Chapter 328: Martial Arts Completely Abolished

He is extremely weak now; if he offends Gu Rongjin, and Gu Rongjin goes to A Zhi to stir up trouble, he will suffer a loss for no gain.

Gu Rongjin reluctantly hoists Pei Shangling onto his back, moving carefully lest he worsen the injuries.

Pei Shangling lay limp on Gu Rongjin's back like a dead dog; after losing too much blood, he soon fell unconscious again. He didn't know when he had arrived at Prince Ying's mansion, and when he woke, the first thing he saw was Mu Yuanzhi's face.

He felt this was the utmost happiness; his various wounds seemed not to hurt, but it was only an illusion—any slight movement caused excruciating pain.

"He's already been given ginseng soup; he should be fine for now, right?" Gu Rongjin said, staring coldly at Pei Shangling.

"Later, have the servant decoct the medicine and give him another bowl; if that still doesn't work, just throw it away," Mu Yuanzhi said coldly.

Throw it away?

What does "throw it away" mean?

Pei Shangling felt a pang of sadness, but he thought this was his sister's insincere words; in fact, she couldn't bear to see him die in the street, otherwise why would she have rescued him?

Thinking this, Pei Shangling felt happy and his spirits lifted.

"Since you're awake, hurry up and tell us what happened, Pei Shangling—don't waste the effort we went through to save you!" Gu Rongjin said in a rough voice.

Pei Shangling gave Gu Rongjin a subtle glare, then turned to Mu Yuanzhi and forced a strong smile: "A Zhi, thank you for saving me."

"Thank goodness, you can finally speak in full sentences!" Gu Rongjin truly feared he was still as before, and even with all his concentration he couldn't make out what he was saying.

Mu Yuanzhi said flatly: "If you want to thank me, hurry up and tell us what happened."

"Hmm." Pei Shangling didn't let Mu Yuanzhi's coldness discourage him; he spoke solemnly: "I don't know what's going on either—suddenly a tiger leapt out!"

Mu Yuanzhi had just examined him; the wounds indeed looked like they were torn and clawed by a tiger or similar beast.

"Be specific—where did you encounter the tiger? You weren't bitten in the outskirts forest and dragged your wounded self back, were you?" Gu Rongjin asked.

"Right in the alley!" Pei Shangling said. "A huge tiger suddenly leapt out and attacked me; I was unprepared, didn't even have time to draw my sword, and it knocked me down and mauled me."

Gu Rongjin scoffed: "You're utterly useless—can't even draw your sword? A mere tiger, and you, a martial artist, can't beat it?!"

Mu Yuanzhi frowned: "How could there be a tiger in the capital? For it to run here and attack people is too terrifying."

"That's because you haven't met a tiger gone mad!" Pei Shangling raised his voice, but soon had to tone it down due to coughing: "This tiger is strange, as if someone had hypnotized and controlled it..."

As he recalled it now, he became more convinced: it was nothing like the wild tigers seen at ordinary hunting grounds; its speed and agility were extraordinarily top-notch.

Mu Yuanzhi heard this, stroked his chin, and fell into thought.

She instantly thought of a person.

Gu Rongjin also thought of him.

They simultaneously looked at each other: "The witch doctor!"

Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "It might very well be him pulling the strings; otherwise I really can't think of a second person."

"He had the tiger attack Pei Shangling—could he be trying to bring up old matters again, talking about the omen of disaster?" Gu Rongjin pondered.

"What old matters? This isn't over yet." Mu Yuanzhi said. "He's forcing His Majesty to make a choice; Pei Shangling's assault means harm to the royal offspring—put bluntly."

Gu Rongjin: "That makes sense; even if Pei Shangling is unimportant, he's still of the Pei clan."

His slander of Pei Shangling left Pei Shangling unable to rebut, so he could only grit his teeth.

"So does that mean I'm an innocent victim this time?"

"Exactly, you're bitten all over, your body utterly mangled, but the wounds aren't fatal; it seems the other side held back, not letting you die, so you could tell this story," Gu Rongjin mocked.

Mu Yuanzhi: "Not contracting any disease counts as luck, but your injuries are too severe, and your meridians are completely severed."

"What?!" Pei Shangling stared wide-eyed.

Severed meridians—doesn't that mean his martial arts are utterly ruined?!

What's the difference between him and a cripple?!

Pei Shangling choked on his breath, nearly hyperventilating.

"I advise you not to get agitated, or you'll kick the bucket right away." Mu Yuanzhi said in her usual calm tone. "Being able to save your life is already a great fortune amid misfortune; otherwise, dying from blood loss after being mauled by a tiger would be quite normal."

Gu Rongjin nodded in agreement: "Exactly, even if the other side wanted you to save your life, your death wouldn't really hinder his plan."

Although their words were similar, Gu Rongjin's very speech would make Pei Shangling furious.

But now isn't the time to be angry at Gu Rongjin; he realized he still had someone else to settle scores with!

That witch doctor actually dared to assassinate him!

Mu Yuanzhi: "I suppose the news of Pei Shangling's assassination has already reached the palace gates."

"Certainly, we need to make a big deal of it." Gu Rongjin said. "What should we do about it now?"

"There's no way to respond; regardless of the reason, Pei Shangling's serious injury is a fact, and Sima will definitely not let it go." Mu Yuanzhi said. "Whatever we do now would be futile; everything depends on His Majesty's thinking."

"I'll go to the Imperial Observatory to find Xiao Yang and see if he has any countermeasures." Gu Rongjin said to Mu Yuanzhi.

Mu Yuanzhi: "Go, and be careful."

"It's fine—I'm not someone who can't even beat a tiger." Gu Rongjin smiled at Mu Yuanzhi. "You're the one who needs to be careful; it's late, don't go back—stay here until morning and then leave."

Mu Yuanzhi frowned slightly, resistant, but eventually nodded; it was already the third watch, and dawn would come soon anyway.

After Gu Rongjin left, the room held only Mu Yuanzhi and Pei Shangling; Pei Shangling gazed at his sister within reach, a myriad of feelings surging, about to speak, when a servant knocked and said the medicine was ready.

Pei Shangling clicked his tongue inwardly—this medicine's timing was truly awful!

The servant entered, holding the medicine, and waited for Gu Rongjin to finish drinking it.

Mu Yuanzhi thought she had nothing else to ask Pei Shangling, so she turned and left.

"A Zhi!" Pei Shangling exclaimed, nearly knocking over the medicine bowl; he gulped it down in two or three gulps, then reached out to grab Mu Yuanzhi: "Can't you stay and keep me company?"

He pleaded, his eyes full of grievance and hope.

Such a scene made Mu Yuanzhi envision her former self—she had often begged Pei Shangling like this before, but each time he responded only with harsh words or blows.

Mu Yuanzhi turned back, smiled at Pei Shangling, and said: "No."

Seeing her smile, Pei Shangling's heart leapt to his throat; upon hearing those two words "no," he felt as if waking from a dream.