Chapter 295: There's Still an Invisible Hand

Is that okay?

Good, but what if it's dragon and phoenix twins? Mu Yuanzhi asked.

Then one would be surnamed Mu and the other Gu; that's fine, no need to fight over it.

Just as you said.

Gu Rongjin had already started fantasizing about their future of having sons and daughters; thinking about it, he became a bit displeased.

"What's wrong with you?" Mu Yuanzhi didn't understand why Gu Rongjin suddenly had this expression.

"One Qilin is already noisy enough; adding a little brat, wouldn't it steal all your attention?!" Gu Rongjin said solemnly.

Mu Yuanzhi gave in: "How did you start being jealous of the child ahead of time?"

"Why not?" Gu Rongjin retorted confidently.

Mu Yuanzhi shook her head: "I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Where are you going, my dear?" Gu Rongjin hurried to catch up with the fast-walking Mu Yuanzhi.

"To the Child-Giving Guanyin Temple." Mu Yuanzhi said.

Gu Rongjin: "You want to have a son?"

"I want to pray for dragon and phoenix twins." Mu Yuanzhi said, "Since it's so effective, I'll give it a try."

"At the Child-Giving Guanyin Temple, what if they send twins that are both boys?" Gu Rongjin said, "Then I would have lost a daughter for nothing."

Mu Yuanzhi smiled helplessly: "Let's go, let's have a look around."

"All right, you actually just want to join the fun; I can see that." Gu Rongjin took Mu Yuanzhi's hand, "Come on, come on, let's go see the excitement!"

Those few women from earlier were gone; Mu Yuanzhi had no choice but to ask a random passerby, and she got an answer right away—this Child-Giving Guanyin Temple is really famous around here.

It was right at the end of the neighboring street, and they arrived quickly.

Probably because of the Child-Giving Guanyin Temple, this street is very crowded; Gu Rongjin carefully protected Mu Yuanzhi from being bumped by others.

There were too many people; if he had known there would be this many, he wouldn't have agreed to let her come.

However, Mu Yuanzhi didn't mind; she naturally liked joining the fun.

Inside the Child-Giving Guanyin Temple, even buying incense requires a long queue, let alone worshipping and praying for blessings.

After finally buying incense, waiting for their turn in line to offer it took an hour.

Gu Rongjin felt weary from waiting, but seeing Mu Yuanzhi's enthusiastic expression made him feel it was worthwhile.

Watching Mu Yuanzhi devoutly pay her respects, he also put his palms together and prayed.

After finishing their prayers, they proceeded to draw lots.

The lot-interpretation stall was not far away, and there was no line; a middle-aged man struck an immortal-like pose to interpret lots for people.

Gu Rongjin thought it would be better to use this money to have Xiao Yang interpret lots instead.

Mu Yuanzhi sat down, and the man asked, "Honored one, are you praying for children?"

"Can I pray for anything else?" Mu Yuanzhi countered.

"What were you thinking about when you drew the lot just now?"

"I prayed for dragon and phoenix twins." Mu Yuanzhi answered truthfully.

The man stroked his beard with a smile, then took the lot from Mu Yuanzhi's hand; upon looking at it, his expression suddenly changed.

Mu Yuanzhi also grew nervous: "What's wrong, Master?"

Gu Rongjin furrowed his brows, wondering why he was starting to act all mysterious and supernatural.

Only see the master solemnly gripping the lot text, pondering, then seriously said: "Honored one, have you already become pregnant?"

"Yes." Mu Yuanzhi nodded.

"Can he tell that?"

"Or is he just guessing?"

"Then that's correct; your pregnancy is in danger, you need to wait until after three months, when it stabilizes; during this time you should rest well and avoid travel fatigue." The man said earnestly.

"Thank you for the advice, Master." Mu Yuanzhi gave him some small change, then left with Gu Rongjin.

"Don't listen to this half-baked nonsense." Gu Rongjin didn't believe it at all.

"Just spouting off randomly, right?"

They are actually going to leave here in seven days.

Mu Yuanzhi, however, said: "What if he actually has some skill?"

"He's not Xiao Yang."

"Experts are among the common folk."

"Little Mu Yuanzhi, you're just too nervous about the baby; it's not that we won't speak, it's just unnecessary to be jumpy at every shadow." Gu Rongjin said, "This person is definitely just spouting nonsense."

Mu Yuanzhi felt Gu Rongjin was right, and there was no need to believe everything; although after hearing those words, she still had some worries in her heart.

Gu Rongjin: "Actually, returning to the Great Zhou doesn't seem to have any urgent matters; staying here a bit longer is fine—just treat it as an outing to enjoy the scenery."

That would also put his wife at ease.

After returning to the companion palace and telling the others, Qi Shihuai touched Gu Rongjin's forehead, saying, "Really? You don't even have a fever."

"Go away, just stay over there."

"You believe whatever some random person says? What's your IQ?"

Gu Rongjin: "Anyway, we have nothing to do when we return to the capital."

"As a Grand General, is it proper for me to be away from the capital for so long? And Xiao Di, as the heir apparent, can't always be out here either."

"You go back first; Xiao Di's martial arts can protect himself, and yours isn't bad either—surely you won't constantly run into martial arts masters?"

"Let me speculate: could it be that someone deliberately wants to keep you here?" Qi Shihuai said, narrowing his eyes.

Gu Rongjin frowned: "You're even more jumpy at shadows than we are."

Mu Yuanzhi rubbed her chin, thinking, "According to what you say, those few women at the beginning were also arranged, deliberately discussing in front of us."

Qi Shihuai: "It's entirely possible."

Gu Rongjin carefully recalled those few middle-aged women; they seemed a bit suspicious, as if they were deliberately speaking in front of them.

"Who wants to keep us here? The Ninth Prince?" The Qilin could only think of that suspicious person at once.

Pei Di nodded: "It's quite possible."

"Or perhaps it's an even more mysterious hidden hand behind the scenes." Qi Shihuai laughed.

Mu Yuanzhi asked skeptically, "Any other behind-the-scenes black hand? General Qi, do you think someone is prompting the young emperor to do this?"

"How would an emperor deep in the inner palace come into contact with those heretical ways?" Qi Shihuai looked at them: "Don't you find that suspicious? If the behind-the-scenes instigator were the Ninth Prince, it would make more sense, but clearly, according to your description, the Ninth Prince is definitely not, so perhaps there's an unseen hand pushing him."

Gu Rongjin gave a thumbs-up: "Impressive! You could get a job at the Imperial Court of Justice; just being a general is a bit of a waste when there's no war."

"A commander must have such foresight and observation; otherwise how to deal with cunning enemies? Rongjin, your meticulousness and investigative skills are no weaker than the Imperial Court of Justice; are you now too lazy to think? Watch out for your brain getting rusty." Qi Shihuai teased.

"Tch, praising you already has you getting a big head?" Gu Rongjin rolled her eyes, "Our Grand General Qi's analysis makes quite a bit of sense, so we'll still depart as originally planned in seven days, all right, Xiao Yuanzhi?"

He looked all settled, but in the end he still had to ask his wife's opinion.

Qi Shihuai shook his head, utterly henpecked.