Chapter 209

After Xiao Yichen and Pei Shangling set off, the National Teacher wrote a secret letter and sent a reliable person on horseback to deliver it to Mu Yuanzhi and them.

I hope this time his choice of these two people is correct.

The National Teacher gazed out the window at the migrating Great Yan and sighed softly.

"National Teacher!"

After Pei Shangyan learned that Pei Shangling and Xiao Yichen had set off to find Mu Yuanzhi, he couldn't sit still, thinking it over, and decided to go see the National Teacher.

"Has the Crown Prince come? Please sit." The National Teacher smiled and made a gesturing invitation.

Pei Shangyan sat down anxiously, took a sip of tea, and eagerly said: "After Father Emperor met the National Teacher, he ordered my fourth brother and Grand Secretary Xiao to set out to find Ah Zhi?"

"What do you mean by saying that, Crown Prince?" the National Teacher asked while turning to replace the incense in the burner.

"Why bother playing Tai Chi with me, National Teacher?" Pei Shangyan said bluntly: "Why did you recommend them instead of me?"

"The Crown Prince is the heir apparent; leaving the capital is inappropriate." The National Teacher replied indifferently.

"What's inappropriate about it? I'm not leaving the capital for the first time; besides, I'll only be gone a while—I'm just the heir apparent, not the ruler of a nation!"

He always felt the National Teacher had some other motive in doing this.

National Teacher said: "Times have changed; the empire no longer needs to be as before, but the heir apparent should still remain in the capital."

Pei Shangyan took another sullen sip of tea.

If they don't let him go, he can just sneak off like last time!

"In these special times, the Crown Prince should still stay in Jingcheng." As if seeing through Pei Shangyan's thoughts, the National Teacher said.

Pei Shangyan neither agreed nor disagreed, and remained silent.

After finishing this cup of tea, he left.

The National Teacher composed himself and summoned someone to report the matter to the Emperor.

Thus, as soon as Pei Shangyan returned to the Eastern Palace, an oral order came directing him to go to the military camp as a military supervisor.

Once he became the military supervisor at the camp, he had no time to run around everywhere.

Pei Shangling had no choice, unwilling as she was.

All we can hope is that Lao Si and Xiao Yichen will successfully bring Ah Zhi back.

"Senior Sister, I've investigated for ages and still found nothing about Ah Zi's background!" Qilin sat down angrily.

"How could Frost Descent members be so easily found by you?" Mu Yuanzhi was not at all surprised.

"I won't give up; anyone leaves traces!" Qilin said, then noticed Mu Yuanzhi tinkering with weapons and asked curiously: "Senior Sister, are you researching concealed weapons?"

Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "Yes, Prince Jia is going to fight the allied forces; I'm studying what weapons they're using this time."

Qilin leaned in: "Unfortunately, I know nothing about these, so I can't help you."

"It's fine; you go about your business." Mu Yuanzhi said.

"I don't have anything else to do either." Qilin said, "except going to investigate Ah Zi."

Mu Yuanzhi looked up and asked Qilin: "Have Hongdou and them been settled properly?"

"They're settled, along with their families, in a safe place. Senior Sister, you can rest assured."

"Then that's good; the only thing I worry about leaving Jingcheng is them."

After saying that, Mu Yuanzhi buried herself in research, while Qilin didn't speak further and picked up a book to read.

At that moment, a loud argument came from outside; the sound seemed to be two female voices quarreling.

"What are they arguing about outside?" Mu Yuanzhi frowned and stood up: "It's so noisy I can't concentrate."

Qilin followed dubiously behind Mu Yuanzhi, muttering: "Who knows? Are there really that many women here?"

Mu Yuanzhi opened the door; outside, Ah Zi and another girl were arguing. The girl resembled Qi Shihuai somewhat, and she guessed she was Qi Shihuai's sister, Qi Shian.

"This is my brother's territory; you're just a lowly servant, sneaking around outside my room, acting all secretive, and yet you dare to act high and mighty here?!" Qi Shian snorted with her nose in the air.

"First, I'm not a servant; second, if you were open and aboveboard, you wouldn't have to worry about being overheard." Compared to Qi Shian's aggressiveness, Ah Zi appeared much calmer.

"Nonsense, you're eavesdropping and spying from outside and still think you're justified? Have your master Gu Rongjin come talk to me!" Qi Shian glared, her fury blazing.

At first glance, it seems Qi Shian is in the wrong, but between the lines it's clear Ah Zi is even more hard to fathom.

Qilin watched them argue, and neither was someone who could be easily dealt with.

Mu Yuanzhi said impatiently: "If you're going to argue, can't you take it somewhere else? Don't quarrel outside my room."

Qi Shian seemed to just notice Mu Yuanzhi, turned her head to look.

Although she had been the Crown Princess consort for a long time, Qi Shian's impression of Mu Yuanzhi wasn't deep; she'd had little contact with her since childhood, but that didn't stop her from finding everyone displeasing now.

"If the Princess doesn't like it, tell your Prince Consort to keep his dog in check and stop barking everywhere!" Qi Shian snorted rudely.

Ah Zi frowned: "Speak to me more politely!"

"Why should I be polite to someone like you? I haven't taken you down only out of respect for Gu Rongjin."

"Just because of you?"

Seeing they were about to fight, Mu Yuanzhi had no choice but to tell Qilin: "Go fetch General Qi."

"Sure."

"Hey, wait a minute! Why only fetch my brother? Are you also helping Gu Rongjin's dog? Ah, I get it—your whole family must be helping." Qi Shian said in a winding tone, gave Ah Zi a sideways glance, curled her lip, and continued: "But the Princess really trusts that scheming, hateful woman to flutter around in front of her husband all day."

Because of her words, Ah Zi and Mu Yuanzhi's faces fell simultaneously; seeing this, Qi Shian grew even more pleased and continued to jeer: "Women like that love to rely on their looks, acting like fox spirits, flirting everywhere—Princess, you'd better watch out for a fire in the rear courtyard!"

Ah Zi's eyes darkened as she raised her hand and struck at Qi Shian with a palm!

"You want to fight me?!" Qi Shian also refused to back down.

The two actually started fighting, but Qi Shian was clearly at a disadvantage.

It's no surprise; without some skill, you couldn't possibly become Shuangjiang.

This is probably still the case where A Zi hasn't used her full strength.

"Senior sister, do you still call him General Qi?"

「Are you calling this general? 」

Qi Shihuai's voice came over, Qi Shian was startled and distracted, and the person who was already at a disadvantage was even more blown away by a palm strike!

「Shian? ！」 Qi Shihuai flew to catch his sister, thus avoiding her embarrassment, but it was also quite embarrassing.

A Zi smoothed her collar and sleeves without a care, her expression still gloomy.

「Brother, look at her! 」 Qi Shian, angry, broke free from Qi Shihuai's embrace, pointing furiously at A Zi: 「She sneaked around outside my room eavesdropping, and now she even hit me? Is that reasonable?! 」

「Can Miss A Zi give a reasonable explanation? 」 After hearing that, Qi Shihuai said to A Zi.

「No. 」 A Zi said coldly.