Chapter 51

The sight of this family of three embracing each other, weeping bitterly as if they had suffered a great persecution, made Mu Yuanzhi want to laugh.

Pei Yunxi and Pei Shangling are also foolish; if Pei Shangling hadn't rushed out, Consort De wouldn't have willingly confessed, and now the matter of punishing Consort De is set in stone.

The Grand Empress Dowager did not comply with their wish, saying: "Faults must be punished; the palace has always been clear about rewards and punishments. If we don't punish Consort De, others will follow suit, and the palace gates will fall into chaos, Your Majesty, don't you agree?"

"Grandmother is right." The Emperor had no choice but to agree.

One hammer strike settles it; there's no room for turning back.

Consort De could only accept punishment with tears in her eyes; she clung tightly to Pei Yunxi, never before had she understood the greatness of being a mother as she does now; she protected her child, and even if she suffered countless calamities she would not regret it, nor would she retreat.

The Grand Empress Dowager was finally satisfied; she didn't even glance at Consort De and the others: "I am also tired; I won't bother you any further."

"Grandson, shall I see you back?" the Emperor said.

The Grand Empress Dowager smiled and shook her head, taking Mu Yuanzhi's hand: "Yuanzhi, seeing me off is enough; Emperor, you have myriad affairs to attend to, so you needn't worry about this old lady."

The Emperor nodded: "Good, Yuanzhi, you see your great-grandmother back; later I will have the Imperial Medical Institute send a physician to re-examine you and take your pulse."

"Please rest assured, Father Emperor." Mu Yuanzhi slightly bowed her head to the Emperor and replied lightly.

The Emperor's gaze fell upon the blood-clotted bandage on Mu Yuanzhi's head; he wanted to say something, but in the end it remained unspoken, and he said nothing.

Mu Yuanzhi and Granny Zhang supported the Grand Empress Dowager on either side as they left Xuanshi Hall; before stepping out, she could still hear the sounds of Consort De being caned—the board sounded as if it were being struck with great force, yet Consort De did not utter a single cry.

Is Consort De naturally able to endure pain? Probably not; it's likely the one administering the caning is just going through the motions—certainly at the Emperor's behest.

She had undergone caning before; Consort De personally struck her, and the board falling on her body would make even the most tolerant person unable to help crying out in pain—after all, a few strikes will split the skin and flesh of even the toughest person, drawing blood is common, and for the frail it could even be fatal.

Mu Yuanzhi composed her expression, no longer dwelling on past-life matters.

No matter how they act, after twelve strokes Consort De will likely need to lie down for several days to recover.

Behind her, Pei Yunxi's malicious gaze never ceased.

Mu Yuanzhi truly won unanimous acclaim today!

Pei Yunxi thought resentfully, she really underestimated the Grand Empress Dowager's affection for Mu Yuanzhi.

This old lady who's about to pass away doesn't know what bewitching drug she's been fed by Mu Yuanzhi, being coaxed into spinning around, she personally came out to back Mu Yuanzhi up!

One leads to two; if the Grand Empress Dowager's frequent outings to the Grand Moon Palace become routine, that would be greatly disadvantageous for her.

She must find a way to make this old lady shut up and lie down.

"Xi'er..."

"Mother Consort!" Pei Yunxi heard Consort De's call, gathered his thoughts, and went over heartbroken to help her up.

Pei Shangling, who had been firmly holding up the guard who was administering the beating, saw that the guard had finally finished striking; he then gave a fierce glare and helped his mother consort up.

If the beating were severe, he would certainly not let these people get off easy!

"Mother Consort, you needn't worry; my sleeping quarters have a wound medicine more potent than that of the Imperial Medical Institute, it's—" He trailed off mid-sentence.

That bottle of wound medicine was specially made by Mu Yuanzhi; it's better than the Imperial Medical Institute's. She made many bottles, but she herself was reluctant to use them, giving them all to those few brothers.

