingertips trembling.

It's all Pei Yunxi's fault, that unreliable one! She shouldn't have agreed to Pei Yunxi; now she's practically roasting herself over a fire!

She glared resentfully at Pei Yunxi, thinking Pei Yunxi totally deserved it!

Pei Yunxi received Princess Lanting's resentful gaze, her lungs about to explode with anger; how dare this useless good-for-nothing who can't help at all resent her?!

She's the one who's truly innocent, isn't she?!

For no reason she became an unlucky wretch, and she can't even speak out about it!

Now her whole body aches! She doesn't know how many tears she's suffered, whether they'll leave scars.

When she faces Father Emperor, she will definitely file a complaint! She'll make that whatever Crown Prince look bad!

"Young Master Jin, you can let me go now!" Pei Yunxi said weakly, venting her anger with a fierce glare at Gu Rongjin.

"Is that so." Gu Rongjin released his hand at once upon hearing her, "I thought Princess Yunxi was about to faint, so I kindly helped you up; looks like you're quite energetic."

The moment he let go, Pei Yunxi crashed to the ground with a bang; no one caught her in time, not even Pei Shangyan, whose mind was in such disarray he failed to react.

Lying on the ground, Pei Yunxi felt as if her five viscera and six bowels had shifted out of place!

Damn Gu Rongjin really just let go like that!

Besides, he wasn't supporting her at all just now; he was merely lugging her about, it was unbearable!

When Pei Shangyan finally reacted and tried to go forward to help Pei Yunxi up, a daoist acolyte rushed over, shouting: "Who just knocked me out?!"

Upon arriving, he realized there were so many people standing around, and he felt bewildered.

Pei Shangyan quickly realized there were many unusual aspects to this incident, yet he restrained himself from asking questions and forcibly dispersed the other people in the Gratitude Temple.

Any matters can be discussed when we meet Father Emperor.

Inside Changle Palace, Mu Yuanzhi coldly observed Pei Yunxi lying on the bed; the Emperor sat solicitously beside the bed, asking about her condition, while the imperial physicians nervously took her pulse.

Earlier the female physician had already come to examine Pei Yunxi's wounds; they were quite serious and inflamed, so the Emperor summoned a crowd of physicians from the Imperial Medical Institute.

"Father Emperor, you must uphold justice for your subject!" Pei Yunxi clung to the Emperor's hand, acting coquettishly.

This time, a blessing in disguise—who knows if it's not a fortune? —Father Emperor finally showed he cared for her; she had thought he didn't want her anymore!

"First, get well." The Emperor patted her hand sympathetically, then rose.

He gestured for Mu Yuanzhi and Pei Shangyan to come over, asking them: "Just what exactly happened?"

Pei Shangyan glanced hesitantly at Mu Yuanzhi, then shook his head: "I, as subject, also don't know about this matter."

"Yuanzhi, you speak." The Emperor fixed his gaze on Mu Yuanzhi, his eyes full of pressure.

Mu Yuanzhi naturally knew that without evidence she couldn't recklessly accuse Pei Yunxi; she had asked the daoist acolyte, who said he hadn't seen who assaulted him, meaning Pei Yunxi could be completely cleared.

Moreover, Princess Lanting has not yet implicated Pei Yunxi; she likely knows that without evidence, accusing Pei Yunxi would only bring retaliation, so she chose silence.

"Replying to Father Emperor, your subject also doesn't know; perhaps Princess Lanting knows." Mu Yuanzhi said.

"You really don't know?" the Emperor stared at Mu Yuanzhi's eyes, "but your gaze says otherwise."

Mu Yuanzhi's conscience was clear, so she naturally had no fear of scrutiny; she met the Emperor's gaze and repeated: "Your subject truly doesn't know."

Pei Shangyan pursed his lips; when he glanced at Mu Yuanzhi, the Emperor happened to see it, narrowed his eyes, and asked him: "Does the Crown Prince have anything he wishes to say?"

Pei Shangyan: "No, your subject has nothing to say."

He knew Mu Yuanzhi must know the inside story, yet he did not speak up.

Younger sister Zhi's silence must have her reasons; he only needed to trust her, rather than doubt her as before.

The Emperor withdrew his gaze, clasped his hands behind his back, returned to the bedside, and asked Pei Yunxi: "They all don't know; Xier, you tell me, so I can uphold justice for you."

The Emperor's address had shifted from Yunxi back to Xier, which made Pei Yunxi happy, yet this left her at a loss for words; before she could casually blame Mu Yuanzhi, and many would believe her, but now she couldn't do that, lacking evidence she feared the Emperor would fly into a rage and accuse her of slandering Mu Yuanzhi.

"Xier also doesn't know; I was suddenly knocked unconscious!" Pei Yunxi sobbed, "Perhaps it was that Huangli Crown Prince!"

No choice; she had no option but to first cling to accusing that pervert! Anyway, he can't escape responsibility!

"Why would he provoke you, you are My daughter!" the Emperor's torch-like gaze flickered with complexity.

Pei Yunxi dared not meet his eyes, merely lowering her gaze and shaking her head: "Your subject doesn't know…… your subject is in great pain……"

Having nothing to say, she could only play the victim.

Seeing her bring this upon herself, Mu Yuanzhi found it amusing; having been whipped so many times, it's a pity she wasn't present to watch the wicked being ground down by the wicked.

But she indeed hadn't expected the Huangli Crown Prince to be this bold, daring to act so recklessly even though he knew she was a princess; truly he had grown accustomed to disregarding royal law, coming to another country without restraining himself—does he think the Emperor won't care about bilateral relations? Or perhaps he calculated that, as an unfavored princess, she could be dared?

Upon hearing Pei Yunxi cry out in pain, the Emperor felt heartache; when the nearby physician said it was merely a flesh wound, he was rebuked.

A flesh wound is indeed a flesh wound; can't a flesh wound still be life‑threatening? Inflammation can be serious or minor, Mu Yuanzhi thought with satisfaction.

"Father Emperor, how will you deal with him?" Pei Yunxi asked cautiously.

Hearing this, the Emperor merely patted the back of her hand and said: "I will settle it properly; you rest first, don't overthink."

After saying that, he glanced around the room, dissatisfied, and asked: "Where is the Prince Consort? With such a major incident, why isn't he here?"

"Your Majesty, I am here!" Gu Rongjin replied with a smile, clasping his hands.

"I didn't summon you; where is the Prime Minister Xiao?"