Chapter 146

Xiao Yang, honestly tell me what's going on with this pillow? Gu Rongjin asked the National Teacher: "Don't spout that nonsense to fool me—I won't listen!"

National Teacher smiled: "I don't know."

"……" Gu Rongjin was speechless: "You know astronomy and geography, you're versed in ancient and modern lore—can't you talk to gods and spirits?"

Heaven's secrets must not be revealed.

Here we go again, your chicken-and-duck talk is useless to me. We've known each other so long—can't you just be honest and tell me the truth? Gu Rongjin sighed, "You know, my dreams feel too real; I don't think they're dreams, but I also don't think they're the future."

National Teacher raised an eyebrow and asked: "Then what do you think it is?"

Gu Rongjin opened his mouth, the words reached his lips but then trailed off; he was pondering something, looking puzzled.

Isn't it beyond my shallow knowledge? Otherwise why would I ask you? Aren't you the best at these supernatural mystic arts?

National Teacher stood up, and Gu Rongjin followed suit.

National Teacher walked forward, and Gu Rongjin followed.

I told you, stop with the nonsense—does speaking plainly cost you your life? Gu Rongjin crossed his arms impatiently: "I'm really in a hurry! I feel the Mu Yuanzhi in my dream desperately needs my rescue!"

National Teacher didn't answer Gu Rongjin, but instead asked him: "Do you still remember when I analyzed your eight characters for you?"

I remember—you didn't say a word, just acted mysterious and then dropped it. I wasn't that curious, so I didn't ask. What's up, are you trying to change the subject now?

Your eight characters show you died a violent death in your previous life," said the National Teacher.

It's a past life matter—do as you like.

National Teacher continued: "Not just you—everyone around you, all of them, died a violent death."

Even someone like Gu Rongjin was stunned; after a moment he asked: "Does that include Mu Yuanzhi?"

She is even more ominous.

Upon hearing that, Gu Rongjin grabbed the National Teacher's collar, his eyes blazing: "What did you say?!"

His voice was as cold as if he'd just crawled out of hell.

Calm down, I'm talking about the previous life.

Gu Rongjin's expression didn't improve at those words; instead he loosened his grip and asked in a steady voice: "Really?"

Yeah.

Gu Rongjin sat down, his expression hidden in shadow and unclear; he suddenly asked: "Could it be that what I dreamed is her past life? No, she's still called Mu Yuanzhi… and I'm still called Gu Rongjin…"

Have you heard of temporal reset?" the National Teacher sitting across from him suddenly threw out a term unfamiliar to Gu Rongjin.

He shook his head, wondering what it meant.

What if you woke up one day back at age eight?" the National Teacher posed a hypothesis.

That would be awful—back then Mu Yuanzhi especially disliked me; she'd scold me on sight, and if I tried to play with her she'd hit me!

Too painful to recall!

"……" the National Teacher said: "That's exactly what I mean—if everything started over, would that count as a past life? Quite an interesting topic."

As he spoke, the National Teacher looked quite interested.

Gu Rongjin, however, felt a chill run down his spine; his expression turned grave and earnest: "You mean the scenes in my dream might actually have happened?"

Just the hypothesis made his heart pound and left him feeling stifled and irritable.

National Teacher: "I'm merely suggesting a possibility; after all, I don't know either."

Gu Rongjin walked out of the Bureau of Astronomy in a daze, even forgetting to leave via the secret passage; nowadays he comes and goes from the Bureau without observing the taboos.

At the gate, a large contingent of the Imperial Guard escorted someone past, catching his attention.

What's happening?

When Gu Rongjin saw clearly that it was Princess Lanting, he walked over curiously: "What's happening?"

The Princess Lanting, being held in a reverse grip by several Imperial Guards, upon seeing him shouted as if struck by a pressure point: "Gu Rongjin, listen! It's Pei Yunxi who wants to harm Mu Yuanzhi! It's her! Her schemes are endless—she'll surely kill your wife someday!"

"Shut up!" the lead guard barked: "Don't go mad! Slandering Princess Yunxi is an aggravated offense!"

Princess Lanting, seemingly unheard, continued to scream: "It's all Pei Yunxi! She framed me! She released the plague! And she's trying to trick Mu Yuanzhi into going to the perverse crown prince of Huangli State!"

Princess Lanting's hysterical words rang out loudly; passersby on the street turned to stare and point at her.

Some guards, fearing the populace might believe the rumors, roughly stuffed a rag into Princess Lanting's mouth.

Even gagged, Princess Lanting struggled desperately to speak, like a madwoman.

Gu Rongjin hadn't yet processed what plague this was—why hadn't anyone told him?

How long had he been asleep?!

Gu Rongjin naturally knew what sort of person Pei Yunxi was, so he didn't overreact—but hearing those words, Xiao Yichen felt it completely differently.

He felt as if his acupoints had been struck, frozen in place.

Beside her, Pei Yunxi felt her blood run cold from head to toe; she dared not move, nor even look at Xiao Yichen, but knowing that saying nothing would only make things worse, she forced herself to speak: "This Lanting, on the brink of death and still unrepentant, is trying to frame me!"

It was she who had reported Princess Lanting to the Father Emperor; she held evidence that could identify the princess as having infected the white deer sent to Huangli State with plague, and she did this today to restore her image before the Father Emperor.

Anyway, Princess Lanting bears some responsibility—it's not a false accusation.

But she never imagined that this madwoman would shout in the street; that alone would be bad enough, yet she happened to run into her while she and Brother Chen were passing by!

If she'd known, she'd have poisoned that idiot's mouth beforehand!

Pei Yunxi thought resentfully.

But she soon felt the surrounding atmosphere turn abnormal, as if the temperature dropped several degrees in an instant, making her shiver.

"Brother Chen?" Pei Yunxi mustered her courage and lifted her gaze to Xiao Yichen.

Xiao Yichen didn't look at her at all; instead he strode forward to chase after the Imperial Guards ahead.

What was he intending to do?

"Brother Chen!" Quick-witted Pei Yunxi broke into a run and grabbed his hand.

Xiao Yichen didn't turn his head, and forcefully pulled her hand away.

The force was so great it directly knocked Pei Yunxi to the ground!

She sat dumbfounded on the ground, staring blankly at Xiao Yichen's indifferent back.

She fell with a loud crash—didn't he hear it?!

"Chen-gege! I fell!" Pei Yunxi cried, heedless of her dignity and of any onlookers.

Only his gradually receding figure answered her.

How could he be so indifferent toward her!

"Xiao Yichen!"

Pei Yunxi couldn't help but tear up.

He believes a few casual words from others, yet doubts his own wife this much?!

The disheveled Pei Yunxi nearly wanted to go mad, to scream.