Chapter 25.3 - Rebirth + Saving the Wife

After he died, his soul floated above Yongxi Palace for a few months. Mu Huai wanted to take a look at the other parts of Bianjing, but he discovered that he was restricted in his movements. His soul could only drift about in Yongxi Palace.

He thought, since he could still stay in the living world for a few more days, then he might as well observe how Mu Yuan this rascal does as emperor.

At first, Mu Yuan was quite diligent. After court ended, he would go back to Ganyuan Hall to revise booklets. On many aspects, he satisfied Mu Huai’s soul very well.

However, soon after, Mu Yuan began to neglect government affairs, chasing after beauties instead. All day, he would run to his Noble Consort’s palace, even being late to court a few times. He would often make the court officials wait for an hour.

Seeing this, Mu Huai became very angry. Because his soul could only move during the nighttime, the night when Mu Yuan yet again went to sleep in his noble consort’s palace, Mu Huai directed his soul to land on the ground.

Inside the hall, Mu Yuan had an intoxicated look on his face. That restless noble consort was whispering things into his ears, wanting him to make her older brother an official. As Mu Yuan contentedly enjoyed being embraced in his favored consort’s arms, he didn’t even think about it before he consented to her request.

Mu Huai’s soul cursed Mu Yuan for being such a worthless idiot.

He furiously scolded Mu Yuan, “This old man shed blood, sweat, and tears for this nation not for you stupid fool to listen to a woman’s pillow talk!”

Naturally, humans could not hear ghosts talk.

But the candlelight in the hall became more and more sinister. When Mu Yuan and his vixen consort saw this, both looked in the direction of the candles. Mu Yuan felt a little strange and asked his noble consort, “Why does zhen feel that there is someone else inside this hall?”

The noble consort let out a coquettish laugh, replying, “What kind of nonsense is Emperor talking about, other than this subject-concubine in this hall, whose else would be here?”

Mu Yuan’s smile became deeper as he hugged the noble consort, “You’re right. Only beloved concubine and zhen, who else could there be?”

Mu Huai’s ghost had already floated in front of the two people. He wanted to use his hands to grab Mu Yuan’s clothes so that he could beat him up. But when his hands touched his clothes, they went through his body.

Mu Huai was helpless. After all, he was only a ghost, not a living human.

Mu Huai’s countenance grew darker as he stared at Mu Yuan for a long time. Finally, when the two people were about to do the deed, he drifted out of the inner palace.

When he wanted to direct his soul to fly up into the air again, darkness shrouded his vision. It was like a strange shapeless force was sucking away his soul. Resisting this strange force was very agonizing fo Mu Huai.

Before his consciousness slipped away, happiness burst from his heart. Because he could finally cross the Yellow River1 and search for that woman.

******

When Mu Huai regained his consciousness, the first thing he sensed was the blood smell that assaulted his nose. After he frowned and opened his eyes, he found that he was half-laying on the ground, his back leaning against the wooden door behind him.

He looked down and saw he was cladded in armor. Next to him was the sword he always used, the blade still stained with blood.

Mu Huai thought something was odd.

How come after he arrived in the afterlife, he was actually wearing armor, dressed up as if he was going to battle?

Lifting his eyes again, he found a crowd of black guards kneeling in front of him, as well as a frightened royal physician.

—“Your Highness…you’re awake.”

The guards spoke.

Your Highness?

Mu Huai frowned when he heard this salutation. He had already been called ‘Your Majesty’ for so many years, when did it become ‘Your Highness’?

Observing his surroundings, his originally hazy black eyes widened. He could not be more familiar with the scene in front of him.

This place was the Eastern Palace.

No, not the Eastern palace, but the yet-to-be-renovated Quyun Palace.

The guards in front of him had very youthful-looking faces, giving off a sense of familiarity. This group of people were the ones who followed him when he was first made Crown Prince.

Mu Huai felt as if his blood was boiling. He was in disbelief, but other emotions caused his heart to beat madly. He stood up from the ground, tightly grasping the heavy sword in his hand.

It has to be said that his twenty year-old body was very robust.

At this moment, Mu Huai felt a lightness he had not felt for a long time. His shoulders were strong, and he was not plagued by any illnesses.

The attendants guarding him saw he had finally stood up and with some trepidation, spoke, “Your Highness, do you still want the royal physician to take your pulse?”

However, Mu Huai did not reply to that attendant, returning with his own question instead, “What year is it?”

The guard was stunned, confused on why Mu Huai suddenly asked what year it was, but still respectfully responded, “Replying to Your Highness, it is currently the thirteenth year of Xuanping.”

Hearing this, Mu Huai’s lips curled up into a smile.

He listened to the sounds of the training soldiers outside, finally confirming that he had returned back to the day he forced Li Rui.

On this day, he entered the Eastern Palace and became the Crown Prince.

Yet when he returned back to the palace and wanted to find that woman, he was told instead that that woman had been expelled from the palace.

Mu huai frowned, absolutely disgusted by the scent of blood coming from his body. After throwing his sword to the guard, he commanded, “I will change my clothes. You guys immediately prepare a horse by Xuanhua Gate, follow me to Hongdu.”

The guards looked at each other in confusion but obeyed.

Not too long later, Mu Huai strode out of Quyun Palace wearing black robes as the guards closely followed behind.

