Chapter 161: So Vicious

At zi hour, the Nine Curves Bridge was utterly silent.

Pei Yunxi came alone; the ruined temple lay ahead, pitch black, and she could barely see it, feeling as if a ferocious beast lurked in the darkness.

Is Mu Yuanzhi locked up inside?

Pei Yunxi could not hold back her excitement.

At the lantern festival she had not taken the opportunity to eliminate Mu Yuanzhi, and each time she recalled it she felt great regret.

At first she really had not planned to exterminate Mu Yuanzhi so swiftly; she wanted to make her father and brothers utterly disappointed in Mu Yuanzhi step by step, then, after taking their place, kill Mu Yuanzhi!

Unfortunately, things turned out contrary to her wishes; her father and brothers not only renewed their attitude toward Mu Yuanzhi, but even Dust Brother unexpectedly took a liking to Mu Yuanzhi.

She had blundered, a grave blunder!

One misstep, and every step is a misstep!

So she must now seize this opportunity and kill Mu Yuanzhi!

Pei Yunxi curled her lips and walked over slowly.

She carried no lantern, relying on the moonlight and the faint ambient light barely visible around her, approaching step by step.

Suddenly, a figure leapt down from ahead!

Pei Yunxi jumped in fright; seeing it was a black-clothed person, she relaxed: 'You scared me to death!'

"Princess, to atone, only with caution can the ten-thousand-year boat survive." said the black-clothed person.

Pei Yunxi nodded. 'They're inside, right?'

She asked, seeking confirmation.

The black-clothed person nodded. 'Princess, rest assured, there will be no mistake!'

"Very well, once this is done, this palace promises you the thousand taels of gold I promised, and I will surely give it to you." said Pei Yunxi.

The black-clothed person said nothing, led the way ahead; Pei Yunxi, unsuspecting, followed closely.

The ruined temple's door was tightly shut, chains wound around it three layers inside and three layers outside.

As the black-clothed person picked the lock, he occasionally glanced around; Pei Yunxi thought he was worried someone else might discover this place.

Seeing this, Pei Yunxi gained more confidence in the person's competence; he indeed seemed a meticulous person.

Outlaws get the job done—fearless and reliable!

The chains were undone, the black-clothed person pushed the door open; the interior of the ruined temple was pitch black, and even though Pei Yunxi's eyes had grown accustomed to the gloom, she could not see clearly at once.

Is Mu Yuanzhi inside?

"Light it."

Pei Yunxi spoke.

The black-clothed person lit the torch as instructed, and the whole ruined temple instantly blazed with light.

When Pei Yunxi looked around, what met her eyes was not the trussed-up Mu Yuanzhi, but the familiar yet unfamiliar face of Pei Shangyan!

The reason it seemed unfamiliar was that Pei Yunxi had never seen such an expression on Pei Shangyan's face before, and for a moment she could not react.

"Crown Prince..."

As Pei Yunxi stammered out 'Crown Prince,' a belated panic instantly engulfed her!

Why is Pei Shangyan here?!

What on earth...

Pei Yunxi suddenly turned her head to look at the black-clothed person, only then realizing she had been deceived!

In an instant she flew into a rage from shame!

"Yunxi, why are you here?" asked Pei Shangyan.

His question gave Pei Yunxi hope again.

Perhaps it wasn't what she thought; Pei Shangyan simply didn't know what was happening here, but he happened to know Mu Yuanzhi was in danger and came to rescue her!

"I—I came to rescue my sister!" Pei Yunxi instantly fabricated an excuse.

She nervously looked around: 'Where is my sister?'

"Looking for me?" Mu Yuanzhi laughed as she stepped out from behind Pei Shangyan.

Pei Yunxi was astonished beyond measure; her gaze darted between Mu Yuanzhi, Pei Shangyan, and the black-clothed person, unable at once to comprehend what was happening.

At that moment another person emerged from the shadows—it was Pei Shangjue!

How did he come too?!

Even if Pei Yunxi were slow-witted, she now understood what was going on—this was a trap!

Her people have betrayed her!

"Yunxi, do you have anything else to say?" asked Pei Shangyan, his eyes full of disappointment: 'I never imagined you would be so unrepentantly vicious!'

Pei Yunxi simply shook her head.

This shouldn't be happening… this shouldn't be happening!

How could the Crown Prince be disappointed in her?

How could such a gaze be directed at her?!

He should be looking at Mu Yuanzhi instead!

Pei Yunxi looked at Mu Yuanzhi, who ought to have been bound and at her mercy, now looking down on her from above!

Exactly where did things go wrong?

"I… I don't know what you're talking about, Crown Prince…" Pei Yunxi once again resorted to her habitual ploy of playing the victim, beginning to squeeze out tears.

However, neither Pei Shangyan nor Pei Shangjue were moved at all.

The black-clothed person said to Mu Yuanzhi: 'Now, can you give me the antidote?'

He had no time to watch their family drama; he only liked to obtain the antidote and then rid himself of the little gu afflicting him!

What antidote?!

Pei Yunxi didn't understand, so she listened to Mu Yuanzhi say: "Don't rush, why don't you first tell the Crown Prince about your former employer?"

In order to obtain the antidote smoothly, the black-clothed person then spilled everything.

Pei Yunxi listened at the side; the more she listened, the heavier her heart felt, finally sinking to the valley bottom, pressing so hard she couldn't breathe.

"This isn't like that! Who are you, why are you slandering me?!" Pei Yunxi cried out.

"I pretended not to know you just followed him in." Mu Yuanzhi laughed, "Everyone saw it, don't you feel embarrassed?" Mu Yuanzhi glanced at Pei Yunxi, amused.

Pei Yunxi looked at Pei Shangyan and Pei Shangjue with tear-filled eyes; upon seeing their disgust, her tears vanished instantly.

It's over.

This is the only voice in her heart.

"Yunxi, how many times have you tried to put A Zhi to death?" Pei Shangjue asked.

Pei Shangyan was utterly disappointed: "Because you are our sister, we have given you chance after chance, but this is no reason for you to keep hurting our little sister!"

His way of addressing Mu Yuanzhi had changed from "Younger Sister Zhi" back to the former "Little Sister"; in other words, he no longer acknowledges Pei Yunxi as his sister.

But Mu Yuanzhi is now even more sensitive to that title—it's utterly disgusting!

Pei Yunxi's eyes shifted; seeing the situation exposed, she hurriedly explained: "It's not like that, I just wanted to scare my older sister a bit!"

The black-clothed person said: "Princess Yunxi, you can say this time you intend to silence your sister, then frame the fire; the explosives at the scene are all ready."

That's right, Pei Shangyan and Pei Shangjue had also discovered it beforehand.

The deep hatred and pain in their eyes were utterly undisguised.

Pei Yunxi was both grieved and afraid, she argued: "You've already defected, yet these are you framing me!"

She angrily pointed at the black-clothed person: "Are you being ordered by someone?"

Pei Yunxi asked pointedly.

"We've come to this point; if you don't repent, that's bad enough, but you still want to keep framing A Zhi?" Pei Shangjue couldn't believe his sister could be so vicious!