Chapter 54

How much internal energy did he give her to save her?

What did Gu Rongjin do? He only knows how to exploit loopholes!

If it weren't for him, she would be in imminent danger!

Mu Yuanzhi seemed not to see Xiao Yichen's anger, leading Hongdou and Linglong away.

No matter what kind of person Gu Rongjin is, at least he has never harmed her.

The chill in Xiao Yichen's eyes grew deeper and deeper, even warm sunlight could not dispel it.

You want to marry Gu Rongjin, huh? He just won't go along with her wish!

Xiao Yichen turned around and headed back to the Eastern Palace.

Pei Shangyan had finished his affairs and was about to go to Weiyang Palace to visit Mu Yuanzhi when he heard palace attendants report that Xiao Yichen had arrived.

"What's got you so angry?"

Seeing Xiao Yichen's whole body emanating a cold light, Pei Shangyan asked, puzzled.

Xiao Yichen said nothing, his gaze signaling Pei Shangyan to dismiss the attendants, then without a word he spread all the evidence he held regarding Gu Rongjin's crimes before Pei Shangyan.

Pei Shangyan sat down, finished reading, and rubbed his brow, saying: "Yichen, your so-called evidence has loopholes."

"I know, which is why Gu Rongjin can continue to roam free." Otherwise he would have already presented it to the emperor and taken Gu Rongjin down!

Pei Shangyan frowned deeply: "Even though there are still many loopholes, at least from what we see now, both the arson and extermination case at the Ministry of Justice's residence and the fire at the arena are inseparable from Gu Rongjin!"

Who would have thought a spoiled young master could hide his abilities so well; the good-for-nothing second-generation heir is just a facade.

"The evidence will eventually be complete, but for now there's nothing we can do about him." Xiao Yichen's cold light in his eyes did not diminish, "He's running free, and soon he'll become a prince consort."

Upon hearing this, Pei Shangyan's eyes also turned cold: "Yuanzhi must absolutely not marry someone like that!"

"I came to see you this time precisely for this matter," Xiao Yichen said.

"This is the marriage Father Emperor promised; a ruler's word is not idle. Without evidence to nail Gu Rongjin, Father Emperor won't withdraw the decree, and it would be hard to explain to the Prince of Pingnan." Pei Shangyan was at a loss.

Xiao Yichen, however, looked into Pei Shangyan's eyes and said seriously: "Things depend on human effort; as long as Yuanzhi doesn't marry him, problem solved?"

"What do you mean...?" Pei Shangyan was a bit confused.

"Make the cooked rice from raw grain." Xiao Yichen curled his lips.

Pei Shangyan's eyes widened, he slammed the table and rose: "Do you know what you're saying?!"

He pointed at Xiao Yichen: "Can you really say such things?"

"Are you trying to let your sister marry a man whose evil is piled high? Perhaps you don't even know the crimes I've uncovered; when the time comes, the emperor will take the opportunity to eradicate the feudal princes and exterminate their nine clans—what would you do then?"

"Besides, a man like him might very well be a psychological deviant; what's the difference between Yuanzhi marrying him and going to hell?"

Xiao Yichen's series of retorts left Pei Shangyan speechless.

Indeed, as Xiao Yichen said, if Yuanzhi marries him she will suffer terribly.

"But among the capital's noble youths, who else is worthy of entrusting a lifetime?" Pei Shangyan ran through the list in his mind and found no suitable candidate.

Perhaps they haven't even been born yet.

Xiao Yichen, however, was not in a hurry to speak; he picked up his teacup and drank tea.

Pei Shangyan, eager to know the answer, kept his gaze fixed on Xiao Yichen.

Isn't the answer right before our eyes?!

No matter how he thought about it, he still felt only Xiao Yichen was worthy of his Yuanzhi!

But the last time he said that to Yuanzhi, she scolded him.

Pei Shangyan sat down, shook his head and sighed: "Actually, I do have a candidate."

"Who?" Xiao Yichen asked, feigning ignorance.

"You!" Pei Shangyan took an annoyed sip of tea, "Even if you don't mind taking two wives, Yuanzhi wouldn't want to be a concubine."

Xiao Yichen's gaze narrowed: "Your Highness the Crown Prince thinks it's better to let Yuanzhi marry Gu Rongjin to look after her feelings?"

"Of course not!" Pei Shangyan slammed the table, "I would never push her into a fire pit, no matter what!"

He gritted his teeth, made up his mind, and said: "Fine, for Yuanzhi's lifelong happiness I'll play the villain; even if she resents me now, she'll surely know later I did it for her good."

Xiao Yichen shared the same thought, and besides, she originally liked him; she's just momentarily confused—don't wait until later to regret it bitterly.

"This matter must not be rushed."

"Let's discuss it at length."

"Oh no, master! The Grand Empress Dowager has fallen ill!"

Mu Yuanzhi sprang to her feet: "Why did she suddenly fall ill?!"

"Although the great-grandmother is old, she has always been healthy and in good spirits; why would she suddenly fall ill?"

Xiao Nianzi shook his head: "I don't know; all the physicians from the Imperial Medical Institute have gone over, and we haven't heard back yet."

"I need to go see." Without delay, Mu Yuanzhi headed straight to the Grand Moon Palace.

Because the Grand Empress Dowager likes quiet, she brought not a single palace attendant.

But when she arrived at the Grand Moon Palace, the attendants were packed in, even more than the host, most of them brought by Pei Yunxi.

Since being slapped a few times by Mu Yuanzhi, she now goes out and in with a basket of maids and eunuchs; if not for the rules, she would love to have guards never leave her side.

Granny Zhang also has no time to estimate anything else; the Grand Empress Dowager is unconscious, and she's sweating profusely from anxiety.

The emperor saw Mu Yuanzhi come and quickly beckoned: "Yuanzhi, come quickly to see your great-grandmother; the physicians say her pulse is strange, as if poisoned, yet they can't find any poisoning symptoms."

The attendants in the Grand Moon Palace were already kneeling on the ground, evidently because the emperor had just reprimanded them.

After all, if the Grand Empress Dowager was poisoned, everyone in the Grand Moon Palace would be suspect.

Mu Yuanzhi nodded, went to take the Grand Empress Dowager's pulse, then examined her lip color, throat, and eyeballs.

"The symptoms resemble those of a gu poison..."

"Gu poison?" The emperor exclaimed in shock.

Who dares to use gu poison inside the palace gates?!

Pei Shangling exclaimed excitedly, "Aren't you amazing at solving gu poison? You solved Third Brother's gu poison in just half a day!"

"Half a day? Sister Zhiyan is too amazing!" A strange color flashed in the depths of Pei Yunxi's eyes.

Mu Yuanzhi naturally did not miss it.

Was it the gu poison placed by Pei Yunxi?

That makes sense; Pei Yunxi is afraid the Grand Empress Dowager will help her!

This woman is truly vicious, she can harm anyone!

"Exactly, little sister Zhiyan, quickly solve the poison for Great-Grandmother!" At that moment, the Fifth Prince, Pei Shangnianye, who had little presence, urged.

Beside him, the Third Prince, Pei Shanghua, coughed embarrassedly, seemingly unwilling for everyone to bring up that matter.

After all, being poisoned by gu after offending someone is nothing glorious.

Mu Yuanzhi glanced at them and said, "Last time, Brother Hua suffered only a mild gu poison, something a young lady played with, which is different from what Great-Grandmother has!"

Pei Shangyan nodded in deep agreement: "Last time, Lao San got gu poison but could still run and jump."