When the group of people reached Xuanhua Gate, Mu Huai bumped into Yin Cheng who was leading the soldiers. His heart jolted again. The Yin Cheng at this time had yet to die and was still alive.

Mu Huai walked to Yin Cheng with quick steps.

Yin Cheng saw Mu Huai’s expression was a little agitated and had a strange feeling in his heart. Regardless, he lifted his hands up in greeting, “This subject congratulates Your Majesty for moving into the Eastern palace.”

Finished, Mu Huai suddenly hugged him, then stiffly patted his back. Yin Cheng was stunned, completely shocked by Mu Huai’s actions.

Mu Huai had always been withdrawn and proud. His actions today resembled like a crazy person, hugging a big man like him in front of all the troops.

Yin Cheng also wanted his face and hurried pushed Mu Huai away, asking in a puzzled manner, “Your Highness…what’s wrong with you today?”

Mu Huai also felt that he had lost his composure and pretended to cough into his fist, “Tonight, come with me to Hongdu.”

Yin Cheng hesitated for a moment before agreeing, then asking again, “What is Your Highness going to do in Hongdu?”

Mu Huai’s smile slowly widened as he replied, “My woman ran away…tonight, I will snatch her back.”

******

The road to Hongdu was unusually bumpy, and Rong Xi’s morning sickness was especially severe. Caressing he chest, she resisted the urge to throw up.

Aunt Huan lifted the carriage’s curtain. Bursts of cold wind entered the carriage. Aunt Huan patted Rong Xi’s back as she soothed her, “Young Miss, just bear with it a little longer, we’re almost at Hongdu.”

Rong Xi smiled and nodded her head, “It’s alright, I can take it.”

Suddenly, the horses neighed and the carriage stopped.

The driver’s voice changed as he addressed the two people inside, “…Finished…we bumped into robbers.”

Aunt Huan was shocked as she asked Rong Xi in a panic, “…Young Miss, what do we do?”

Rong Xi forced herself to stay calm. Pulling out the pouch containing money from her sleeves, she told Aunt Huan, “Then give them the money they want and see if they can spare our lives…”

Before she could finish, they sudden heard the driver cry out “Ah—“.

The driver had been thrown to the ground by the robbers. Rong Xi’s expression changed as Aunt Huan had already positioned herself in front of Rong Xi to protect her.

They only heard the robber use a rough voice to to talk to his companions, “Retreat after getting rid of the pockmarked woman.”

When they heard this, Aunt Huan and Rong Xi’s expression suddenly changed.

The pockmarked person was Rong Xi after concealing her appearance.

When the two of them were still at a loss, they were already pulled out from the carriage by the robbers. Rong Xi vigilantly protected her stomach as Aunt Huan protected her in front.

The robber had a fierce expression on his face as he spoke, “Hurry and scram, you old b*tch, don’t block my way!”

He grabbed Aunt Huan’s sleeve and harshly flung her away.

“—Dong” Aunt Huan’s forehead hit a rock, and blood immediately began to flow out.

Rong Xi’s heart was in pain as she hoarsely yelled out, “Aunt Huan!”

The robber let out a smug smile. Just as he was about to pull out his dagger and stab Rong Xi, his smile suddenly froze on his lips. His lips spat out blood as he fell to the ground.

Rong Xi was shocked. An arrow had pierced the robber’s chest. It turns out that someone saved her.

When she turned around to seek her savior, when she made out the people in the darkness who saved her, her expression instantly changed.

Yin Cheng raised his bow, and with another “sou—“, he let loose countless arrows, hitting the remaining robbers.

And the person riding on a horse next to him, was Mu Huai.

Two people and two pairs of eyes met. Mu Huai had already directed his horse to ride in her direction.

Although the robbers on the ground were already dead, he still pulled out his sword, cutting through their bodies once more.

Rong Xi’s heartbeat became quicker and quicker.

Mu Huai actually personally came to catch her.

The moment she saw him, Rong Xi felt fear grip her heart. Just like when an animal saw its predator, she only felt her hairs stand up.

She didn’t think further as she took one last pained look at Aunt Huan’s body, then turned and ran.

When Mu Huai saw this, he hurried pulled his sword out from the robbers’ corpses, and after putting it back in its scabbard, he cracked the horsewhip, riding in the direction that woman ran off to.

He secretly scolded inside, this woman was truly dumb, why did she run? Can a human outrun a horse?

All the enemies had been eliminated. Yin Cheng straightened his back as he rode the horse. He looked on interestedly as he watched Mu Huai chase after that frail-looking palace maid.

In this scene, Rong Xi was like a warbler with its winged clipped, and Mu Huai was like a fierce eagle.

The gap between the two people’s strengths was too great.

He heard the ‘warbler’ let out a surprised cry when Mu Huai leaned to the left, and with a scoop of his arm, he had plucked the woman and placed her on top fo the horse.

His hands holding the reins was very strong, tightly encasing the woman within his arms.

Rong Xi felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her throat when she heard Mu Huai pull the reins to the stop the horse.

He hugged the frightened woman in arms for a few minutes before he placed his hand on her stomach under her shocked gaze.

Mu Huai’s actions caused Rong xi’s eyes to widen.

It couldn’t be…he knew.

Mu Huai looked at the breathing and living woman in his arms, his gaze deep.

Faintly suppressing the anger in his voice, he questioned her in a heavy tone, “What are you running for? You’re pregnant with my child, where do you want to run off to?”