Chapter 197: Guard against this beast becoming enraged to the point of madness and biting people

Xiao Yichen also couldn't refute.

He once had no regrets about what he had done, but now he deeply regrets every misstep he took—it was he himself who, step by step, pushed her farther and farther away!

If he hadn't done that despicable act of drugging her, would there still be a sliver of chance to mend things between them?

Xiao Yichen thought painfully.

But what happened has happened and cannot be changed; the only thing he can change is this stagnant situation.

"Ah Zhi, don't joke with your own life just because you're angry with me!"

"Do you really think you can put gold on your own face?" Mu Yuanzhi really wanted to know where Xiao Yichen's confidence came from.

What does he think he is? Getting angry with him? Nuts!

"Then why won't you patiently listen to me?" Xiao Yichen grew a bit anxious.

He really was worried about her.

"Because everything you say is nonsense, I don't want to waste time, okay?" Mu Yuanzhi said sarcastically.

"What I'm talking about are major affairs of state! Moreover, they concern your very fate!"

How could she say she won't listen?

Mu Yuanzhi gave a derisive laugh: "I'm just a young woman; I don't understand affairs of state, and my fate has nothing to do with you. Please stop entangling yourself—it's unsightly."

Unrelated to him?

If only it were unrelated! He thinks of her day and night—how could it possibly be unrelated?

"Ah Zhi, the border is in turmoil—no joking matter; you're smart enough to understand the stakes." Xiao Yichen, anxious, reached to grab Mu Yuanzhi's hand, but before he could extend it, the Qilin stepped in front of him, on high alert.

Xiao Yichen found this Qilin very obstructive, but there was nothing he could do.

This is Ah Zhi's junior brother; he cannot resort to force.

"Enough already, Xiao Yichen—my senior sister doesn't want to deal with you, yet you keep coming around to be a nuisance. Since you care so much about border affairs, why not volunteer to go defend the nation?" The Qilin crossed his arms and began lecturing Xiao Yichen.

Seeing Mu Yuanzhi firmly unwilling to say more, Xiao Yichen felt a surge of suffocating anger in his chest, not knowing who he was angry at, and he spoke in a hoarse voice: "Gu Rongjin hasn't returned to the capital, and Qi Shihuai isn't in the capital either, right?"

Hearing that, the Qilin's pupils dilated, and he thought, Xiao Yichen's information is still quite well-informed!

Mu Yuanzhi's expression didn't change, but the Qilin's did, making Xiao Yichen all the more certain.

He had merely been making a bold guess; he hadn't expected it to be true!

Xiao Yichen instantly grew a bit excited, but he still kept his voice low, almost spitting the words from between his teeth: "Do you know what kind of major matter this is? What consequences would hiding it bring?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Senior Grand Secretary." Mu Yuanzhi repeated her line, firmly refusing to respond further.

Their relationship with Qi Shihuai is still unclear, and besides, this has nothing to do with Xiao Yichen.

Xiao Yichen's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with a complex light as he fixed a burning gaze on Mu Yuanzhi, his heavy breathing plainly visible.

He was like a beast gathering power, full of danger.

The Qilin guarded against the beast becoming enraged to the point of madness and biting, pulling Mu Yuanzhi along: "Let's go, senior sister."

Mu Yuanzhi had long wanted to leave; she didn't care how Xiao Yichen went mad.

The Qilin took three steps, then turned back to make sure Xiao Yichen wasn't chasing before reluctantly relaxing.

Although in terms of martial prowess Xiao Yichen is certainly no match for him, this is the imperial palace—who knows if he'll abuse his authority for personal gain, and if he makes a big scene, the trouble will fall on the senior sister.

"Senior sister, how do you think Xiao Yichen knows Qi Shihuai isn't in the capital? Could the emperor also know?!"

Mu Yuanzhi bit her lip and said: "Maybe he was just guessing earlier."

"Ah? He's that smart, and he figured it out?"

"Don't underestimate him—he's a heavyweight minister of the court, a Senior Grand Secretary, a trusted confidant right before the emperor, naturally talented; his mental issues are his mental issues, that's a separate matter." Mu Yuanzhi evaluated.

Qilin: "Exactly, if he were purely a brainless idiot, he couldn't have reached the pinnacle of ministerial office."

"I don't know how much else he's guessed..."

"Why don't we first contact Gu Rongjin?"

"No rush; we mustn't throw ourselves into chaos."

"All right, we'll listen to the senior sister." Qilin said indifferently.

Anyway, with him around, he'll protect the senior sister well!

The two returned to Pingnan Wangfu, and indeed the place was empty—even the "shadow" was gone.

Is Rongjin now not even bothering to pretend?

Does he believe the emperor currently has no spare attention for anything else?

No, at this time a princely lord with troops should be more vigilant, shouldn't he?

Or has the emperor already thrown his plans into disarray?

But this is certainly not a good thing for the common people.

Mu Yuanzhi couldn't help but fall into contemplation.

The news of her return to Pingnan Wangfu quickly reached the emperor's ears; at that moment, the emperor was reading by lamplight, reviewing memorials.

"Any news of Prince Pingnan?" the emperor asked the returning secret agent.

"Your Majesty, Prince Pingnan still has no news," the secret agent replied, head lowered.

The emperor drew a heavy breath, set down the memorial, and the instant he did so he slammed his fist hard on the imperial desk, making everything on it jump.

The secret agent was even more frightened, eyes watching the nose, nose watching the heart.

"A perfectly fine person, that huge Pingnan Wangfu, a whole squad of soldiers—just vanishes right under the emperor's feet, under my very eyelids!" The emperor slapped the imperial desk hard and continued to rage: "What use is it to keep you people?!"

"Your Majesty, Princess Yuanzhi has returned to Pingnan Wangfu; I venture to guess that perhaps Prince Pingnan hasn't left the capital!" the secret agent boldly offered his speculation.

The emperor's eyes flickered, he narrowed them and said: "You mean the so-called departure from the capital is just a smokescreen?"

"That is my assessment," the secret agent replied anxiously.

"What's the purpose?" the emperor asked, raising an eyebrow.

This... I, your humble servant, still haven't figured it out.

Your Majesty!

Another secret agent hurriedly appeared, "Your Majesty, your humble servant has discovered that the residence of the General Who Suppresses Rebellion seems to have something unusual!"

"Speak!" Hearing this, the Son of Heaven couldn't help but feel anxious.

"Your humble servant suspects that the General Who Suppresses Rebellion may have already left the capital!"

The secret agent's words changed the Son of Heaven's expression instantly; he stood up: "What did you say?!"

"Please, Your Majesty, immediately proceed to the residence of the General Who Suppresses Rebellion to investigate!"

Only the Son of Heaven himself going there can discern the truth.

Given the current situation, everyone knows the importance of the General Who Suppresses Rebellion; the Son of Heaven cannot possibly send him to the border, nor can he allow him to leave his sight.

"I should have placed him under house arrest in the palace!" the Son of Heaven strode down the jade steps, his pace unprecedentedly urgent.

The Son of Heaven's imperial carriage raced to the residence of the General Who Suppresses Rebellion at top speed; in the dead of night, the hasty carriage drew much attention, and the news quickly reached the ears of the still-awake Xiao Yichen.