Chapter 479: About to Die

Pei Shangling decided to go to Juechen Valley first, and went to the Grand General's mansion.

Perhaps this would be their last meeting.

Thinking of this, Pei Shangling felt countless reluctance in his heart.

But if this succeeds, then in her heart he will be special; even if not the most important one, he will be unforgettable.

Pei Shangling smiled.

He arrived at the Grand General's mansion, delivered a visitation card, and waited for their parting.

Mu Yuanzhi originally did not want to see Pei Shangling, she couldn't even be bothered to look at the visitation card, but Pei Shangling had the steward convey that this time he was going to Juechen Valley because he had found a way to cure the Qilin, so Mu Yuanzhi let him enter the mansion.

Gu Rongjin was not there, Pei Shangling felt his luck was exceptionally good; it seemed even Heaven was moved by his feat!

He drank the tea poured by the servant, but his gaze lingered on Mu Yuanzhi as always, reluctant to part.

Mu Yuanzhi felt ill at ease all over under Pei Shangling's gaze.

What's wrong with him today, looking like he's facing a life-and-death parting?

"You said you found a method to cure the Qilin—what is it?" she asked urgently.

"Since I don't know if it will work, I won't say it for now; I'll tell you if it succeeds." Pei Shangling said.

Pretending to be mysterious?

Is he actually bluffing?

But even if it's a bluff, at most it's just tricking her into meeting once; next time he uses such an excuse, she'll kick him out!

Mu Yuanzhi glanced at Pei Shangling again, and instead saw seriousness in his eyes.

Perhaps he just wants to keep her in suspense?

"If I cure the Qilin, A Zhi, can we reconcile as before?" Pei Shangling looked at Mu Yuanzhi full of hope.

Mu Yuanzhi gave a faint smile: "Your Highness, if you cure the Qilin, I will be deeply grateful and wipe the slate clean of the past, but if I say we can reconcile as before, do you think that would be true?"

Pei Shangling asked himself, hand on heart, and indeed it was not.

Between them lay an unbridgeable chasm; once a rift exists, even if repaired it can never be exactly as before.

Pei Shangling gave a self‑mocking laugh in his heart.

But if he paid with his life for this, things would be different, wouldn't they?

He would repay the Qilin with a life for a life from a previous existence; at least half of their former rift could be mended!

Pei Shangling sighed in his heart, rose, and forced a smile: "Even if the chance is minuscule, I will give it my all."

He took a deep look at Mu Yuanzhi, imprinting her image in his mind and heart.

"Wait for my good news."

"Hope there will be."

To say she isn't expecting would be false; as long as there is a sliver of hope, Mu Yuanzhi will be full of anticipation.

After Pei Shangling left, Gu Rongjin returned.

"Fang Hua has been executed, just now at three o'clock noon." Gu Rongjin said, pouring himself a cup of tea, "The steward said Pei Shangling came—what did he say that you actually agreed to see him?"

He asked curiously.

"It's good that she's executed, saves us from nightlong worries." Mu Yuanzhi then felt relieved, "Pei Shangling said he found a way to cure the Qilin, and is now setting off for Juechen Valley; I asked what the method is, but he won't tell me, so I should just wait."

"He could also find a method? Besides, the Symbiotic Gu earlier seemed to be his doing as well." Gu Rongjin, after gulping down a cup of tea, recalled this matter, "Maybe he really has some connections; that would count as him making amends through merit."

Mu Yuanzhi nodded, "How about General Qi? How is he?"

Fang Hua is his own younger sister, after all.

"He really is… how to describe? He actually went to the execution ground and watched Fang Hua's execution with his own eyes." Gu Rongjin found it hard to describe Qi Shihuai; his psychological resilience is truly hard to gauge.

"General Qi sacrificing family for righteousness is truly beyond ordinary people." Mu Yuanzhi greatly admired him.

"His sister… Qi Shian will also go, I suspect Qi Shian also went to the execution ground; those two siblings should reconcile, right?"

Anyway, they're just misunderstandings.

Qi Shihuai is just like that; sometimes he can even put his own life‑or‑death struggle aside, let alone others.

"Hope so."

Gu Rongjin stretched lazily, "I hope Jingcheng won't be in constant uproar over trivial things, so I can live comfortably!"

He wanted to spend each day enjoying the blissful life of a wife, kids, and a warm kang!

"Sure, sure." Mu Yuanzhi walked over and kneaded Gu Rongjin's shoulders, "My husband has been working hard lately; let me treat you!"

Gu Rongjin narrowed his eyes contentedly, "My wife is truly good; later my husband will also give you a rub."

"All right, thank you, Brother Rongjin!"

"Say it again, I love to hear it."

"Brother Rongjin!" This time Mu Yuanzhi did not hold back.

Gu Rongjin enjoyed Mu Yuanzhi's rare first‑class treatment; he felt his recent fatigue vanish, his whole body brimming with energy, as if he had grown younger!

"By the way, I heard His Majesty has selected a marriage for the Second Prince, a relative of the Empress's natal family."

"Oh? Decided that quickly?" Mu Yuanzhi asked again, "And the Third Prince?"

"No, just the Second Prince's marriage has been set." Gu Rongjin said, "But I happen to have heard that His Majesty seems inclined to match Qi Shian with Pei Di."

"Qi Shian is considerably older than Xiao Di, isn't she? Could she like Xiao Di?"

"It's probably not about age; she simply has no place for Pei Di in her eyes."

"It feels like His Majesty is randomly pairing mandarin ducks."

"Haha, this is a desperate grasp at straws."

"Anyway, I see Pei Si and Xiao Di as people who don't easily compromise."

"According to me, most elders just worry needlessly; when fate arrives it arrives—even if the heir concerns the state's foundation, isn't he still young? There's plenty of time."

But I don't think His Majesty is the sort who would force his own wishes on his children. After all, he once went against all opposition just to wait for the Empress's return, and even now he hasn't added a single person to the harem—'Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'

That makes sense.

They chatted on and off like that, letting time flow slowly and the years remain peaceful.

Half a month later, Mu Yuanzhi received a letter from Juechen Valley, sent by the Qilin, which said that Pei Shangling was critically ill.

After carefully reading the Qilin's letter and piecing together everything before, she roughly figured out what was going on.

"What's wrong, little Yuanzhi?" Gu Rongjin saw Mu Yuanzhi's expression as if facing a great enemy, wondering if something had happened to the Qilin.

"Did Pei Shangling go see Fang Hua?"

"Why are you suddenly asking that?"

"I suspect his so-called method of curing the Qilin came from Fang Hua!"

"What happened to the Qilin?!" Gu Rongjin asked anxiously.

Could it be that Pei Shangling messed up the treatment?!

Mu Yuanzhi: "The Qilin is fine, he's recovered; it's Pei Shangling who's dying."

After hearing the first half, Gu Rongjin relaxed; as for the second half...

"Why is Pei Shangling dying so soon?" Gu Rongjin didn't understand.

"Maybe it's Yin Xiu..." Mu Yuanzhi could only think of that.

"Huh?"