She used to be so good, so obedient—how did she end up like this?!

Jealousy is truly terrifying; it's all because her wicked heart cannot tolerate her younger sister, causing the situation to become what it is now—even the mother consort who raised her for years, Mu Yuanzhi can be so heartless as to hurt her!

Pei Shangling clenched his fists and said to Consort De: "Mother Consort, return to your quarters first; I'll be right back."

"Mm." Consort De nodded in relief.

In the end, the child must still be one's own biological offspring.

Pei Shangling returned to his quarters to fetch the wound medicine, about to head to Consort De's palace, when he saw several Imperial Medical Institute physicians hurrying toward Weiyang Palace; he stepped forward and stopped them.

"Just a minor bump; why mobilize so many Imperial Medical Institute physicians? Are you all idle with nothing to do?"

Facing the scrutinizing Fourth Prince, one Imperial Medical Institute physician stepped forward: "Your Highness Fourth Prince may not know, Princess Mu Yuanzhi's forehead wound is very severe, deep and wide, and she nearly suffered a concussion; if not for Premier Xiao's timely infusion of internal energy, it would have been very difficult."

"Really that severe?" Pei Shangling doubted, suspecting that the Imperial Medical Institute physician had been bribed by Mu Yuanzhi.

"Indeed, I am not exaggerating to frighten the Fourth Prince; a strong external blow to the head is no trivial matter, and given that Princess Mu Yuanzhi frequently sustains injuries upon entering, having just recovered from poisoning, her body is very weak." The Imperial Medical Institute physician's eyes were full of concern.

That serious? Yet he sees her jumping about lively!

Since he went to Weiyang Palace together with the Imperial Medical Institute physicians, if they can enter, he naturally can as well; the people of Weiyang Palace cannot find a reason to stop him.

Mu Yuanzhi treated Pei Shangling as unpleasant air, leaving him hanging there.

Pei Shangling held his breath, staring unblinkingly as the Imperial Medical Institute physician changed Mu Yuanzhi's bandage and treated her wound; when the bandage was lifted, his pupils contracted sharply.

Pei Shangling held his breath, eyes fixed on the imperial physician changing Mu Yuanzhi's bandages and treating the wound; when the bandage was lifted, his pupils shrank sharply.

Is it the visual impact of the coagulated blood? Certainly; where could there be such a gruesome wound yet still allow walking and movement?

He unwillingly waited for the Imperial Medical Institute physician to clean Mu Yuanzhi's wound.

Mu Yuanzhi clenched her lips but still couldn't hold back a faint whimper of pain; she gripped the palm of her hand so hard that veins bulged.

The coagulated blood traces were cleaned away one by one, revealing a wound even more horrifying; Pei Shangling sucked in a breath of cold air.

He could hardly imagine how painful such a wound would be…

His first reaction was that it's amazing she's still alive after such a severe injury!

Pei Shangling averted his gaze, not wanting to look anymore; he sat silently, motionless, not knowing what he was thinking.

Even after the Imperial Medical Institute physicians finished re-examining Mu Yuanzhi and left, he still had no intention of leaving.

Mu Yuanzhi, rubbing her temples, bluntly asked: "Fourth Prince, is there anything else?"

Here we go again, calling him Fourth Prince; every time she addresses him sarcastically as Fourth Prince he gets furious— isn't he here to care for her? And now she's supposed to get angry too?

"I came to visit you, and this is your attitude?"

"Your Highness Fourth Prince, the master cannot be stimulated right now!" Xiao Yunzi stepped forward first to shield Mu Yuanzhi behind him.

The other three also rushed forward to block him.

"Stimulated? Did I stimulate her?" Pei Shangling widened his eyes, feeling completely blameless.

"Your very presence before me is a stimulation to me." Mu Yuanzhi said expressionlessly.

"Your appearance before me is a stimulation to me." Mu Yuanzhi said expressionlessly.

Good! Very good!