Chapter 82

Her gaze clearly showed she was worried about Gu Rongjin; does she really like him that much?!

Mu Yuanzhi: "He hasn't been convicted yet, Senior Grand Secretary Xiao, you'd better not speak too confidently."

"Not convicted yet?" Xiao Yichen gave a cold laugh. "The entire family of the Jiangnan Longxi Wang heir was massacred the day before yesterday—do you know who I saw at the scene?"

A hint of complexity crossed Mu Yuanzhi's brow: "I don't understand what you mean."

"I tailed Gu Rongjin all the way, lost him at the Longxi Wang heir's residence, and his hairpin fell there." Xiao Yichen spoke, enunciating each word clearly.

Their eyes met, and Mu Yuanzhi's gaze dimmed slightly.

The Minister of Justice is the mastermind behind the arena; surely this Longxi Wang heir is no good person either.

She instinctively thought so.

But did Gu Rongjin really do it?

Mu Yuanzhi couldn't even say what she herself thought; he indeed had many secrets and was indeed hiding many things.

He urged her to trust him—but trust him about what? That he didn't kill and set fires, or that everyone he killed deserved it?

Mu Yuanzhi stared at the hairpin Xiao Yichen produced, her eyes widening suddenly.

That's it!

The faint light she saw in her brush with death was exactly that!

Mu Yuanzhi was certain.

Although she had indirectly learned the answer from the National Teacher, confirming it still made Mu Yuanzhi's heart race.

He was the one who saved her!

"Yuanzhi, I know you're upset, but this is the fact." Xiao Yichen lowered his eyes, his expression softening a bit.

He couldn't bear to see her so troubled.

Xiao Yichen stepped forward; Mu Yuanzhi's dark, lustrous eyes turned to him, then she took a step back.

That move stirred Xiao Yichen's annoyance again; he matched her step for step, pursuing relentlessly, while she kept stepping back, unable to escape.

"Senior Grand Secretary!"

At that moment, the raiding party arrived in dribs and drabs to report to Xiao Yichen, breaking the strange atmosphere.

Xiao Yichen displeased: "Speak!"

"Nothing found in the east courtyard!"

"Nothing found in the west courtyard!"

Those who searched the south and north courtyards gave the same answer.

A flicker of anger flashed in Xiao Yichen's eyes, and everyone immediately lowered their heads.

The Pingnan Wangfu was in utter chaos, yet his team came and found neither people nor anything useful!

Hearing this, Mu Yuanzhi breathed a sigh of relief; no matter what, things had at least not taken a turn for the worst.

"Did you find anything?!"

Pei Shangling burst in, having rushed over as soon as he got the news.

"Why are you here too?" he asked, seeing Mu Yuanzhi present, displeased.

Mu Yuanzhi: "You want to arrest my future husband—why can't I be here?"

"Do you even know what you're saying?!" Pei Shangling exclaimed, exasperated. "Do you know what crime Gu Rongjin is accused of? And you're still rushing to defend him?"

Or are you just afraid of being implicated yourself?

"Can you convict him based solely on Xiao Yichen's one-sided testimony and a single hairpin? That's rather childish." A flicker of disdain passed through Mu Yuanzhi's eyes.

Pei Shangling thought Mu Yuanzhi had gone mad: "Then tell me—where has Gu Rongjin fled to, fearing punishment? Even the household servants here have vanished."

"He naturally has his reasons for doing this; as his fiancée, I need only trust him." Mu Yuanzhi's gaze was firm, yet her heart was in utter confusion.

Everything happened suddenly, and he hadn't told her anything; she truly didn't know what to do.

No matter what position she took, she would protect him—especially considering all his kindness toward her, she ought to protect him.

Recalling his odd behavior on the day of the trial wedding attire, Mu Yuanzhi felt everything now made sense—he had already anticipated this!

Why didn't he tell her?

Was he afraid she'd worry, or did he not trust her? Or perhaps some other reason?

Xiao Yichen's expression stiffened, his features suddenly covered in a layer of ice, his tone grim: "Fine then—since that's the case, I can only ask the future consort to return to the Grand Secretariat for investigation."

"Exactly—if you're so eager to go to jail, spend a few days there to clear your head!" Pei Shangling said, vexed.

He had been looking out for her all along, trying to get her out of this, yet she rushed forward, insisting on throwing herself at Gu Rongjin!

Then she'll just have to suffer a bit to calm down!

"On what authority?" Mu Yuanzhi's aura flared: "You're merely a Senior Grand Secretary, a lowly official—do you dare to seize me?"

"Since the Princess herself admits she's the fiancée of a suspect, I can naturally detain you for interrogation according to regulations." Xiao Yichen's gaze grew colder; he gestured: "Come, take her down!"

Although these people were brought by Xiao Yichen, the detainee was a Princess, so they dared not act rashly and turned their gazes to Pei Shangling.

Pei Shangling, full of righteous vigor, glared at the hesitant soldiers: "What are you waiting for? Seize her! I'll take responsibility for any issues!"

With those words, everyone found courage, stepped forward, and seized Mu Yuanzhi.

"Let me go! You're rebelling!" Mu Yuanzhi struggled, but to no avail.

She never imagined Xiao Yichen would abuse his authority to lock her away.

Although the Grand Secretariat's prison isn't as dreadful as the Imperial Court of Justice, it shouldn't be much better.

Must she be locked up in that dreadful place again?

Just thinking of that lightless dungeon, Mu Yuanzhi instinctively felt fear.

Xiao Yichen's face overlapped with the visage from his past life when he came to execute her, turning ferocious.

Seeing fear flash in her eyes, he felt his heart soften involuntarily.

As long as she speaks up and yields, he will withdraw his order.

Just as before, call him Chen‑gege, plead with him, and he will agree.

But after waiting a moment, Mu Yuanzhi still held her neck stiff, refusing to beg for mercy; his face also turned cold and hard, he barked: "Take her away!"

"Wait!"

A stern voice rang out; everyone turned toward the sound, and it was Prince Pingnan!

He saw the Prince Pingnan, clad head to toe in armor, actually leading troops over!

The atmosphere instantly grew solemn.

Pei Shangling gasped; Prince Pingnan had actually brought troops into the capital?!

What are the gate guards doing? What are the troops stationed in the suburbs doing? Not a single person came to report!

And where did Prince Pingnan's troops come from? At a glance, there are no fewer than a thousand, maybe eight hundred!

Father Emperor meant to clip the fiefdoms; all the princes' military authority had been taken back, leaving only the palace troops? He had privately recruited troops?!

Xiao Yichen, seeing this, dared not act rashly; he didn't know how many troops Prince Pingnan had brought into the capital, whether he had allied with other princes, or whether he was colluding inside and out with Gu Rongjin, preparing to force the palace.

It seemed as if he didn't notice the tense atmosphere, Prince Pingnan smiled at Mu Yuanzhi: "Daughter-in-law, you've worked hard at home."

He had just finished laughing when his expression instantly turned stern, he angrily shouted at the soldiers flanking Mu Yuanzhi: "What are you doing detaining my daughter-in-law? Do you have a death wish?!"