Chapter 259 A Sudden Idea

"Queen Gao is dead?" Mu Xi exclaimed in surprise.

What shocked people was not that King Yu Muji killed his wife as a sacrifice to the flag, but that the queen, who was of such high status, died so silently and without anyone mentioning it.

Pei Dong nodded and continued, "With Queen Gao killed, Lady Gao must be terrified. It seems things will only get a little better when Grand Marshal Gao arrives. But regarding the title of Marquis and the military power in the Western Border... at first, the Third Prince might still have some use, but later..."

Pei Dong clearly didn't know how to continue.

Mu Xi didn't need to explain further; he could naturally deduce it: "Hmph, as a descendant of the Mu family, but with his maternal clan being the Gao family, he's caught in the middle, which puts him in a difficult position. So, his title of 'Young Master Mu of Jinfang' is self-proclaimed?"

“That’s not quite right. To be honest, it was Grand Marshal Gao, who has now declared himself ‘King of Jin,’ who put this on him,” Pei Dong explained, then added, “The King and Grand Marshal Gao have been locked in a tug-of-war for Moyang City for more than a dozen rounds. Grand Marshal Gao has long been unable to care about Lady Gao and her son. As for the King… the will of Heaven is unpredictable… When the King reclaimed Moyang last time, this old servant had no choice but to take Lady Gao and the Third Prince into hiding in a secret passage. That’s probably why the Third Prince hesitated to act against the Crown Prince after committing the murder.”

Hearing Pei Dong repeatedly mention the matter of protecting Gao and her son, Mu Xi felt a pang of sadness: "It seems that Father left Uncle Pei quite a lot before he passed away."

There are secret passages and secret rooms in Jin Fangjun's mansion that she doesn't know about, nor do she know where or who is hiding documents and land deeds. Even though Pei Dong always has secret guards at his disposal, she doesn't have any of them.

Leaving these things behind, on the surface, is a way to protect them and ensure their safety. But the real purpose is to leave them for Mu Xunzhi's use. It seems that they didn't really consider their daughter, nor did they give much thought to the future of the second wife and Mu Chong.

Pei Dong, observing Mu Xi's expression, guessed somewhat of what she was thinking. He personally picked up the teapot, poured Mu Xi a cup of tea, and handed it to her, saying, "The Lord left these things to this old servant back then, naturally for things like this now..."

"Since Uncle Pei is willing to protect us, is there any way to get us out of here as soon as possible?" Mu Xi was not one to hold grudges, and she knew that Pei Dong was criticizing her, but the words made her seem petty, so she quickly changed the subject.

She only took a small sip of the tea that Pei Dong offered, thus covering up what she had just said.

Pei Dong had naturally considered this matter many times before, but had not yet found a perfect solution. He could only say helplessly, "Alas, this old servant also knows that this is not a place to stay for long. I will try to find a way as soon as possible to take the young master out without leaving a trace. However, the situation in Moyang City is changing rapidly, and I am afraid that the young master will have to suffer for a few more days."

Mu Xi couldn't wait a moment longer, but she was also at a loss and worried about her own safety: "Without leaving a trace? Uncle Pei is using Mu Chong's name tonight, shouldn't he find out soon?"

Pei Dong smiled: "I can't guarantee it will take a long time, but in the short term, I can guarantee that if you don't want the Third Young Master to know my whereabouts, you won't be able to find out. If the Third Young Master wants to take any action against the Heir Apparent, I can also find out in advance."

"Since Uncle Pei has such abilities, then rescuing us by force should be no problem for him, right?" Mu Xi said this, but a plan suddenly came to her mind.

Pei Dong had more to consider: "Forcibly rescue him? Even if we succeed, what will happen to the young master afterward? If his identity is exposed, he will likely become a puppet that various forces will fight over. Although I still have a few people on my side, I really can't handle the young master completely."

"This..." Mu Xi thought it made sense, but she couldn't think about the long term and was more worried about Mu Chong, this sudden variable. "Uncle Pei's words are reasonable, but how many days can we delay? Mu Chong and her son already know that I was sold into a brothel. If they want to harm me, it's as easy as crushing an ant. The reason they haven't acted these past few days is probably not because they are worried about me, but because they are held back by other concerns. They know very well that I can't get out of here on my own, so they have delayed for a few days."

Pei Dong nodded in agreement: "What the young master says is true, but the third young master has probably been worn down by the past few years. In addition, Lady Gao is cautious and has no one to rely on except for a few guards. Even if the mother and son know the young master's identity now, they probably can't decide how to deal with him for the time being, so they are hesitant to make a move. If they leak the young master's information to Grand Marshal Gao, it seems to have some benefits on the surface, but because of the matter of Queen Gao, Lady Gao seems to have become estranged from her brother. And the third young master has long lost the Grand Marshal's favor because of the loss of military power in the Western Border. With both of these factors combined, the lady and son actually don't have much to rely on. But if it weren't for Grand Marshal Gao... I heard that the king's troops have recently been fully regrouped and will be able to attack again soon... In addition, the troops of Marquis Yi Fang Mu Dong in the Western Border have actually joined forces with Lord Xuan You. Once the young master's identity is exposed, how to use him is indeed a problem for the lady and son."

Mu Xi was unaware that the troops of the Western Border had been used by Mu Heng, the eldest son of her uncle Mu Dong, to make a deal with Xuan Youjun, but in a moment of thought, she realized that it was only natural.

One hand cannot clap. Besides, Yi Fanghou Mu Dong and Xuan Youjun Mu Zong are half-brothers, both descendants of the Mu clan. It would be standard practice for them to band together before planning for the future.

However, he couldn't attend to those two for the time being, and Mu Xi couldn't entrust his own safety to the incompetence of others.

Having given up all hope before, they couldn't let this lifeline slip by. So, they solemnly bowed to Pei Dong from their seats and said, "If Uncle Pei still has any strength left, please help me and get us out of here."

Pei Dong dared not presume, and repeatedly assured him: "Of course, of course, Your Highness, rest assured. If there is no foolproof plan, this old servant can guarantee that if the Third Young Master makes any unusual moves, I will risk my life to protect Your Highness."

Having heard this, Mu Xi spoke again: "Since Uncle Pei has said so, before Uncle Pei comes to the rescue, could you please do me another small favor?"

“Your Highness, what are you saying? There’s no need for help. Everything I have today is thanks to Your Highness. Just tell me what you need.” Pei Dong didn’t suspect anything, but then he thought of something. “I know Your Highness must be having a hard time here. I will make sure to take good care of the madam in the brothel and ensure Your Highness’s safety before we take you out.”

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Uncle Pei, but..." Mu Xi bowed again, but then changed the subject and said, "I have asked you to help me arrange for me to come to Fangfei Tower again in the next couple of days."

"What is the young master going to do?" Pei Dong had a vague idea of ​​what was going on.