Chapter 343: You have no way out now

Yunjing Lou affected solemnity, saying, "This concerns my humble reputation!"

"How come you're a few days late?" Mu Yuanzhi also affected solemnity, "Without a reasonable explanation, this princess won't easily let you off."

"Of course something came up." Yunjing Lou glanced at the servants in the side hall.

Mu Yuanzhi understood and had them all withdraw.

Only then did Yunjing Lou whisper, "Pei Shangyan and his son have returned to Jingcheng!"

Mu Yuanzhi raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Really?"

"Certainly, absolutely true, we have an escort who saw them appear at Moon-watching Pavilion." Yunjing Lou said, "They also met Pei Shangjue."

"They met Pei Shangjue?" Mu Yuanzhi frowned even tighter, "They're trying to win over Pei Shangjue."

"Does Your Highness think Pei Shangjue would be that foolish?" Yunjing Lou asked interestedly.

Mu Yuanzhi shook her head, "Hard to say, because Pei Shangjue's brain isn't all that sharp either."

Yunjing Lou: "I've already sent people to closely follow Pei Shangjue; I'll know immediately if there's any movement."

I need to tell Gu Rongjin right away.

"Are we going to arrest them?" Yunjing Lou asked curiously, "What about the National Teacher's side?"

"Once the National Teacher is past, that's the last favor we owe the Deposed Emperor; after that we'll have nothing to do with him." Mu Yuanzhi said.

Yunjing Lou gave a noncommittal response, then said, "If we seal off the capital now, we can surely catch them in a trap; should we immediately inform His Majesty?"

"Even if you know this, His Majesty might already know, but knowing is knowing; we should still report it."

"Your Highness, your words I don't like to hear; don't underestimate my network— that escort has been with me since before, top-notch, far above ordinary informants."

"Then we should all the more tell His Majesty; I'll go find Gu Rongjin first."

I'll take my leave for now; contact me if anything comes up.

When Mu Yuanzhi went to the study to look for Gu Rongjin, Gu Rongjin was dozing.

"What's up? Did you sneak out to steal something in the middle of the night?"

She walked over and shook Gu Rongjin awake.

Groggy, Gu Rongjin grabbed Mu Yuanzhi's wrist and wanted to lean on her, "Little Yuanzhi, let me rely on you for a moment."

"Why are you so sleepy?" Mu Yuanzhi didn't understand.

Wasn't he sleeping soundly last night?

I've been reading the Child-rearing Classic; it's so boring, yet I can't avoid it……

Mu Yuanzhi laughed, "Talking strategy on paper— you'd be better off asking the wet nurse."

I've asked our wet nurse so much she's annoyed.

All right, up now— we have important matters to discuss. Mu Yuanzhi patted Gu Rongjin, who was striving to be a good father.

"What is it?" Gu Rongjin asked.

Mu Yuanzhi: "The Deposed Emperor and Pei Shangyan have returned."

?!

That short sentence successfully chased away Gu Rongjin's drowsiness!

He sat up straight, composed himself, and asked, "When did this happen?!"

Mu Yuanzhi: "Possibly just these past two days; they should still be in the capital, and they went to meet Pei Shangjue—I don't know if Pei Shangjue has colluded with them."

Gu Rongjin: "I'll go report to His Majesty right away and seal off Jingcheng—I don't believe they can still grow wings and fly out!"

Last time it made him waste so much time in Weicheng for nothing!

I think the same, and we must go into the palace to see His Majesty at once, to avoid giving them more time to scheme.

I'm off now!

I want to go to the Imperial Observatory for a trip. Mu Yuanzhi suddenly said.

Go to the Imperial Observatory? What for? Are you afraid Xiao Yang will get muddle-headed again and go help the Deposed Emperor?

……I don't know either, but let's just go.

All right, we'll split up.

At this moment, the Deposed Emperor had already slipped into the Imperial Observatory unbeknownst to anyone, undetected, except for the trail he deliberately leaked to the National Teacher.

Long time no see, my trusted aide.

Suddenly a person emerged from the pond, startling the National Teacher who was tidying up; he turned in astonishment, seeing a soaking-wet figure with a strange smile.

Like a drowned corpse water ghost, but the National Teacher merely blinked, his expression returning to normal, though his brows remained furrowed, "How come you're back again?"

"Aren't you happy to have me back? My trusted aide, you haven't been doing well lately, have you? Aren't the treacherous ministers guarding against you?" The Deposed Emperor approached, each step dripping water, leaving a puddle on the ground.

He casually grabbed a robe to wipe off the water.

This secret passage is the one Gu Rongjin previously came and went through freely; he had gone to great lengths to find it.

Fortunately he still retained the blueprints of the Imperial Observatory's renovation, allowing him to estimate the passage's approximate location; otherwise sneaking in past all the watchers would not be easy.

The National Teacher's expression unchanged: "I am a senior official of the previous dynasty, and I privately released the previous dynasty's deposed emperor; it's only natural that His Majesty fears me."

"Your Majesty, you call him Your Majesty." The Deposed Emperor's expression instantly turned furious, "Yang Jianyu!"

Go on your way; today I'll pretend I never saw you. If the city is sealed, you truly won't be able to leave. The National Teacher turned away.

What, you're letting me go again? Wasn't the last time supposed to be the final one? If you oppose him again this time, you won't get away unscathed. The Deposed Emperor smirked.

The National Teacher said nothing, nor did he stop his steps away.

Jianyu, why bother? Come back to my side; I need you.

My choice won't change; you're no longer my choice. The National Teacher halted his steps but didn't turn back, "The realm of Great Zhou ought to be held by the capable, not fall into the hands of someone like you."

The Deposed Emperor snorted, "To the victor goes the spoils; nothing more to say."

Your defeat will be entirely your own doing.

"I don't want to hear these!" the Deposed Emperor, tired of these lectures, said, "I came to see you today; if you don't agree, you can't escape involvement, unless you immediately tie me up and bring me before him."

He saw the National Teacher neither step forward nor speak, and found it amusing: "You now have no way out; you can only follow me."

"How could that be? The National Teacher has plenty of retreat routes!"

Mu Yuanzhi pushed the door open and entered.

"Zhi'er?!" the Deposed Emperor hadn't expected to see Mu Yuanzhi here.

So now she can freely come and go from the Imperial Observatory without needing to consult Jian Yu?

The daughter he hadn't seen in a long time suddenly appeared before him; his feeling was one of responsibility—she had betrayed him, he ought to hate her enough to have her sliced to pieces, yet he also missed her, the well-behaved daughter he had raised for over ten years was truly talented, so talented as to help outsiders overthrow his realm!

If it weren't for all this nonsense, his daughter would be his important right and left hand, after all, she was the daughter he raised himself.

In the end, it's all Pei Yunxi's fault, that useless good-for-nothing! He made him push away such a good daughter, and now it's too late to regret.

Mu Yuanzhi got goosebumps from disgust at being called "Zhi'er": "Don't call me that, it makes people want to vomit."

"Before, you wouldn't speak to Father Emperor like this."