Poisonous Goddess: I'm just lazing around in the mortal realm.

Pei Suisui opened the door, and what came into view were the guards standing outside.

The courtyard where they were located was not large, so much so that the guards sent by the Crown Prince were enough to completely surround the small courtyard.

As the door opened, all the guards turned to look at her, causing Pei Suisui to burst into uncontrollable irritation.

"We two girls don't know if we've broken any heavenly rules, but they've sent so many people to watch over us. Aren't they tired of it?"

She's become a bit more easygoing these past two weeks, and she's no longer as reserved as before. She always wants to say things face-to-face to be more frank.

"Come inside every year."

Thirteen's calm voice came from behind her.

Pei Suisui wanted to say something more, but since Thirteen had spoken, she could only obediently close the door again.

She turned around and saw Thirteen writing something at the table, and couldn't help but ask curiously...

"Aren't you curious? Why were we placed under house arrest by the Crown Prince as soon as we arrived in Philadelphia?"

"What are you curious about? How could a crown prince without the support of his maternal family have managed to hold onto that position for twenty years? Do you really think he only relied on the emperor's favor?"

Thirteen didn't even look up, continuing to copy on the paper as if nothing had happened.

"Are you saying that we have the Crown Prince's spies along the way?"

Pei Suisui was immediately surprised, because apart from Zhou Jinghuai and his group, only Shen Mu's Imperial Guards had accompanied them along the way.

If it was truly because they leaked their whereabouts, then shouldn't the Crown Prince have known about Shen Mu's entire plan beforehand?

"Prince?"

Thirteen stopped writing, placed the brush aside, and slowly looked up at Pei Suisui before continuing.

"The Crown Prince's influence shouldn't extend to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I'm afraid he received news of your escape from the capital the day you left, but he's been holding back ever since."

"Then why did you only send someone to take me away now? And you shouldn't have come with me in the first place."

Pei Suisui suddenly felt a throbbing pain in the corner of her eye. She recalled how, early that morning, as soon as she stepped outside, she saw armored guards completely surrounding the restaurant.

Fortunately, the head guard was quite polite and invited her to stay at his villa in Philadelphia for a while...

Such polite words almost made her think it was Shen Mu's arrangement.

But I didn't expect...

She and Thirteen were actually placed under house arrest in this villa.

Thinking of this, Pei Suisui looked at Thirteen with some confusion as he wrapped up the letter in his hand and handed it back to her. She raised an eyebrow slightly, puzzled.

"Is this for me?"

She pointed to herself.

"I'm keeping this for you to use in self-defense."

Thirteen nodded, then carefully put the papers back on the table and set them aside.

"Self-defense? What do you mean?" Pei Suisui hesitated. She wanted to open the letter, but unexpectedly, there was a red mark on the back of the envelope, obviously to prevent others from peeking.

"Didn't you think about why the Crown Prince would take action at this time and put you under house arrest?"

Thirteen quickly slapped away Pei Suisui's hand, which was about to open the letter, fearing that this ancestor might accidentally open this life-saving letter.

"Yeah, why did they know I snuck out from the beginning? Why did they only catch me when we were almost in Philadelphia?"

Pei Suisui touched her nose somewhat awkwardly, then put the letter into her bosom.

Currently, the Crown Prince is only keeping the two women under guard under the pretext of capturing fugitives, without revealing their identities. This is clearly a way for him to have a backup plan.

In this way, they became the prince's bargaining chips.

"Now I have to ask you something too. Do you know the reason why Pei Xiang advised the Emperor in the Imperial Study to stop the Crown Prince from leading the troops? Did your sister tell you?"

Thirteen pulled her into the inner room, afraid that someone might be eavesdropping through the window outside.

Pei Suisui shook her head blankly.

"No, my sister always talks with my father in the study and has never let me overhear. I suppose she's afraid I'll cause any trouble."

Although she had known for a long time that her sister and father were secretly planning something, she figured that if her closest relatives were hiding it from her, then the matter must be very important, so she decided it was best to just pretend she didn't know.

"Then this matter is in trouble."

Thirteen rubbed his forehead, recalling his and Zhou Jinghuai's scheme yesterday. In the internal strife between the Crown Prince and General Weiyuan, Prime Minister Pei must have played a key role.

She hadn't intended to come in with Pei Suisui that morning, but fearing that someone might take advantage of the chaos to harm Pei Suisui, she became anxious and decided to come in with her.

It now seems that she has no way to contact the outside world from this secluded courtyard.

"What's wrong? Thirteen, have you found out something?"

Seeing her so distressed, Pei Suisui felt a pang of panic, not because of her own predicament, but because she feared her father was still by the Crown Prince's side.

If the Emperor truly intends to harm the Pei family...

Now is the best opportunity!

"I'm thinking about how to contact Prime Minister Pei. The Crown Prince is now holding you hostage, fearing that someone might cause trouble during this military campaign. He's using you to threaten Prime Minister Pei!"

Thirteen's words made Pei Suisui's face turn pale instantly.

"So, according to you, I'm a burden to my father? But... that's not right..."

Pei Suisui frowned, shook her head to herself, and continued...

“But my Pei family has always supported the Crown Prince’s faction. Why would they use me as a hostage to threaten my father? This doesn’t make sense.”

Although she rarely interfered in her sister's and father's affairs, the fact that the Pei family had taken sides was common knowledge throughout Nanyang.

Now they say the Crown Prince doesn't trust the Pei family...

It's more accurate to say that the Pei family was suspected by the Crown Prince!

“I initially shared your thoughts, but now, judging from the fact that the Crown Prince knew about your secret departure from the capital, he is definitely not a good person. How could someone who has remained in the Eastern Palace for twenty years without falling from power so easily trust others?”

Thirteen had also guessed the same way last night. Even if the Emperor wanted to secretly take action against Prime Minister Pei, the Crown Prince would more or less step in to save him because of the Pei family's support over the past twenty years.

Even if Shen Mu and she are not by Pei Xiang's side for the time being, the Crown Prince will still protect Pei Xiang to some extent.

But considering that the Crown Prince's men had placed them under house arrest early that morning, she suddenly felt...

Will the Crown Prince, for some reason, preemptively strike against the Pei family before the Emperor does?

Even to say

They used the Pei family as a shield for him!

After all, if the An family were the ones playing this game, it would be perfectly reasonable for the Pei family to be framed by them on the surface.

"Then that letter you gave me... can it save my life... can it save my father?"

Pei Suisui suddenly pulled out the letter she had just put in her bosom.

Thirteen bit her lip, then shook her head somewhat blankly.

“This letter cannot be taken out... at least not now, unless one day you break with the Crown Prince. This is only a last resort, and it should not be taken out unless absolutely necessary.”

Her expression was serious, clearly indicating that she was very nervous about the letter.

"But now you're saying the Crown Prince might harm my father..."

Pei Suisui remembered stamping her feet back and forth; at this moment, she was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

"Boom boom boom——"

A dull knock came at the door, instantly interrupting their conversation.