Chapter 317

"How did you give me away?"

"Princess, please calm down; otherwise, wouldn't I become a thorn in the side of the Xiao Temple's chief?" Yun Jinglou spread his hands.

Gu Rongjin said bluntly: "No matter what, you're already his thorn in the side, no difference."

Yun Jinglou: "I'm doing this for you guys, do I have any conscience left?"

Mu Yuanzhi ignored his acting pitiful, and said to Gu Rongjin: "But now we can finally confirm: it's not that Xiao Yichen's martial arts have made rapid progress, but that he has practiced a special counter against you; that also means when facing you it's a fifty-fifty chance, but against anyone not from the Shan Yin sect, there's still no solution."

That counts as good news, right?

"How can you look so relieved?" Gu Rongjin gave a sideways glance, "He's targeting me specifically—couldn't this be the worst situation? I'm practically the pinnacle of combat power!"

"You can't say that—we haven't even decided a winner yet." Yun Jinglou disagreed.

"What are you talking about? A defeated subordinate?"

"You haven't forgotten who you owe your victory over me to, have you?"

"Who?"

"Anyway, you can't beat Xiao Yichen right now!"

"You really bring up the sore spot—I see you're just asking for a beating!"

Yun Jinglou immediately hid behind Mu Yuanzhi seeking protection, "Princess, look at your Prince Consort's violent temper—you need to rein him in, or else it could cause a huge uproar later!"

"You still dare to tattle? Trying to sow discord between us as husband and wife?" Gu Rongjin's teeth itched.

Mu Yuanzhi was speechless: "Alright, you all shut up for me!"

Gu Rongjin obediently closed his mouth, Yun Jinglou saw that it was enough and said, "I still have matters to attend to; I'll take my leave."

"Hurry up and leave!" Gu Rongjin wished he could grab a broom to chase them away.

Really an eyesore!

"Rongjin, you really need to be careful of Xiao Yichen—he specifically targeted you, having memorized the heart technique mantra, and he can control you completely." Mu Yuanzhi said worriedly.

Gu Rongjin: "I naturally won't just sit and wait for death; otherwise it wouldn't be like me at all."

Mu Yuanzhi asked curiously: "What idea have you come up with?"

"Naturally, it's to become stronger!" Gu Rongjin said matter-of-factly.

Mu Yuanzhi asked skeptically: "Are you going to take a master? Who? Master Yuan Yan?"

"Of course I don't know whether they'll accept me." Gu Rongjin said this, indicating he actually had victory in hand.

"Want to find a Qilin to act as your intermediary?"

"No, lest that kid get arrogant." Gu Rongjin said, "I have my own way."

Mu Yuanzhi nodded; seeing that it was getting late, they planned to return to the Princess's residence, as the Prince and Princess of Pingnan were coming today, so they intended to head back early.

Just as they turned to board the carriage, Mu Yuanzhi saw a purple figure flash by; upon looking closer, that purple hue had already vanished at the end of the street.

Is that the witch doctor?

In that direction, could he be heading into the palace?

"What are you looking at?" Gu Rongjin asked.

"I seem to have seen that witch doctor surnamed Sima; I don't know if he's heading into the palace." Mu Yuanzhi said.

"Never mind him; we deal with things as they come—there are so many oddballs every day, we can't constantly stare at them." Gu Rongjin said, jumping into the carriage.

Mu Yuanzhi thought it made sense, and also stopped worrying.

The witch doctor indeed went to the palace; at the previous crown prince's birthday banquet, the emperor had originally intended to summon him, but it came to nothing.

But he knew the emperor would surely summon him again.

The witch doctor came to Xuanshi Hall; all the palace attendants inside were dismissed; the emperor asked him many questions, mainly about the match that day between Gu Rongjin and Xiao Yichen, as well as Xiao Chuchu's illness.

He held back nothing, speaking fully, including the heart technique mantra, which is no longer really a secret.

The new emperor stood and conversed with the witch doctor; after listening, he was quite interested and exclaimed, "In this world there actually exists such a marvelous heart technique mantra—Mr. Sima must truly be extraordinarily learned."

"I don't deserve such praise; it also requires General Xiao himself to possess extraordinary talent." The witch doctor said humbly.

The new emperor smiled and then asked, "Mr. Sima, you must also have some expertise in geomancy and the occult, right?"

"I know a little." The witch doctor said.

"How does he compare to the National Teacher?" the new emperor asked.

"I've never compared them; as a humble subject, I cannot know." The witch doctor said.

"Why not have a contest?" the new emperor proposed.

The witch doctor seemed to have anticipated the new emperor's remark; he showed no surprise, instead clasping his hands and saying, "Since Your Majesty wishes to see, this humble subject has no objection."

"Good, the Imperial Observatory hasn't had any talented individuals stationed there for a long time; I very much look forward to your performance, Mr. Sima."

"Thanks to Your Majesty's favor, this humble subject will certainly live up to expectations."

Upon hearing that, the new emperor smiled satisfactorily.

Pei Di, hiding in the warm pavilion to eavesdrop, couldn't help but feel worried.

Father Emperor, what does this mean?

Could it be that he holds this oddball in high regard?

Does he intend to support this Mr. Sima to suppress the National Teacher?

Is it because the National Teacher is an old official, or because the National Teacher let the Deposed Emperor escape?

Pei Di's mind was filled with myriad thoughts; he felt it necessary to go and leak news to Mu Yuanzhi.

That night, Pei Di found an excuse to leave the Eastern Palace, but unexpectedly he was stopped, said to be because the emperor had arrived.

He had no choice but to first let his confidant deliver the secret letter.

However, this letter was quickly intercepted—and the interceptor was none other than the new emperor.

He opened the letter, glanced at it, laughed, and folded it neatly.

The chief eunuch beside him was curious, but he did not dare to look.

"My little flute finally has a bit of the crown prince's bearing." The new emperor's eyes were full of satisfaction.

The chief eunuch didn't understand what the new emperor meant, only nodding in agreement: "Your Majesty is right!"

The new emperor said nothing, stuffed the letter into the chief eunuch's hand, and said, "Throw it away."

"Here!"

When he took the letter to throw it away, he was really curious; with his back to the new emperor, he furtively flipped it over to look.

Thinking that if it were some secret, how would His Majesty entrust it to him?

So he boldly went ahead and looked.

As a result, when he opened it out of curiosity, it turned out to be a blank letter!

Could it be that special treatment is needed to see the writing?

But His Majesty just looked with the naked eye earlier!

After thinking for a while, he finally understood!

His Majesty's meaning is that the crown prince knows how to secretly transmit a letter and steal the dragon and replace the phoenix? So as not to be intercepted, that's why he's pleased?

But wouldn't His Majesty suspect the crown prince?

The chief eunuch, full of doubts, threw away the letter.

The next day, Pei Dicái personally left the palace and told Mu Yuanzhi the news.

Mu Yuanzhi then also personally went to the Imperial Astronomy Bureau and told the National Teacher the news.

She rarely finds the National Teacher at work; usually when she comes looking, he is idle, and she almost forgets that his job is being the National Teacher.

The National Teacher, engrossed in astrology, had Mu Yuanzhi wait for half an hour before he finished.

"Sorry, Princess, for keeping you waiting." The National Teacher came over, but his face lacked his usual leisurely ease.

Mu Yuanzhi guessed that perhaps something major had happened, so she also composed herself and waited for the National Teacher's continuation.