Chapter 304: Demoted from a First-Rank Senior Official to a Sixth-Rank Minor Post

"You've come to the right person." Yun Jinglou laughed and said, "If the princess is at ease, why not entrust this matter entirely to me to handle? After all, the princess is pregnant; it's better not to overexert yourself."

"Couldn't be better!"

"Good, once you've settled it, come to the princess's residence to find me."

"No problem, trivial."

Yun Jinglou paused, then said, "Does the princess know about Miss Xiao's earlier critical condition?"

He asked with a smile, guessing that Mu Yuanzhi must know.

Mu Yuanzhi raised an eyebrow: "Before? Is she alright now?"

Yun Jinglou looked around, stepped closer, and said, "I heard Grand Secretary Xiao hired a very capable witch doctor, and Miss Xiao's condition has improved."

"A witch doctor? Was he summoned from elsewhere?"

Upon hearing the term "witch doctor," Mu Yuanzhi instinctively felt it wasn't a good person.

This Yun Jinglou's information is indeed well-informed.

"Some say he came from the Southern Border, others say from the mysterious Black Sea, but you've all been to the Black Sea—there doesn't seem to be anything mysterious about it, right?"

Mu Yuanzhi: "Master Yun, you know the Black Sea better than anyone else, right? What do you think?"

Yun Jinglou gave a mysterious smile: "Hard to say. Although I've lived since childhood on Egret Island across from the Black Sea, I haven't actually lived in the Black Sea, so there's still a big difference."

Obviously he didn't want to talk about the Black Sea, and Mu Yuanzhi didn't press further, saying, "Master Yun, what else do you know?"

Yun Jinglou shrugged, "That's all I know. Grand Secretary Xiao's household is now mysterious and a bit frightening; frankly, I don't dare get close."

Mu Yuanzhi: "Don't give me that—aren't there still places you dare not approach?"

"There are plenty—Palace Gate, Imperial Observatory, and so on; I wouldn't dare act rashly." Yun Jinglou fanned himself, then added, "Does the princess know where the Worthy Prince is?"

Mu Yuanzhi began to suspect that Yun Jinglou had actually come today specifically to see her—how could he have so much information?

"How so, does he have news of the Deposed Emperor?"

"Rumor has it……" Yun Jinglou lowered his voice further: "In Weicheng."

"Weicheng?"

"The city right next to Jingcheng?"

"Is the most dangerous place also the safest?"

"They're actually hiding in Weicheng?"

"What are they planning to do?"

"Should she tell Rongjin and the others to be on guard?"

"All right, I have other business, so I won't disturb the princess any further—farewell." Yun Jinglou took his leave and departed.

At this moment, Mu Yuanzhi was still pondering the Deposed Emperor's affair; she had no mind for shopping, so she simply decided to do something else.

Hongdou and the others reminded her that she could actually open a shop to earn money; even if she no longer held an official post in the court, she would have a source of income.

However, she knows nothing about business; otherwise, she could study it.

Saying is doing; Mu Yuanzhi gathered a pile of books on management along the way, intending to study them thoroughly when she returns.

On her way back, someone was performing street arts ahead, crowds packed the area, bustling and noisy, making walking difficult, so Mu Yuanzhi simply took a detour.

This detour meant she would have to pass by the Xiao Manor.

The place she once longed to live in—she hadn't passed by in a long time, yet the Xiao Manor remained as familiar as ever.

No, she felt it was gloomy.

Mu Yuanzhi looked up at the sky and realized that, at some point, dark clouds had covered it.

Could it be just because of the weather?

Recalling Yun Jinglou's earlier words, Mu Yuanzhi couldn't help but glance at the Xiao Manor a few more times.

The manor's gate was shut tight, and she had no idea what was happening inside.

Mu Yuanzhi merely glanced a few times and then left.

She didn't know that, as soon as she left, the Xiao Manor's gate creaked open from within; someone peered through the crack at her retreating back, their eyes especially gloomy in the dim light.

Mu Yuanzhi shuddered for no reason; she didn't know why, but when she turned back she saw nothing unusual behind her—many passersby came and went, and the street was still quite lively.

Strange—just now it felt as if there had been an intense gaze.

Mu Yuanzhi gazed toward the Xiao Manor; its gate remained tightly closed.

Perhaps it was just an illusion.

After hearing Yun Jinglou's words earlier, she had formed some subconscious suggestion, which is why she felt things were odd.

Mu Yuanzhi shrugged and headed back to her residence.

Upon returning, she found Gu Rongjin already back; he had been summoned by the New Emperor today and hadn't been home all day.

"You're back?"

"Yeah, I've been busy all day; seeing my wife revived me." Gu Rongjin rubbed up against her, acting coy: "I missed you and the baby!"

"You've worked hard, a kiss." Mu Yuanzhi turned her head and kissed Gu Rongjin's cheek; he laughed, holding her tightly, and asked, "Was today's outing fun?"

"I ran into many people; Hongdou and Linglong missed me, so I suggested they open a shop here to do business—then we could see each other often, and I even invested."

"Great suggestion; my wife truly knows how to do business, sitting at home reaping the benefits like a fisherman's gain."

"How can you talk like that?"

Gu Rongjin surrendered, saying, "I'll slap my own mouth, I'll slap my own mouth."

He pulled Mu Yuanzhi to sit down and asked, "Then who else did you meet?"

Mu Yuanzhi spoke solemnly: "Yun Jinglou told me that Xiao Yichen somehow summoned a witch doctor to treat Xiao Chuchu, but that's not the point; he also said Pei Shangyan had found the Deposed Emperor, and they're in Weicheng—should we send someone to investigate?"

"Weicheng?" Gu Rongjin also wiped the smile from his face, "The Frost Descent unit has already been disbanded; everyone has been absorbed into the court, so I can't command them now—only I myself could go?"

Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "That's fine; just be careful yourself."

I thought you would let me not go.

It's just Pei Shangyan and his son, there's not much danger, right?

I'm afraid you'll be in danger alone in the capital.

I'm not alone; I'll call a lot of people.

That's right, our little Yuanzhi now has many friends.

Get lost, don't come trying to pacify a child with that.

It's the trick to coax a wife!

The next day, early in the morning, Gu Rongjin left Jingcheng for Wei City; Mu Yuanzhi came to the Ministry of Works after a long absence, and she heard the people there chatting, saying the new emperor was again boiling frogs in warm water, cutting the privileges and benefits of those princes.

Mu Yuanzhi didn't think it was a big deal; those former dynasty princes being able to live in peace is already the new emperor showing leniency—what more could they want?

Then she heard them predict Xiao Yichen, saying Xiao Yichen used his official position to exchange for Xiao Chuchu's release from prison, voluntarily demoting several ranks; he is no longer the Senior Grand Secretary, having been assigned to the Imperial Court of Justice, merely a Sixth Rank director.

The Cabinet had long been reorganized and reformed, originally being optional for the court; Xiao Yichen's posting to the Imperial Court of Justice might mean more work, Mu Yuanzhi thought happily.

It seems Xiao Yichen, having gone through his sister's serious illness, was willing to use himself to exchange for Xiao Chuchu, demoting from a First Rank senior official to a Sixth Rank petty officer—truly satisfying!