Chapter 90: Isn't it that you, Princess, really want to marry me?

The National Teacher raised his head to look at the horizon, where there were no clouds for thousands of miles, and an eagle soared.

"As a subject, one should consider the state; no reason is needed."

"What a grand righteousness, but the emperor hasn't issued an order; Gu Rongjin's actions are entirely his own will—does that not count as treason to you?"

"The state I just mentioned." The National Teacher repeated.

State before ruler?

Mu Yuanzhi had never realized before that the National Teacher was actually such a person.

"Gu Rongjin kills and sets fires—do you think he's preserving stability of the state?" Mu Yuanzhi didn't know whether she was asking the National Teacher or herself.

"The Frost Descent mechanism is originally like this—killing those they deem should die, those who disturb the state's stability; the Minister of Punishments' family of four each deserve death, and they wouldn't kill an innocent person, otherwise the two hundred lives in the Minister's residence would all have to perish in fire."

The National Teacher smiled at Mu Yuanzhi: "You ask this question just to have me tell you whether Gu Rongjin has indiscriminately killed innocents, right? Princess, you are truly kind."

"Others' life or death is none of my concern." Mu Yuanzhi turned her face away, "I can't even control my own life or death."

The National Teacher neither affirmed nor denied, he nodded to Mu Yuanzhi and said, "That's all I know; I'll take my leave first."

Mu Yuanzhi didn't stop him this time—either the National Teacher truly doesn't know, or he knows but won't say; asking again would be useless.

She turned around, and without warning bumped into a wall of flesh.

Pain!

Who the hell is sick!

Mu Yuanzhi touched her sore nose, looked up, and met a cunning face.

General Who Suppresses Rebellion!

Qi Shihuai's eyes flickered with scrutiny, his gaze unabashed, as if sizing up prey.

Perhaps he's grown used to looking down on enemies on the battlefield; whenever he looks at people, he holds his head high, lofty and overbearing, giving off an uncomfortable scrutiny.

He still wore his armor, full of vigor, his whole body exuding sharp killing intent.

Ordinary people dare not meet his gaze; the timid are already trembling with fear, but Mu Yuanzhi dares to meet his eyes, even showing clear displeasure.

Her fragile nose hit the stiff armor; not breaking it counts as lucky, and of course she's displeased!

This person must have deliberately stood behind her!

"Princess, I atone for my fault; I momentarily overlooked." Qi Shihuai said, "But ultimately it's all because of you, Princess."

"Because of her? What's the problem?"

"Just now the Crown Prince, Second Prince, and Fourth Prince took turns coming to cause trouble… seeking me, they all urged me to ask the Emperor for permission to marry, to wed the Princess, which is truly troublesome—no, it's difficult."

"Trouble is pretty much the same as being difficult, right? This was Mu Yuanzhi's first time speaking with Qi Shihuai, and she found this person truly not ordinary in provoking anger."

"Besides, those three are also messed up—what does it matter to them who she marries? If they made Pei Yunxi marry someone they dislike, they'd just behave!"

"General, don't worry about it; just treat it as nonsense."

"But the princes are pressuring and enticing you, insisting I give an answer; I just wonder, is it really that you, Princess, desperately want to marry me?" Qi Shihuai looked at Mu Yuanzhi, full of trouble.

……

"General, you've misunderstood; I will only marry Young Master Jin." Mu Yuanzhi took a deep breath, telling herself not to get angry.

Qi Shihuai chuckled lightly, interestedly asking: "I didn't expect the Princess to like Young Master Jin so much; even now you still want to marry him—are you hoping to go together to the Yellow Springs?"

Upon hearing that, Mu Yuanzhi's face darkened.

"You're angry; I misspoke." Qi Shihuai bowed with clasped hands, "But I'm really curious—Young Master Jin has disappeared; when the time comes, how will you, Princess, marry him? With no groom, how will you perform the wedding rites?"

"No need to trouble yourself, General; this is my affair."

Their conversation fell into the eyes of Pei Shangling, who was hiding not far away; he anxiously watched, wanting several times to rush out, but Pei Shangjue held him back.

"I can't even hear what they're saying!" Pei Shangling complained again after being held down, "I've always thought Qi Shihuai is old enough to be Mu Yuanzhi's father, and he seems possibly homosexual—totally unreliable!"

"How can you spread rumors like Xiao Yichen? He said that with ulterior motives." Pei Shangjue couldn't see any sign of homosexuality in Qi Shihuai; he had tested him and found it not to be the case.

"Of course I know Xiao Yichen also covets Mu Yuanzhi, but Qi Shihuai being an old man is certainly a fact, right?"

"He's only thirty-two."

"How did my sister end up having to marry a thirty-two-year-old old man?!" Pei Shangling involuntarily raised his voice.

"Shh!" Pei Shangjue hurriedly looked ahead.

Where are they?

"I'm a thirty-two-year-old old man, really sorry to the two princes." Qi Shihuai smiled, looking down at Pei Shangjue and Pei Shangling hiding in the bushes.

……

Pei Shangjue lightly coughed, clearing himself: "I didn't say it; he did."

"I, I also didn't name anyone specifically; how did you, General, take it personally?" Pei Shangling laughed embarrassedly.

Pei Shangjue stood up, shifting the topic: "What about my sister?"

"Which sister?" Qi Shihuai asked, pretending not to know.

Pei Shangling likewise shifted the topic, standing and looking left and right: "Of course it's Mu Yuanzhi—where is she? Has she agreed to you?"

"Of course."

"Thank goodness, her brain finally smartened up once." Pei Shangling breathed a sigh of relief, as if doubting earlier why Mu Yuanzhi would marry an old man wasn't him.

"No." After a pause, Qi Shihuai added.

"Do you have to sigh so much when you speak?" Pei Shangling nearly vomited blood.

Pei Shangjue furrowed his brows, walking away without a word.

"Where are you going?" Pei Shangling asked.

Pei Shangjue did not answer.

Qi Shihuai also wanted to leave; Pei Shangling stepped forward to stop him: "General Qi, lastly I ask you—do you ultimately want or not want to marry Mu Yuanzhi?"

"No." Qi Shihuai answered bluntly.

"Just treat marrying her as bringing home a vase to display—would that not work? She's pretty, can help you with housework, serve your parents, and whenever you want to start a family, she can bear you a few children!" Pei Shangling tried to persuade Qi Shihuai: "You're not young either; just wasting away, I can tell your father is also quite anxious. Of the three unfilial acts, having no heir is the worst."

"Household chores can be done by servants; serving my parents I'll do myself; as for continuing the family line, I still have a younger brother, so there's no need for the Fourth Prince to worry." Qi Shihuai was completely unmoved.

"You wouldn't really be a cut-sleeve, would you?"

"Anyway, I don't like you, so don't worry about it."

Pei Shangling was completely choked up.

Pah! Making it seem like his sister has no suitors—worst case, I'll just keep looking lower down; anyway, marrying anyone is better than marrying Gu Rongjin.

Time is short; the wedding is in just a few days.

But Qi Shihuai earned merit this time guarding the imperial carriage; having him propose the marriage is the best possible thing.