Chapter 449: with translation of chapter title

Mu Yuanzhi: "...... I have been convinced by you......"

"Forget it, stop researching that tasteless Grand Princess. Speaking of Moucheng, he's been hanging out in the marketplaces lately, doing many good deeds, and he's highly regarded by the common people." Pei Di said.

"How genuine are these good deeds? Aren't you just hiring thugs to beat people up and then rescuing them yourself?" Gu Rongjin mocked.

Pei Di: "It's about the same; I've looked at the official records filed at the magistrate's office, and it's basically acts of righteous courage."

Mu Yuanzhi: "No wonder you don't come back until late after leaving before dawn; you've been currying favor with yourself all day."

"This can't go on; we need to think of a way to give him a big fall." Pei Di said.

"No rush; he still holds the title of Eldest Son of the Grand General's mansion. When the truth comes to light, exposing his true nature all at once will have double the effect." Gu Rongjin smiled, victory in hand.

His surveillance has certainly kept a close watch on Moucheng's movements.

Back in Huangli State, Moucheng could erase traces of his past life, but here in Dazhou, under his very nose, can such a petty troublemaker still stir up a storm?

Pei Di bade farewell to Mu Yuanzhi and Gu Rongjin, and upon returning to the palace, he saw the Chief Eunuch emerge from the Pepper Chamber Hall, asking, "What happened, sir?"

"Crown Prince, your return is perfectly timed! Today the Empress rarely went out to relax, but she encountered a reckless bandit! Fortunately, Young Master Mu arrived in time; otherwise the consequences would be unthinkable!" The Chief Eunuch clasped his hands and bowed to heaven: "Thanks to heaven's blessing!"

Upon hearing this, Pei Di hurriedly asked, "How is the Empress? Is she injured anywhere?"

"Please rest assured, Your Highness, the Empress only suffered a slight fright and is now fine; the Imperial Physician has already attended to her." The Chief Eunuch comforted Pei Di.

Pei Di then relaxed, but a surge of anger welled up in his heart.

That Moucheng actually dared to set his sights on the Empress—unforgivable!

Pei Di rushed in with big strides and called out, "Empress!"

"Di'er!" the Empress waved at Pei Di.

Pei Si was also there; he smiled at Pei Di and said, "Old Four has arrived, your Second Brother just left."

"Third Brother."

Pei Di glanced at Pei Si, then hurried to the Empress, took his mother's hand, and asked, "Empress, you're not hurt, are you?"

"It's fine, just a scare, thanks to Young Master Mu." The Empress comfortingly patted her son's hand, saying, "He stepped in to help at the critical moment."

Hearing his mother say she's fine with his own ears, Pei Di finally put his mind at ease.

But hearing his mother say that, is she not at all suspicious of Moucheng?

Indeed, his mother is so kind that she wouldn't think Moucheng could be such a person.

Pei Di didn't let the topic drop; instead, he asked his mother if she had drunk any Calming Shock Tea, shifting the conversation.

"She has drunk it; it was personally brewed by your Third Brother." Saying this, the Empress's smile grew wider.

"Your Third Brother brewed it?" Pei Di was a bit surprised.

Before, this Third Brother of his was lukewarm toward their mother, constantly making him furious, as if he weren't her own son.

Now how does he know to be filial?

"I often brew medicinal soups for the Empress; Fourth Brother probably hears in one ear and out the other, not taking it to heart, which is why he's surprised." Pei Si laughed.

"Si'er, you shouldn't always talk like that, or your younger brother will misunderstand you." The Empress frowned.

Pei Si raised his eyebrows noncommittally.

Pei Di then recalled that his mother had indeed often said that, but he felt she was speaking up for the Third Brother again, afraid they'd fall out, since he had never seen the Third Brother show concern for their mother—even when she was ill, he never saw him with a worried face, always appearing inscrutable.

So is he just seeing things too superficially?

Indeed, if it weren't for the Imperial Tomb incident, he would also think his mother was making excuses for the Third Brother, rather than believing the Third Brother truly cared for her.

"Empress, it's this late; the son should be leaving." Pei Si rose to his feet.

"Hmm, you should head back too; you have plenty to do, don't forget to rest early." The Empress laughed.

"Empress, the son will see the Third Brother off."

Upon hearing this, the Empress was very pleased: "All right, go ahead."

Leaving the bedchamber gate, Pei Di asked Pei Si, "What do you think about the Empress's matter?"

Whenever this matter is brought up, he gets agitated, clenching his palm.

"Please stay calm." Pei Si smiled, curling his lips, "Let the little fish swim for a while."

Just like Gu Rongjin's thinking, before exposing Moucheng's false identity, we must not act rashly.

"I'm leaving."

"Wait a moment!" Pei Di called out to Pei Si, "Why won't you let Miss Mu treat your eyes?"

He didn't understand.

He originally thought that Pei Si's myriad efforts to get close to Miss Mu were motivated by a desire to cure his own eyes.

"This eye of mine, not curing it has its own uses." Pei Si, as always, spoke words that left people bewildered.

"What use? Can your damaged eye still see what others cannot?" Pei Di scoffed.

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand; don't worry about your older brother's affairs." Pei Si patted Pei Di on the shoulder.

"Who's worrying about you? I'm just curious." Pei Di pursed his lips, refusing to admit he was concerned about Pei Si.

Watching Pei Si's retreating back, he recalled the time he learned of Pei Si's right eye injury—it was the first time he set aside his prejudices to care for Pei Si, and Pei Si was the same; after that, he never concerned himself with Pei Si's affairs again.

Forget it; he doesn't even care that he's half-blind—what does he care about then?

Gu Rongjin, who shares Pei Di's view, couldn't figure out how to break the blood-drip kinship verification, and somehow the conversation turned to Pei Si; he asked Mu Yuanzhi, "Little Yuanzhi, why have you never thought that Pei Si clinging to us is because he wants you to treat his eyes?"

"Do you think he cares?" Mu Yuanzhi countered.

"He probably does; his eye patch looks pretty good, doesn't it? Plus it has a pattern."

He had previously misled him.

"As for the eye ailment I mentioned, he seems indifferent—how could he go to such lengths?" Mu Yuanzhi said.

"Then what benefits has he not gained now, and what is he after?"

Mu Yuanzhi: "Surely there is a reason, perhaps there is something more important than treating his eyes."

"Yeah, that's right, Pei Si doesn't look like someone who would obsess over his own blinded eye, and having only one eye hasn't hindered him at all; I often even suspect whether that eye is actually damaged, and whether the blindfold can see through." Gu Rongjin said, letting his imagination run wild.

"I'm now more concerned about the affairs of Admire Tea City; how can we make people believe that blood-drip kinship testing cannot prove blood relation?"

"Princess! Prince Consort!"

The servant outside reported: "The Vice Director of the Directorate of Astronomy requests an audience."

"……Why do people from the Directorate of Astronomy always like to come summon people at night?" Gu Rongjin was speechless.

It's been like that since Xiao Yang's time.