By the time Shen Muzhi finished speaking, Yan Xiao had already finished eating.

After wiping her mouth, she looked at Shen Muzhi and asked:

"So what are your plans?"

"Aren't you angry?"

Seeing that Yan Xiao's reaction was indifferent and she didn't seem angry at all, Shen Muzhi was a little puzzled.

Based on his understanding of Yanxiao, he knew that if someone dared to make a move on her, she would definitely not let it go easily.

Then Yan Xiao replied casually:

"Don't be angry. Why would I argue with a dying man? If I'm not mistaken, you don't intend to let Qi Chengfeng leave here alive, do you?"

Yan Xiao wasn't just making things up; she had suspected it ever since Shen Muzhi said he was going to secretly dispose of Jiang Xinrui's body.

Shen Muzhi:......

Sorry, he's being superficial.

"Um."

Shen Muzhi nodded and, without keeping Yan Xiao in suspense, directly told her about his plans for the future.

Since Qi Chengfeng wants to capture Yan Xiao, then let's just send Yan Xiao to him. If he wants him dead, then let's play along and die to lure him into a trap.

Even if he were to swallow up Yanyun City, he would have a legitimate reason to do so. In addition, since they possessed the art of Gu poison, other forces would need their help. Even if they had any ideas, they could only think about them.

After hearing Shen Muzhi's words, Yan Xiao felt a headache coming on.

"Politicians are such a hassle. It's just killing someone. If we join forces, we can take him down in no time."

Hehe~

Yan Xiaoming was clearly talking about fighting and killing, but Shen Muzhi somehow found it cute.

He chuckled and raised his hand, intending to pat Yan Xiao's head, but just before he touched her head, Yan Xiao glared at him. So, he chickened out and patted Yan Xiao's shoulder instead, then spoke softly to soothe her:

"Qi Chengfeng deserves to die, but he represents a force. If he is killed by us for no reason, people from other forces will definitely want a share of the spoils."

Not only that, but other forces will also be more wary of us. Even if we have a way to remove the curse, it will be difficult to get the greatest benefit, which would be a losing proposition.

Therefore, we must have a legitimate reason to attack.

She understands the logic and the humor, she just finds it troublesome and vents her frustrations.

Only after hearing Shen Muzhi's subsequent words, and recalling some of the things he had said to her in Yanyun City, did she belatedly realize that Shen Muzhi was now playing a very big game.

She carefully recalled the original plot. In the plot, Shen Muzhi subdued several major forces, then defeated the barbarian army together, and finally joined forces with some soldiers of Qi who still had a conscience to storm the Qi royal palace. All of these processes involved coercion and enticement.

And Lou Guyu's contribution was indispensable in making this possible.

It can be said that Lou Guyu and the Miao people he turned to defect played the most crucial role in making all this possible.

Looking at the current situation, Yan Xiao realized that she didn't need to do anything at all. Since she obtained Jiang Xinrui's protagonist destiny, although the plot has changed a bit, it has begun to automatically connect.

In the original story, Qi Chengfeng did not poison Shen Mu; he simply lured Shen Mu to his doom.

The person he wanted to capture was Jiang Xinrui, and he wanted to use Jiang Xinrui to force Shen Muzhi and Lou Guyu to hand over the Gu poison technique. Now, the female lead has become her, and she has taken Jiang Xinrui's place.

But if that's the case, then will Shen Muzhi, that idiot with a screw loose, give up being a proper emperor and go off to become some kind of recluse?

She couldn't help but think of the hysterical words Jiang Xinrui had said to her before she died.

All the scheming and plotting only benefited others.

Shen Muzhi noticed that Yan Xiao's gaze towards her was becoming increasingly strange, and her heart began to pound.

He thought carefully about what he had said, but couldn't find anything wrong with it, so he asked in a somewhat ingratiating manner:

"Yan Yan, do you have other ideas? If you're still not satisfied, you can keep Qi Chengfeng's life after it's done."

Yan Xiao slowly snapped out of her thoughts after hearing Shen Muzhi's words.

She shook her head, then nodded, and then spoke:

"I want to ask you something."

"Okay, go ahead."

Yan Xiao hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't hold back and asked directly:

"What are you doing all this for? Is it for the throne?"

Shen Muzhi paused for a moment after hearing this, and just when Yan Xiao thought he wouldn't answer, he said:

"Yan Yan should know that I was just a country boy at the beginning, but the world forced me to get to where I am today."

He sighed softly, gently grasped Yanxiao's hand, his tone tinged with helplessness, weariness, and above all, self-reproach and apology.

"At first, it was probably just to survive."

Later, I wanted to live like a human being, instead of being a helpless victim to others.

Later, seeing countless displaced elderly, women, and children, I thought again that perhaps I could do something.

But once I actually took that step, I realized how dangerous it was. Because of those dangers, I didn't even have the confidence to survive, let alone tell anyone about your existence and July's, let alone contact you.

When I felt the time was right, I lost all contact with you, causing you so much suffering.

When I couldn't find you and July, I often wondered, if I hadn't chosen this path, but instead chosen to be an ordinary person and return to your side sooner, would you still be here?

When Shen Muzhi said this, his gaze towards Yan Xiao was very complicated. There was love in it, but more than that, there was something that Yan Xiao couldn't understand.

He tightened his grip on Yan Xiao's hand slightly, his tone full of relief:

"Fortunately, my wife is no ordinary person, otherwise I would never be able to forgive myself in this lifetime."

And now, after going through life and death to get here, that position where I can look down on the world is within reach.

Once I'm in that position, I can protect those I want to protect and do what I want to do.

I think anyone would be tempted, right? I'm just an ordinary person, and I'm no exception.

After hearing this answer, Yan Xiao felt that she probably understood why Shen Muzhi in the original story did not choose to become emperor in the end.

He also understood what the guardian had told him back then: that because of her appearance, the characters, personalities, and ways of doing things in the original story would change.

Just as Yan Xiao thought of this, the urgent voice of her guardian angel echoed in her mind:

"Warning! Warning! Warning! I've told you before, minor matters can deviate slightly from the original plot, and I can handle that if it's not a big deal. But major matters must proceed according to the original plot."

According to the original course of this world, Shen Muzhi should never become emperor. You'd better find a way to make him give up this idea.

Otherwise, when he ascends the throne, it will be the day the world collapses, and you can expect to be buried with me!

Yanxiao felt a headache coming on from the noise and was speechless.

That guardian spirit who only knew how to cry and yell said he would watch over her, and he really did keep his word, but Yanxiao really didn't want to listen to a single word he said.