Chapter 141 Where to Go From Here
Mu Xi jumped up from the bed with a start.
Why is it on fire again?
He hurriedly got out of bed, and Cao Pan'er, who was on night watch outside, came in.
Mu Xi then ordered, "Quickly, go and find out where the fire is this time?"
"Yes." Cao Pan'er turned and left without saying another word.
Mu Xi put on her clothes and followed him out, first turning around to take a look at Mu Xun's room.
Mu Xun was still fast asleep, so he had Bao Fan, who had been awakened, keep watch over him.
Then, remembering the golden lock, Mu Xi turned around and took out the two halves of the golden lock from under her pillow, tucking them into her bosom.
Ever since learning the contents of the golden lock and being tasked with keeping it for Mu Xun, Mu Xi has been on tenterhooks, fearing that it might be snatched away by someone with ulterior motives.
She might as well just destroy it cleanly, but since Mu Xun is concerned about her, she can't.
Mu Xi turned around and looked around the corridor a few more times. Yan Shu rushed over and said, "Your Highness, good news, good news... The arsonist has finally been caught."
"How is the fire?" Qifengtai was under construction day and night, and the night was as bright as day. Mu Xi couldn't tell where the fire started at all.
Yan Shu pointed to the observation deck, which had already been built to a height of three stories: "At the foot of the observation deck, some scoundrels intended to set fire, but thanks to Brother Chengfeng's foresight and ambush, they caught them red-handed."
"Oh? Take me to see." Mu Xi had long wanted to find out who was the person who had set fires time and time again, and what their intentions were.
Yan Shu then led the way.
Before long, we arrived at the open space in front of the observation tower.
Under a clear night sky, the moonlight was bright, the stars twinkled, and the torches illuminated the night as if it were daytime.
Mu Xi stood tall and imposing: "Just these three people?"
The sound wasn't loud, but it was particularly chilly in the night wind, sending a shiver down one's spine upon hearing it.
Hundreds of slave laborers and soldiers gathered in the open space, all staring intently at the scene.
Three people dressed as slaves knelt on the open ground in front of them, each with their heads bowed and not uttering a word.
Mu Xi then asked again, "Who instructed you to repeatedly set fire to Qifeng Terrace?"
Still, no one answered.
Mu Xijian glanced at the strange sight and lost all patience: "Give them a beating, hang them up, and let them be exposed to the wind, sun, and rain for a while. I'm not afraid they won't confess."
Yan Shu waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to carry out the order, and then whispered in Mu Xi's ear, "When we caught them just now, someone heard them speaking with a Tianjin accent."
"Jinbei accent?" Mu Xi didn't understand.
Yan Shu's fox-like eyes darted around as she cautiously pointed out, "Jinbei is the hometown of Grand Marshal Gao. His guards are all from his hometown. These men may look like slaves, but their skills and movements are not something a slave could possess."
"You mean these were sent by Gao Quan?" Mu Xi asked, though she was already certain.
Yan Shu lowered her voice even further: "There are some things that even if the young master doesn't say, I can guess a bit about them. Moreover, Brother Chengfeng has also revealed some things. Which family doesn't have internal strife over inheritance? Let alone the prestigious Jin Fangjun Mansion."
"Yes, you're right... We owe you a lot to Brother Yan tonight." Over the past few days, Mu Xi and Yan Shu have become quite familiar with each other.
As Gao has done time and again, it seems that Mu Xun's prediction has come true.
Thinking of Mu Xun, I'm really worried. It's been two days and he still hasn't woken up.
Over there, a flurry of blows left the five men completely disoriented.
"Will you talk or not? Who ordered you to do this?" Mu Xi asked again.
None of the five spoke.
Mu Xi gave up: "Looks like we won't get any information out of him. Let's hang him up."
Yan Shu said, "Do we still need to hang him up? If we hang him up, he won't be easy to keep an eye on. If someone kills him... then we really won't be able to get anything out of him."
"Make an example of him, let everyone know that no one can sabotage my project." Mu Xi said only one word, then turned and walked away.
Everyone present immediately felt a sense of unease.
Yan Shu turned around and gave a couple of orders, then quickly followed.
Mu Xi then privately instructed Yan Shu: "Whether you ask or not, it's the same. Hang them up. If they are really silenced in the next two days, then we'll have an answer. If not... then send them to the Court of Justice and give that goatee Liu Qi something to do."
Yan Shu was truly surprised: "Oh my, Your Highness is so wise!"
Mu Xi walked back and arrived at Mu Xun's house.
"The young master and Brother Chengfeng truly have a deep brotherly bond; it's time to visit them at this time," Yan Shu said, before following them inside.
Mu Xi hesitated for a moment, when suddenly the door opened from the inside.
Mu Xun appeared in the doorway dressed in a moon-white undergarment.
Their eyes met, and it felt like a lifetime had passed.
Yan Shu exclaimed with delight, "Oh, Brother Chengfeng, you're finally awake! Doctor Luo said that once you wake up, it's a great relief, and you look quite well too!"
Mu Xun's eyes, as bright and gentle as ever, gazed intently at Mu Xi without blinking, while he dismissed Yan Shu, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Yan. You've had a hard time these past two days, so please go back and rest."
"Ah..." Yan Shu was about to say something.
Mu Xun interrupted, "I already know that the arsonist has been caught. Brother Yan, you've worked hard. Please go back first."
"Ah..." Seeing that the two had something to say, Yan Shu wisely left.
"I have something to tell you..."
"I have something to tell you..."
As soon as Yan Shu left, Mu Xi and Mu Xun spoke almost simultaneously.
Then, Mu Xun stepped aside to let Mu Xi into the house and lit the lamps.
“You…” Mu Xi turned back to face Mu Xun. All the words she had been holding back for the past two days were stuck in her throat. Suddenly, she thought of Jin Suo and quickly took them out of her pocket and handed them over. “These two are for you. Do with them as you see fit.”
Mu Xun silently took it, rubbing it in his hands, lost in thought.
The atmosphere in the room froze for a moment.
Finally, Mu Xun spoke slowly: "You are not the same as before, and neither am I. I don't want to restore the kingdom, nor do I want to be a prince, but you probably still want to be the heir apparent, or rather... a princess?"
“This…” In the past, Mu Xi would not have hesitated to admit it, but the situation is very different now.
These past two days, Mu Xi has been thinking about one question the most.
Initially, out of sympathy for the original owner, she was determined to reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to the original owner.
Of all these "things", the most important is identity and status, so Mu Xi only wants to be a wealthy princess.
But now it is known that the Mu clan's Yu state was seized from the Xi clan through usurpation.
In other words, the King of Yu is fake, the Jin Fangjun Mansion is fake, and the entire Mu family's identities are fake...
So what she originally took for granted as her rightful status and position was no longer taken for granted.
Even on his deathbed, Jin Fangjun Mu Zhen still instructed her to hand over the position of heir apparent to Mu Xun. That position was not originally hers, but was for military power, to help Mu Xun restore the country. From any perspective, she had no choice but to "return" it.
So what happens after you "return" it?
What about her own plans? What do they amount to?
If the name is not correct, the words will not be proper.
If you don't want to help others restore their country, but you've lost your legitimate status, what should you do?
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