Chapter 277: Three on-duty guards died

Mu Yuanzhi relaxed and went to admire the flowers in the peach blossom forest, feeling content.

"Here, this peach blossom wine was sent by Her Highness."

Suddenly a bottle of wine appeared before Mu Yuanzhi; even through the jug she could smell the fresh peach fragrance.

Gu Rongjin lifted the lid, took a sip straight from it, then gave it to Mu Yuanzhi, who took it and also took a hearty gulp.

"Delicious!"

Different from the fruit wine I usually drink in the Central Plains, it has a special flavor.

Gu Rongjin said, "It's indeed delicious; I'll ask Her Highness for two more bottles—after all, there are so many peach blossoms here."

Mu Yuanzhi sat under a peach blossom tree, drinking the peach blossom wine, lazily leaning on Gu Rongjin's shoulder, feeling the comfort of a peach blossom utopia, able to temporarily think of nothing and care for nothing, just quietly closing her eyes to enjoy a moment of tranquility.

Gu Rongjin also enjoyed this leisure time.

Without worries, beloved in arms.

I really wish to stay here forever.

The sunset faded, the moon began to rise, but Mu Yuanzhi still hadn't thought of getting up, nor was she hungry, so she just stayed like that.

"Wife, aren't you hungry?" Gu Rongjin asked.

"Not hungry, husband." Mu Yuanzhi lazily narrowed her eyes.

"All right, keep lounging."

He wasn't hungry either.

We could lounge for another hour.

"This place is really nice; why not, after I retire and return to my hometown, we ask Your Majesty to grant us a plot of land here to spend our old age?" Gu Rongjin suddenly suggested.

Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "Good, excellent, I like this place."

"Silly, this place is so far; we don't need to go that far to a foreign land when we have fine mountains and waters back home," Gu Rongjin said.

"That's fine too, whatever, as long as I'm with you, anywhere is good." Mu Yuanzhi turned over and found another comfortable spot to lean against Gu Rongjin.

Gu Rongjin tightened his hold on his wife: "My little Yuanzhi treats me so well!"

Peach blossoms fluttered down; Gu Rongjin picked one up to play with, he also felt a bit sleepy and leaned against the tree trunk to rest.

Suddenly, he snapped his eyes open.

Sensing that Gu Rongjin's aura had changed, Mu Yuanzhi also woke from her rest, saw his solemn expression, and asked: "What's wrong?"

"Someone!" Gu Rongjin narrowed his eyes, "and they're skilled in martial arts."

"Where?" Mu Yuanzhi also grew tense, sitting upright.

"Outside the peach blossom forest!"

Listening to the stealthy footsteps, they didn't sound like the guards here.

If Mu Yuanzhi weren't beside him, Gu Rongjin would fear she was in danger and would have gone to check right away.

At that moment, Qi Shihuai arrived.

"You two, it's dinnertime and you're still here being all lovey-dovey? Are lovebirds full from drinking water?" Qi Shihuai teased.

But when he came over and saw their expressions were off, he also stopped smiling and asked: "What's wrong?"

"You came just in time, I'll entrust little Yuanzhi to you, I'll go check." Gu Rongjin said and then vanished in a flash.

"What exactly happened?" Qi Shihuai asked Mu Yuanzhi.

Mu Yuanzhi said: "Possibly a highly skilled martial artist has intruded here, right outside the peach blossom forest."

Qi Shihuai said: "How dare someone be so reckless? Come on, I'll send you back—this place is no good to linger."

Mu Yuanzhi nodded.

She glanced back at the outside of the peach blossom forest, thinking that with Rongjin's skill, he should be fine.

They returned to the courtyard, told the others what had happened, and asked them not to go outside for now.

Lady Pei felt uneasy: "Who could it be?"

"Don't worry, Mother Consort, Young Master Jin is highly skilled in martial arts; no one could stir up trouble." Pei Di said.

Although he hadn't personally seen Gu Rongjin's skills, just heard about them, but since even the Father Emperor praises him endlessly, he must be a master.

Lady Pei nodded: "With Young Master Jin and General Qi here, Mother Consort need not worry."

Gu Rongjin wasn't there, so they hadn't eaten either; they'd wait for him to return to discuss, and besides, the mood wasn't right for a meal.

After about an hour, Gu Rongjin returned; his expression seemed to be pondering something.

"How did it go?" Mu Yuanzhi asked, and the others looked over.

Gu Rongjin shook his head: "They got away."

"Got away?" Qi Shihuai found it unbelievable: "Could it be that their strength is comparable to yours?"

Gu Rongjin: "Impossible!"

"Maybe he heard you coming; perhaps he's a traitor from your Frost Descent." Qi Shihuai said.

"Besides A Zi, there are no traitors—unless she didn't die, but even if she didn't, she'd be crippled; falling from such a high cliff..." Gu Rongjin said.

Mu Yuanzhi said: "Regardless, someone could sneak in silently; this person must be highly skilled—what do we do?"

At that moment, a guard hurried in, glanced at Lady Pei, seemed to have something to say but hesitated; Lady Pei frowned: "Is there something you need to hide from me?"

"I dare not!" the guard said: "Your Highness, everyone, just now at the foot of the mountain villa three on-duty guards died!"

"What?!"

Everyone stared at each other, all knowing it was definitely done by the person who had just sneaked in.

"Tell us in detail!" Qi Shihuai ordered.

Guard: "Someone on duty saw the three dead at the previous shift-change spot; their condition resembles that of the victims in the recent serial murder case in the capital."

Mu Yuanzhi and Gu Rongjin exchanged a glance.

Pei Di: "Where is the corpse?"

"Your Highness, it's placed in the memorial hall below the mountain villa."

Gu Rongjin: "Bring it up, we need to examine it."

"Sure, I'll handle it right away!"

Lady Pei: "Has there been a serial murder case in the capital?"

Chief Eunuch nodded: "Yes, Your Highness, the capital has been uneasy lately; ten people have died, all dying after dusk until late night. The Ministry of Punishments still hasn't cracked the case, and it's been over a month."

Mu Yuanzhi: "Ten deaths in a month? No wonder people are panicking."

"'Yeah, I didn't expect it to spread to our mountain villa.' The Chief Eunuch couldn't help but feel a little afraid."

"Fortunately, General Qi and Heir Jin are present."

Qi Shihuai: "Don't jump to conclusions too quickly, but it's certain that thieves have their eyes on this place, so we need to be even more vigilant."

Soon, the three guards' corpses were brought up and placed in the open space outside; Mu Yuanzhi, Gu Rongjin, and Qi Shihuai then went outside to examine the bodies.

Mu Yuanzhi also called over the Chief Eunuch and asked him: "Sir, you must know the victims' specific circumstances; please tell us."

The Chief Eunuch had indeed inquired, and he said: "Among the victims there are both men and women; the oldest is fifty, the youngest only sixteen. There are fish sellers, night watchmen, wealthy merchants, examinees heading to the capital, and even a few patrons of brothels."

Gu Rongjin frowned and asked: "Is there no common point at all?"

"'The only commonality we can say is that they were all out on the streets between dusk and night, and then they disappeared.' The Chief Eunuch said."

Mu Yuanzhi: "What about the cause and condition of death on the victims' bodies?"