Chapter 329

At that moment, he still thought they could finally return to the past.

However, it was merely his wishful fantasy.

"Even if I am seriously injured, even if my martial arts are completely ruined, won't you even spare me another glance?" Pei Shangling said listlessly.

Mu Yuanzhi curled a mocking smile: "What does it matter if my martial arts are gone? You can still enjoy wealth and honor, far luckier than most people in this world; as for serious injury, even if I die, you wouldn't even glance at me, would you?"

Pei Shangling widened his eyes, instantly recalling the dream he dared not forget nor dare to revisit.

In the dream, she was in such agony, while he was a cold-eyed bystander executioner.

Was that really a dream? Pei Shangling asked himself countless times.

Now hearing Mu Yuanzhi say such words again deepened his doubt about that dream.

If it wasn't a dream?

Then, what is it?

Each time he thought of this, Pei Shangling dared not dwell on it further.

Mu Yuanzhi didn't know when she had already left; the room held only Pei Shangling alone, he felt a chill after a long time, the pain that had temporarily faded surged back, he sweated cold from the pain yet stubbornly refused to lie down.

He even wondered whether, if he were injured a few more times, he could repay his debt.

By then, would Ah Zhi pay attention to him?

Would she call him Ling-gege as before?

Pei Shangling lay on the couch, fantasizing, and unknowingly fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, when he woke with a start, it was already mid-morning.

"Ah Zhi!"

Pei Shangling struggled to sit up; the housekeeper entered, and he asked disappointedly, "Where is Ah Zhi?"

"Your Lordship, the Princess has already left," the housekeeper said.

"Did she leave any words?" Pei Shangling asked dejectedly.

The housekeeper shook his head.

Pei Shangling gave a self-mocking tug at the corner of his mouth.

He knew that if it weren't to ask how he got injured, she probably wouldn't have saved him.

But so what? She still saved him! Pei Shangling comforted himself inwardly.

"By the way, my lord, someone from the palace has come; His Majesty asks whether you can go to the palace today to see him," the housekeeper said.

"Tell him I'm... no, say I can, I'll go to the palace later," Pei Shangling said, changing his words mid-sentence.

He originally didn't want to go, really didn't want to move, but if he did so, it might cause the matter to escalate further, which would be unfavorable to Ah Zhi.

After thinking it over, Pei Shangling still decided to grit his teeth and go see the emperor.

The housekeeper listened, then looked at his lord's wan, exhausted appearance and advised, "My lord, perhaps you should rest a couple of days first."

"It's fine, I'm alright; if outsiders inquire, you say the same, understood?" Pei Shangling said sternly.

The housekeeper could only nod, "Understood, my lord, please rest assured."

On the other side, Gu Rongjin, having come out of the Directorate of Astronomy, gazed at the late sky outside, thinking he didn't need to attend court today; he had intended to find Monk Yuan Yan, but unexpectedly saw the people coming from the palace.

That person didn't know whether he had come to the Directorate to find the National Teacher or to find Gu Rongjin; seeing him, he smiled and approached: "Young Master, His Majesty summons you."

Alright, he's coming for him, surely because of Pei Shangling's matter.

He went to find the National Teacher, but the National Teacher had no solution, and said His Majesty hadn't summoned him in a long while; the Directorate of Astronomy is now in vogue with the shamans, the new emperor summons him every few days, making him the person everyone in the Directorate tries to curry favor with.

Previously, the Directorate's personnel were selected by the National Teacher; after the new emperor ascended, he replaced them with his own appointees, who naturally would not be wholly loyal to the National Teacher.

Does that mean they can only wait idly?

Gu Rongjin entered the palace to see the emperor; as expected, the new emperor asked him about Pei Shangling's affair, he downplayed the matter in his words, appearing as if it were no big deal, although he knew the emperor would certainly ask more than that.

From the emperor's expression and tone, Gu Rongjin still could not fathom the ruler's heart.

After he left Xuanshi Hall, Pei Shangling arrived.

Of course, they did not meet.

After the emperor finished seeing Pei Shangling, the shaman came shortly after; today the Xuanshi Hall was bustling, never idle.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that the Prince Ling suffered an assassination and serious injury; I have rushed here specially, hoping not to disturb Your Majesty," the shaman said, bowing respectfully.

"Oh? When did Minister Sima become so close to Prince Ling?" the emperor asked.

"Your Majesty, this matter is surely related to the advent of the calamitous star!" the shaman said solemnly.

"Tell me in detail!" the emperor said, his tone sinking a bit.

The shaman felt pleased inside, but outwardly appeared urgent as he explained: "The Purple Forbidden Palace has been struck by the calamitous star, already endangering the imperial clan; it is an ominous sign, indeed a warning!"

The emperor raised his eyebrows, his tone lifting with an "oh"; the shaman couldn't gauge his meaning, glanced over furtively, and heard the emperor say: "Prince Ling is of the Deposed Emperor's lineage; perhaps he suffers from the Deposed Emperor's implication? This calamitous star striking the Purple Forbidden Palace—I wonder if it is aimed at the Deposed Emperor's line?"

Upon hearing that, the shaman inwardly thought, "Oh no."

He had chosen the insignificant Prince Pei Shangling as a target to warn the new emperor, because initially targeting several princes would be hard to act upon first, and second, investigating further might cause trouble.

But he never expected that the new emperor would twist his painstaking intentions!

Then he could only direct his efforts at those few princes?

"Your Majesty, perhaps… take me back to re‑study the celestial signs…" the shaman, at a loss for words, simply remained silent, neither offering a different view nor denying the emperor's meaning.

The emperor grunted, waved his hand, and said, "Go ahead, Minister Sima, do your research carefully."

"Yes, I take my leave!"

The shaman returned and immediately met secretly with Pei.

"You mean I should go myself?" Pei Biao said, somewhat incredulous, "I am of the imperial orthodox bloodline; how could I be harmed at will!"

Absurd, he hasn't even taken the throne yet, and he's already supposed to lose his wife?

What if he also loses troops? Bah, bah, bah!

Witch Doctor: "Your Highness, have you thought it through? If you take action against someone else, should any evidence be left behind, later on there will be endless worries."

"I'm confident in your work; you've injured Pei Shangling to this extent and nothing happened, right? Just keep doing it!" Pei Biao waved his hand.

The witch doctor fell silent.

"What's wrong? Mr. Sima, are you encountering difficulties?" Pei Biao asked, his tone seeming to carry blame, or perhaps he was simply impatient.

Anyway, his meaning is clear regardless: have the witch doctor find those few princes and operate on them.

Seeing the witch doctor delay in responding, he actually blurted out: "Why not just move against the crown prince, or even take down the emperor?"

Even if that crown prince is destined to be deposed, he is still the crown prince; if you unsettle the crown prince, how could the emperor remain so calm? After all, it's just that Pei Shangling is too insignificant.

"The crown prince?" the witch doctor's already rising tone rose a few notches higher.

"Exactly, the crown prince, Pei Di—just take him down!" Pei Biao said.