Chapter 64

Pei Yunxi especially resented Pei Shangling in her heart.

Well, this backfired!

But in Father Emperor's eyes, she should have earned some points, after all she showed such concern for that old lady.

"Father Emperor, I'm sorry, this prescription is useless." Pei Yunxi lowered her head, fidgeting with her handkerchief, looking remorseful.

The Emperor was about to comfort her when a voice rang out: "It's not that the prescription is useless; it's you thieves who stole the prescription who don't know how to use it!"

Everyone turned around and saw Mu Yuanzhi leading Gu Rongjin and an unfamiliar person into the Grand Moon Palace.

The Emperor immediately darkened his face: "Yuanzhi, don't you know your great-grandmother likes tranquility? Why bring idle people here?"

Upon seeing the Qilin, Pei Shangling's barely calmed fury flared up again.

This damned brat dares to show up before him!

The Qilin did not consider himself an idle person, so the Emperor's words elicited no reaction from him; he mirrored the bows of Gu Rongjin and Mu Yuanzhi, and toward the Emperor himself he felt no fear.

"Father Emperor, don't rush, my junior brother Qilin is the one who wrote this prescription, and only he can dispel the gu poison from your great-grandmother." Mu Yuanzhi replied calmly.

Upon hearing that, the Emperor turned his gaze to the boy called Qilin and said: "But your great-grandmother showed no improvement after taking it; I suppose your junior brother's skills are still lacking."

"Your Majesty, that's mistaken; dispelling gu poison is not that easy—I must do it myself, it's not something just anyone who steals the prescription can claim credit for." Qilin gave Pei Shangling a mocking glance.

Pei Shangling was furious; this damned brat was really playing the pig to eat the tiger, earlier acting cute and obedient to brothers before and after, now revealing his fox's tail?

Just like Mu Yuanzhi, another white-eyed wolf!

The Emperor heard them repeatedly say "steal," turned his gaze to Pei Shangling and Pei Yunxi, and asked: "What's going on?"

Pei Yunxi felt terribly wronged; how would she know what's going on!

It's all because of Pei Shangling's pig-headedness that we're ruined!

She looked anxiously at Pei Shangling: "Ling-gege, say something!"

Pei Shangling temporarily set aside his anger and replied: "Father Emperor, this is all a misunderstanding, I..."

For a moment he couldn't think of any excuse.

The Emperor waved his hand: "Saving lives comes first."

Qilin stepped forward, and Mu Yuanzhi also stepped forward, intentionally or not blocking Pei Shangling to prevent him from harming Qilin.

Pei Shangling certainly understood Mu Yuanzhi's gesture, and he was extremely angry.

Is Mu Yuanzhi afraid he'll eat people? She treasures this cheap junior brother so much!

Granny Zhang saw that the people were brought by Mu Yuanzhi and instantly felt hopeful.

Perhaps the Grand Empress Dowager can really be saved this time!

The Emperor and the imperial physicians surrounding the Grand Empress Dowager's sickbed shifted aside to make room for Qilin.

The chamber was very quiet, only the sound of Qilin tapping acupoints on the patient.

The Emperor was very tense, his eyes fixed on Qilin.

Pei Shangling prayed in his heart that it would be useless—not that he didn't want his great-grandmother to be well, but if this damned brat succeeded, he'd have no way to defend himself!

Not only him, but it would also implicate his little sister, which is what he least wants to see.

"If my medicine encounters blocked meridians, it won't work; the Grand Empress Dowager has had gu poison for some time, and many of her meridians are obstructed." After tapping the acupoints, Qilin glanced at Pei Shangling with pride.

Pei Shangling snorted coldly: "So many imperial physicians couldn't detect that the great-grandmother's meridians are blocked."

"That's because their skills are lacking." Qilin didn't fear offending anyone, even with an imperial physician still present.

He continued, one hand prying open the Grand Empress Dowager's mouth, the other placed on her abdomen; shortly, it seemed as if a qi was pushing something upward, and swiftly he seized the thing that leapt up from her throat!

So fast that no one could see what it was, Qilin pinched it and stuffed it into his gourd; aside from a wisp of black vapor, the gourd remained still and silent.

Is this... gu?

Aside from Mu Yuanzhi, everyone wondered.

Pei Shangling had previously seen Mu Yuanzhi resolve the poison, which died and dissolved from the corner of Gu Shanghua's mouth; this living poison was the first he'd ever seen.

Still uneasy, he glanced at the gourd hanging from Qilin.

"The mistress has awakened!" Granny Zhang was the first to notice the Grand Empress Dowager's eyelids twitch.

Everyone else hurried over to look.

"She really woke up!" Maiden Shu'er wept with joy.

Only see the Grand Empress Dowager slowly open her eyes, looking somewhat dazedly around.

The Emperor happily asked: "Grandmother, how do you feel?"

However, the Grand Empress Dowager turned her eyes toward them, opened her mouth, and could only utter a meaningless "ah" from her throat.

"What's happening?" The Emperor suddenly grabbed Qilin's hand tightly.

Qilin wanted to shake it off in his haste, but Mu Yuanzhi promptly pressed his arm; he understood, remained still, and replied patiently: "It's likely the aftereffects of the gu poison; for now, the Grand Empress Dowager cannot move about freely and needs time to recover."

Upon hearing his words, the Emperor released his grip, turned to comfort the Grand Empress Dowager: "Grandmother, don't worry; the physician said you need to recover slowly; if you have anything to say, have Granny Zhang write it down."

The weak Grand Empress Dowager nodded with difficulty, she reached out toward Mu Yuanzhi, who promptly shoved aside the bothersome Pei Yunxi and took the Grand Empress Dowager's hand.

"Great-grandmother, don't worry about me; I'm fine."

The Grand Empress Dowager's eyes flickered, as if she had much to say but couldn't; Granny Zhang had already offered paper and brush, but she pushed them away, wrote nothing, and lay down, closing her eyes.

The meaning was clear—she wanted to rest.

Pei Yunxi saw this and smirked inwardly.

Seeing the old lady on the verge of death, even if she woke up it would be useless; she shouldn't interfere with anything.

The Emperor rose, gestured for them to leave, and left himself.

"Everyone, come to Xuanshi Hall."

Pei Shangling's heart leapt up; he glared hatefully at Qilin, then finally let his gaze fall on Mu Yuanzhi before withdrawing it.

Upon arriving at Xuanshi Hall, the Emperor first questioned Pei Shangling, asking him to explain what had happened today.

「Father Emperor, this is a misunderstanding; I, your subject, am anxious to save my great-grandmother, so I came a step earlier. 」 Pei Shangling said.

Mu Yuanzhi chuckled: "Really? Then why didn't you mention anything about me and the Qilin before?"

「I... 」

「You say this is the prescription that little sister painstakingly retrieved, but my junior martial brother doesn't even know her? 」 Mu Yuanzhi looked at them with an amused expression.

She wanted to see what excuse they could come up with.

「Little sister and I split up; I made contact with the Qilin first, so it's normal that he doesn't know little sister. 」