Chapter 58: Arousing His Conquering Desire

Upon hearing that, Pei Shangling's pent-up anger finally dissipated a little; he curled his lips: "Well done."

Even if this brat could lift his great-grandmother's poison right now, he had no intention of letting him go so soon.

Mu Yuanzhi was so anxious, yet he deliberately hid this brat, making her unable to find him anywhere.

At this moment, Mu Yuanzhi was circling the vicinity of the tavern, looking for someone.

"Your Highness!"

Someone called out to her; Mu Yuanzhi turned around—it was a strange man who didn't look like an ordinary person.

"Are you looking for your junior disciple, Your Highness?" the man asked respectfully.

"Who are you?" Mu Yuanzhi asked warily.

How could he know? Had he overheard it in the tavern? But she had never said the Qilin was her junior disciple!

Or had he eavesdropped on the conversation between the Qilin and Pei Shangling?

The man produced a jade pendant: "This is Young Master Jin's jade pendant; Your Highness, do you recognize it?"

Mu Yuanzhi recognized it.

"Did Young Master Jin send you?" If it were Gu Rongjin, that fellow had vast connections—it wouldn't be strange for him to have news of the Qilin!

"Exactly, Young Master Jin is with your junior disciple; he sent his subordinate to escort the Princess over, as he cannot come himself." The man made a gesturing invitation.

Mu Yuanzhi was overjoyed: "Lead the way!"

The man respectfully walked ahead, guiding Mu Yuanzhi along the main road.

The bustling thoroughfare teemed with people; at the other end, Gu Rongjin was feeling bored when suddenly he reached out and touched his waist.

Where is the jade pendant?

Strange, where did his jade pendant go?

Gu Rongjin always wore it when going out; today, before leaving, he had specially checked his attire—it couldn't have been left at home.

Moreover, the cord he used to hang the pendant was tied in an intricate knot; a petty thief could hardly have undone it to steal it.

The only possibility is that an expert approached him and, caught off guard, he was relieved of it…

But he is always vigilant; it's impossible for someone to get close without him noticing.

Gu Rongjin thought it over and could only conclude that it was just now, when the Crown Prince and Xiao Yichen inexplicably intercepted him, spouting some nonsensical, pointless remarks.

What did those two want with the jade pendant?

To frame him?

Humph, but to think they could frame him with just a jade pendant—how utterly they underestimate him!

Gu Rongjin coldly curled his lip.

Should he first cause trouble at the Eastern Palace or first turn against the Prime Minister's Residence?

After mentally marshaling his forces, Gu Rongjin, following heavenly will, headed first to the Prime Minister's Residence!

At that moment, at the other end of the main road, Mu Yuanzhi followed the man to a villa; the man pushed open the door: "Your Highness, this subordinate is not fit to enter; please go in."

Mu Yuanzhi, unsuspecting, stepped inside.

However, the instant she entered, the sound of a lock clicking came from the closing gate!

Almost simultaneously, Mu Yuanzhi turned and pounded on the door: "What's happening? Open the door!"

Those outside either left or wouldn't answer her; in any case, there was no sound.

She had just finished shouting when she realized she needed to hold her breath.

Suddenly finding herself in an unfamiliar, dangerous place, she should not breathe, lest she inhale some toxic gas.

But it was already too late, for she had already sensed a pungent odor!

Mu Yuanzhi's eyes shut, and she collapsed to the ground.

From the shadows of the villa emerged a tall, slender figure; he gazed at the unconscious Mu Yuanzhi and slowly approached.

"Yuanzhi." Xiao Yichen crouched, his hand lightly lifting Mu Yuanzhi's fallen strands, tucking them behind her ear, somewhat entranced as he traced her outline with his fingers.

So quiet.

She had never been this obedient, sleeping so peacefully.

Either she would cling to him noisily, or she would coldly reject him from afar.

"Yuanzhi, I'm doing this for your own good; don't blame me." Xiao Yichen murmured.

He didn't want to do this either, but he truly had no alternative.

He could not bear to watch her marry Gu Rongjin and fall into a pit of fire.

Gu Rongjin is a demon!

Xiao Yichen's eyes instantly filled with chill.

Just thinking that he would deceive her in Gu Rongjin's name made him feel stifled.

She actually, upon hearing the name Gu Rongjin, blindly followed a stranger without a shred of doubt.

"Why are you so unprepared against Gu Rongjin?"

They had coincidentally overheard Pei Shangling and the man called Qilin chatting in the tavern; the Crown Prince said today was the perfect opportunity, to use her junior disciple as bait and, in Xiao Yichen's name, lure him into the trap—it would surely be flawless—yet why was he so unwilling?

There was no exhilarating sense of victory.

Xiao Yichen's hand reached Mu Yuanzhi's collar, gently lifting the outer layer of gauze; her fair skin immediately appeared and disappeared, as if inviting him to taste it.

With her eyes tightly shut, Mu Yuanzhi seemed unaware of the approaching danger; her long lashes still lay still.

Xiao Yichen's throat rolled as he leaned down—

"Because you're all despicable scoundrels!" Mu Yuanzhi snapped her eyes open, sprang up, and, taking advantage of Xiao Yichen's lack of guard, swiftly snatched the hairpin from her head and thrust it at his neck.

Xiao Yichen indeed hadn't expected Mu Yuanzhi to still be able to move; he exclaimed in disbelief: "You weren't affected by the bewitching incense?"

"Indeed, you're a lowly lot!" Mu Yuanzhi scoffed, "I've been testing medicines for my great-grandmother, taking all sorts of drugs; one of them is an antidote to the bewitching incense, effective for three days—didn't expect that, did you?"

"You call me lowly scum?!" Xiao Yichen's chest heaved, his aura instantly turned cold, and even the whole villa dropped several degrees.

Mu Yuanzhi showed no fear of the chill he emitted, gave a mocking smile: "Using an amorous fragrance—how could that be the conduct of a gentleman?"

To devote herself fully to dealing with Xiao Yichen, Mu Yuanzhi couldn't spare the effort to tidy her clothes; the exposed upper garment perfectly confirmed Xiao Yichen's despicable behavior.

Xiao Yichen, however, laughed; he seemed not to take Mu Yuanzhi's threatening hairpin to heart, and simply stood up. Sensing his move, Mu Yuanzhi's heart hardened, and she thrust down hard!

Blood instantly surged out!

Both of them widened their eyes.

Mu Yuanzhi's first stab at a person was not to save someone; after the fierce force passed, there was a moment of panic, but she immediately recalled his resoluteness in her past life and her own situation just now; even if she killed him, heaven would not blame her!

Xiao Yichen never expected she would really stab his neck, with the major artery right there—did she really want him dead?!

"Mu Yuanzhi!"

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yichen countered, chopping down hard on her wrist with a knife-hand, then ruthlessly pulling Mu Yuanzhi into his embrace to imprison her.

"Let go of me!" The only weapon in her hand, the hairpin, had been shaken to the ground, reducing her chances even further.

She lifted her head to meet the furious handsome face before her.

Although she was terrified to death, she stubbornly glared at him; as Xiao Yichen's anger rose, he unconsciously found her defiance all the more arousing his desire to conquer.