Chapter 437: A Brother Who Appeared Out of Nowhere

"Take care!" Mu Yuanzhi, who had boarded the boat, waved vigorously.

"Take care, Master!" Gu Yutong also waved vigorously.

"Goodbye, Master!" Mu Yumo waved with both little hands.

Although the children's feelings of parting were strong, they were quickly drawn away by new things; on the way back, the scenery outside the carriage quickly shifted their sorrowful emotions.

Inside the carriage, Pei Si said to Mu Yuanzhi sitting opposite: "Things have come to an end; we're all heading back. I don't know if, after this, we, Your Highness and Princess, have become friends through adversity?"

"I don't want to beat around the bush with you, Your Highness—just speak plainly. Since you don't want to contend with Xiao Di for the heir's position, why secretly raise assassins and try to win us over? We're really puzzled."

"Haven't we already talked about this? I simply want to be friends with you; the royal family also needs to consolidate its status and make friends with talented people, right? If Xiao Di is friends with you, as his brother, why can't I be friends with you remarkable people?" Pei Si asked.

Gu Rongjin said: "This time we've received your favor, Your Highness, but what benefit can you gain from us?"

"It seems we still can't be considered friends through adversity? Your questions make us feel distant." Pei Si sighed, "One of you is the future Prince of Pingnan, the other a renowned physician in the capital. To put it bluntly, if I fell ill, thanks to our friendship the Princess would treat me right away, instead of letting me fend for myself like Xiao Chuchu did before. Isn't that a huge benefit?"

"Frankly speaking, you and your assassins, Your Highness, look rather secretive." Mu Yuanzhi said truthfully.

"Everyone has secrets."

"Putting it that way, you seem quite scheming and deceitful." Gu Rongjin said directly.

Pei Si paused, then laughed: "I can't help it; I just look like that."

"Making friends isn't something to force; at least for now, Your Highness, if you have any difficulties that don't involve principle, we'll spare no effort to help." Gu Rongjin said, looking at Mu Yuanzhi: "Right, Xiao Yuanzhi?"

Mu Yuanzhi nodded: "Exactly, whether we're friends isn't just talk; it's about actions. When the time comes, it will happen naturally, without forcing it."

"Indeed, you're right." Pei Si nodded.

"I thought we seemed excessive." Gu Rongjin whispered in Mu Yuanzhi's ear.

Although he truly found it hard to accept Pei Si as one of his own from the bottom of his heart, Pei Si and his group had indeed helped a great deal; without them, he really wouldn't know how things would have turned out this time.

Mu Yuanzhi gave a barely audible hum.

She thought the same.

But who made Pei Si look so scheming?

Although Qi Shihuai was the same, he and Rongjin had known each other for a long time, so they knew each other's backgrounds thoroughly.

All we can say is, leave it to time; time will prove everything.

"But no matter what, we owe a great deal to the Third Prince's help this time! This kindness, we as a couple will never forget!" Gu Rongjin said, clasping his hands.

"Making friends with you is worth it! I hope we can become close soon!" Pei Si also clasped his hands, smiling and nodding.

In front of Pei Si, Cao Cixiu always spoke little, just sitting silently to the side, as if he had no opinion and nothing to say, accepting whatever happened.

Returning to the capital would be in ten days; this time they had taken half of the newly opened waterway, saving considerable time compared to the journey there. This waterway was newly built, greatly facilitating travel for merchants and commoners in the south.

Upon entering the capital, Pei Si returned to the palace, and Cao Cixiu bade farewell to their family.

Their carriage stopped at the gate of the Grand General's Manor, awaiting not only the steward but also the Chief Eunuch who had come from the palace.

What had happened? Was His Majesty summoning them?

But they had only just returned.

"Princess, Prince Consort!" the Chief Eunuch bowed to each, "and also the Young Duke and Young Heir, your servant pays his respects!"

"No need for so many formalities, sir." Gu Rongjin smiled: "What's the matter? Must we trouble you to come in person?"

"It's like this, Prince Consort: you and the Princess have been away from the capital for over two months, and a major event has occurred in the capital!" the Chief Eunuch sighed, looking quite worried.

"What is it?" Mu Yuanzhi intuitively felt it concerned them, otherwise they wouldn't have been waiting here especially.

"It's… someone suddenly appeared, claiming to be your brother, Princess, and an orphan of the Grand General!"

His words left Mu Yuanzhi bewildered.

"Where would I get a brother?!"

She had never heard of such a thing in both her lives!

"Exactly, I'm also puzzled, but that young master resembles the Grand General somewhat, possesses the Grand General's relics, and speaks with certainty; His Majesty has been waiting for your return." the Chief Eunuch sighed again.

Gu Rongjin also looked puzzled: "What relics?"

"The late emperor once bestowed a jade pendant upon the Grand General." the Chief Eunuch said.

"Is it that Three Fish Jade Pendant?" Mu Yuanzhi asked.

"Exactly, that's it!"

"What's going on, Xiao Yuanzhi?" Gu Rongjin asked.

Mu Yuanzhi said: "I'm not sure either; I've only seen it in the storehouse inventory, never the actual object, and when we re‑inventoryed the Grand General's Manor's belongings I didn't see it—I thought it had been lost on the battlefield."

"Sir, what did that person say? How could he be the Grand General's orphan? As everyone knows, the Grand General's wife only ever bore one child; when my wife gave birth, I was away, and the midwife brought out only one baby."

"Surely it can't be another midwife who hid and lost one of the children through deceit? Even if it were possible, he was outside at that moment—how could he lose it? Unless a midwife in the room had hidden the child."

Gu Rongjin tried to recall.

At that time he was also very young; he really couldn't remember how many midwives there were, only knowing everything had descended into chaos, because his mother‑in‑law had suddenly gone into labor, preparing hastily while on the frontier, that day was utter turmoil.

The Chief Eunuch said: "That young master claimed he and the Princess are dragon‑and‑phoenix twins."

"Dragon‑and‑phoenix twins?" Mu Yuanzhi thought, fortunately he wasn't claiming to be born of some outside woman, or else her father would be pointed at.

She naturally believed her father could not be such a person.

Isn't this just like what happened with Pei Yunxi back then? There are so many midwives in the world, and the unreliable ones seem to have all been encountered by them.

Now the Grand General's Manor is no longer what it was; the title of Grand General is no longer hereditary, so impersonating brings no benefit.

Could it be to gain favor with her and the Prince of Pingnan's Manor?

For some reason, Mu Yuanzhi doesn't believe at all in this brother who appeared out of nowhere.